by Azure Boone
Kassern bristled. “Is that what you call it with Devyn? Sex?”
“But I love…”
Troy’s words faded with Kassern’s quirked brow.
“You’re telling me you…love her?”
Kassern looked down. “I’m telling you…she loves me.” He met Troy’s gaze again.
“And what about you?”
The crushing sensation in his chest was annoying to say the least. “What about me? I’m an arch-fucking-angel, a warrior over the Seven Universes. What do I know of human love?”
“So, you’re…” Troy turned more in his seat. “What are you saying? Are you leading her on?”
“I’m trying to help her.”
“By leading her on?” Troy’s voice grew harder.
“Until we get to the sanctuary and I…” Kassern took a deep breath.
“And you what?”
“And I make her forget.” Kassern ignored the weight of his humanity that screamed he’d better never fucking touch the memory of what they shared.
So this is what the flesh warring against the spirit felt like.
Troy’s brows slowly softened. “You can…do that?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. Okay, I had…no idea.”
Kassern wanted to snort at that understatement while wondering what was taking the girls so long. “Did Devyn confess?”
The way Troy looked at him meant he hadn’t known for sure it was Devyn that was the one needing to confess. “No, nothing in particular.” Troy leaned his back against the driver door and peered at Kassern between the seat and the window. “Can’t you just…tell us what it is?”
Kassern shook his head slowly, eyeing the store. “She has to confess it. I am not allowed to interfere with that.”
“Great. We could be on the run for a long time. I’m going to go check on them.”
“I’ll try and contact Uriel while you’re gone.”
****
Troy headed toward the store. Kassern would know if there was danger around, he kept telling himself as he scoped the half empty parking lot. He opened the door and saw Devyn at the cash register then scanned the store for Karly. He finally spotted her leaning against the wall at the back of the store. He hurried over, wondering what was going on.
“Are you okay?”
Karly jerked red-rimmed eyes up at him, startled. “Oh, yeah, I’m…I’m fine, it’s…” Her mouth tightened and a sob escaped her.
“What? What’s wrong?”
She glanced down the hall way then back down at her feet. “I just…I really like Kassern and I know…I know he’s an angel and I’m a…I’m a…” her words trailed off in a wordless cry.
Troy’s heart ached for her and he pulled her in his embrace. “Stop it. You’re beautiful and sweet and you can have anybody you want.”
She sobbed into his chest. “But I don’t want anybody, I want him. Why doesn’t he love me? Why is he…is he using me like…like they all do?”
Troy’s jaw hardened with sudden fury. “No, that’s…I don’t think that’s what he’s doing.”
Troy looked right and froze at seeing Devyn standing there, with murder in her eyes, watching. Oh shit.
She stormed out the store.
“Come on Karly, it’s time to go.”
****
Kassern turned away from the pain marking Karly’s face as she approached the car. Seeing her that way did things to him not even his angelic powers could control. He sat rigid in the back, wondering over what happened to Devyn and Troy now. Just what they all needed, another fight. He was already running on empty and their spats were off the fucking emotional charts. And how close was Devyn to confessing? Not close enough. He needed to find a way to help with that.
“Where to?” Troy eyed Devyn who’d just slapped his attempt at affection away.
“Nowhere.”
Devyn was the first to turn and meet his annoyed gaze.
“As long as the two of you are fighting like children, we may as well sit right here and wait for the end to arrive.
“Well maybe if you kept your whore on a leash, we wouldn’t be in this fix.”
The growl that filled the car was damn near foreign to Kassern’s own ears. “Don’t. You ever. Call her that. Again.” Kassern didn’t care how much Devyn disliked that, nobody would hurt Karly. It was bad enough he would soon not be there to protect her.
Devyn jerked the door open and got out the car. Kassern reached out with his mind and prevented the door from slamming.
Devyn opened it again and slammed it, furious.
Karly sobbed into both her hands. “She hates me, why does she hate me?”
Troy got out and went to calm Devyn at the back of the car. Kassern pulled Karly to him and whispered those foreign syllables while Devyn ranted her hateful words about Karly, not caring if she heard, wanting to hurt her.
Karly’s lips found his chest and he strained under the assault, letting her have what she wanted and needed, stroking her head while trying not to feel all the sins that had been done to her. How much pain and devastation she’d endured. His chest heaved when her lips made their way up his neck, his eyes clenching.
The doors opened and Troy and Devyn got in. Karly jerked back to her side of the car, shame pouring out of her spirit and hitting Kassern like acid.
“Where now Kassern?”
“I know a place in the woods. We’ll stay there until our personal business is resolved.”
But he also had plans for Karly. He didn’t care what sort of punishment he’d face for doing it. He wasn’t leaving this Earth till he literally loved the hell out of her sweet spirit.
Devyn tried not to look interested as Troy followed Kassern's directions and drove down the overgrown dirt track shaded by heavy forest. Hopefully the cabin Kassern mentioned was more than a run-down shack with a leaky roof.
When she'd started thinking her teeth were going to rattle out of her head from the washboard surface of the track, they broke out of the forest into an open meadow. At the far side, a small house with weathered wood plank siding stood at the edge of another forested area.
Tall grass grew all the way up to the front of the house. Great. No doubt every kind of creature from crickets and bees to ground hogs and squirrels infested the damn place. She had no desire to become better acquainted with local wildlife.
Troy stopped the car a few feet from the broad front door of the cabin. Devyn had her door open and climbed out. She couldn't get away from Troy fast enough, and if Karly took another breath of the same air Devyn occupied, she'd kill the bitch.
The front door opened easily and the first room, a sort of living room/kitchen combination, was surprisingly large, clean and well-lit. Three doors led off the main room, but the others thumped into the house behind her before she could explore. Rather than stay inside with them, she brushed past without a word and stomped back outside. A walk seemed like a good idea.
Just off the doorstep, she found a faint footpath and followed it around the side of the house. Amazement forced her to a stop at the rear corner. A little forest pond waited in the center of a cloistered garden, complete with a moss-covered stone bench at one side. Enchanted, she went into the secret cove.
The bench drew her to sit, and the rich pond life mesmerized her. Small fish awaited insects while dragonflies buzzed over the surface. A bird waded in the shallows at one edge, and somewhere amid the grasses a frog called.
"Devyn!"
She jumped and turned to find Troy right beside her. She hadn't even noticed his approach. Great, she didn’t feel like a sugar sermon.
"Are you okay?” Concern furrowed his brow.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
His mouth tightened a little. Moving slowly, he raised a hand to tuck a lock of hair over her shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?" The movement of his mouth mesmerized her, and memories of what those lips and tongue could do to her
body set her pulse pounding.
Answering him took concentration and she ended up repeating herself. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, you didn't answer when I called for you." The pulse at the base of his throat caught her attention, tempting her to taste his warm skin.
Before she could think twice about it, she leaned forward and nuzzled in close to deliver a series of nibbles along his collar bone, ending at that tempting pulse point. She swirled her tongue, relishing the taste of his skin, and the rapid acceleration of that pulse.
A groan vibrated through his throat. "What are you doing?"
She stroked her tongue up the side of his neck to the angle of his jaw. "Tasting you." Beard stubble prickled against her lips and tongue as she tasted his jaw, working her way toward his mouth.
His breathing changed, deepened. "Am I allowed to taste you?"
"Absolutely." Little shocks echoed along her nerve endings in anticipation of his touch.
One hand crept up her arm then slid over to brush across her breast. Instant reaction hardened her nipple and quickened her breath. When her mouth reached his, he took charge, slanting his lips over hers, caressing with silky touches.
She needed him. Devyn took control, sweeping her tongue across his lips. When he parted them, she plunged her tongue into his mouth to stroke and entice. His moan set off explosions of lust in her, and she pressed closer. Heat from his chest radiated into her breasts, making them heavy and full feeling, almost uncomfortable, begging for his attention. Unable to wait, she reached for his hand and drew it to her breast, moaning when he complied.
Troy tightened his fingers, then slid them a little lower. His harsh breath spurred her need. "No bra?"
Rather than answer, she lifted the hem of her shirt and drew his mouth down to her breast. With a harsh curse, he settled his mouth on her nipple.
Tension built, tightening her belly until her whole body pounded with her pulse, and with it, her impatience increased. Before she could think twice, she put both hands on his shoulders and shoved.
He landed on the ground with a surprised Oooomph! And she landed astraddle him, working at his belt.
****
What was wrong with her? She acted damn near sexually manic. Troy finally grabbed her hands and held them. Her gaze narrowed and met his wide eyes. “Baby, slow down.” He looked around. “Why don’t we go inside.”
The furrow in her brow grew tighter. “Why? What’s wrong with here?”
He looked around a little. “Do you realize how many insects they have in the woods? The kind that burrow into your skin and make you itch for days? Not to mention, I could be laying in poison oak. You or I don’t need to get that anywhere on our bodies, especially not…”
Troy watched light dawn in her eyes as she looked around. Then she met his gaze and that light slowly dimmed with something odd.
“Maybe you’re worried about Karly.” She jerked up and climbed off, leaving him stunned as she stomped to the bench and sat.
With an irritated huff, Troy followed and sat next to her, his erection making it hard to sit comfortably. “Why would you say that?”
She spun on him with a finger in his face. “Don’t fucking play me for a fool. I don’t give a fuck what you were before we met. If you’re going to be with me, you don’t go putting your fucking hands on another fucking woman!”
She marched off, heading toward the cabin and Troy shut his eyes for a few seconds before following her. He saw her in the car before he made it to the porch and headed to meet her. He heard the door locks engage as he approached the driver side. Oh come. On.
He gazed around at the span of green forest bordering the pasture land before knocking on the window. “Open the door Devyn.”
No answer.
He dug in his pocket and got the keys. Opening it, he sat in the driver seat and slowly shut the door with a sigh. “Devyn, look. I’m sorry, I’m still getting used to not being a minister.”
“Whatever Troy, you know, I don’t have the slightest desire or urge to even touch another man besides you. Really amazing that a man of God such as yourself would be struggling with such an inappropriate thing as giving another woman fucking affection.
She spat the words like venom and there was no humor in the incredulous laugh he gasped out, but she sure thought different and slapped him for it. Across the face.
He glared at her. “What the hell was that for?”
“I swear you’re just so damn clueless about everything.”
“Well why don’t you start teaching me Devyn. Teach the stupid preacher how to figure you out, or how to convince you that I will never love a woman the way that I love you no matter what you think.” His heart raced with the anger he’d just blasted at her but even more at the fury she was clearly about to launch back.
“Well you can damn well start by keeping your hands off of other fucking women and quit letting them put their filthy claws all over you. I mean, that night Karly had her pussy grinding on your cock, was it really that fucking hard to get her off of you? If I hadn’t showed up and interrupted, just how far were you going to let her take it, preacher?”
That was it. That was fucking it. Troy got out of the car and slammed the door, pacing a few seconds, raking his hand through his hair. Devyn got out too and circled around, coming at him with a pointed finger. “Don’t think that I didn’t see your hard-on before you hid behind the curtain either, you son-of-a-bitch.”
“What? That’s bullshit! You did not see that, that is…” he drew back a little. “Why would you lie about something like that?”
“Oh, I’ve been watching you Troy, taking notes. I can add one and one, and there is no way you didn’t have a hard on with her practically fucking you!”
Troy gritted his teeth and grabbed her shoulders, pinning her against the car. She stared up at him, startled. “Take it back.”
At the first sign of her anger, he shoved his leg between hers and caught her wrists when she tried to shove him off. “Get the fuck off of me.”
He pushed harder between hers, not missing the way her breath caught when his leg met her sweet heat. He could feel it through his jeans and suddenly, having her pinned this way seemed like the exact thing to do. Add the flash of desire in her eyes to that and he was eager to test that theory. It was almost like…this was the only thing that would convince her. She was beyond nice words and sweet touches. She was in the harsh life zone, where answers were crisp and clear. And not sweet.
Not his forte, but for her…Troy pinned her arms and pressed his suddenly very hard cock into her stomach. “My dick…” he whispered thickly next to her face, “belongs to you.” Devyn jerked her face right when he leaned for her lips.
Troy groaned and pushed his erection against her again, settling his mouth on her ear. He had to admit, insisting felt…really good. “You’re mine.” He nipped the outer shell of her ear. “Do not fight me.” The gasp she gave at his words confirmed it. This was exactly what she needed. He lowered his mouth to her neck and licked firmly. “And I want you.” He scraped his teeth along her silky skin, drawing what he sought. A tell-tale whimper. “Right here…” he slid his lips along her jaw until he reached the edge of her mouth. “Right now.” He lowered a hand and skimmed his fingers over her erect nipples that burned him through his t-shirt while using his leg to grind softly against her desire.
She finally turned her mouth and he groaned, pushing her lips open with his, aggressively stroking her tongue. “All mine,” he moaned, reaching down and gripping her waist tightly to move her more precisely over his leg.
The delicate whimper she gave nearly drove him crazy. She liked it. A lot.
So did he.
Troy gave in to his explosive passion. He growled and yanked up her t-shirt and pinned her arms again while he feasted hungrily on her beautiful breasts. She gasped, trying to move, but…oh no. He really liked it like this.
God, how could she thin
k he wanted another woman besides her? He broke from her plump nipple and moved to her mouth for a brief devouring before spinning her around and pressing his cock into her ass. “Undress,” he whispered next to her ear, “I’m going to fuck you just like this.”
Her eager whimper and the way she hurried to comply made him growl. He prayed Kassern and Karly didn’t decide to come out, but then, it was dark and the car hid them. He undressed while watching her stumble out of her jeans. “Take off your shirt,” he whispered when she faced him. “Then turn back around. And hold on.”
Two seconds was all it took her and the second she faced the car, Troy was on her, his cock pressing between her delicious ass, his mouth at her ear.
“Spread your legs.”
“Oh God, yes,” she whispered, her face pressed against the car.
He slid his cock between her tight cheeks while reaching with his hand to fondle her slick petals and that oh so hard clit buried there. She tiptoed, giving him better access.
“You’re so wet for me.”
“Yes,” she panted.
He bit lightly into her shoulder and pulled her against him. Holding her against his body, he continued to play with her clit from the front. She rested her head against his shoulder, crying out. Holding her off the ground, he moved with her to the back side of the car and set her down.
“Lean over the trunk baby.”
When she did, Troy gripped her ass cheeks and moaned at how good she looked this way. He stepped in close and slid the head of his cock along her hot silk. She cried out and looked back. Troy slid in to the hilt, leaning over her so that his chest pressed into her back. He laced his fingers into her hair with one hand and pulled back a little, need making him reckless. Devyn loved it. With his other hand, he reached for her hand and moved it between her legs. “Play with your pussy for me.”
“Oh God, Troy.”
His cock throbbed hard inside her as he turned her profile toward him, wanting to see her. He put his hand over hers, feeling her fingers on herself. “Are you ready for me to fuck you?”