Bub glanced around, trying not to look too obvious as he scanned the people around us for signs of danger. When he noticed me watching him, he gave me a quick smile. “Are you excited about the placement ceremony this Saturday?”
“Sure. It will mean I’m finished with school and can forget about it for another few centuries.”
“You think you’ll have enough votes to make it on the Posy Unit?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“You don’t sound as excited as I thought you would be.”
I shrugged. He already knew about Wosyet, but I really didn’t want to tell him about Horus’s illegal side job. Josie and Gabriel were the only ones I had told about that. Neither of them had ties to the council the way Bub did. He would feel obligated to tell Cindy Morningstar about it. I really needed to guard my secrets more diligently.
If I passed the training and my classes and I still didn’t get enough votes to make it on the Posy Unit, that was Horus’s problem. I already knew I had the votes of Horus, Meng, and Cindy. I had a feeling that I wouldn’t be receiving favorable votes from Maalik or Ridwan. How Holly Spirit, the Green Man, Kwan Yin, and Parvati would vote was anyone’s guess. Maybe Horus had been working on them. The only one I could even hope to gain an audience with would be Holly, since I was living at Holly House. I wondered if Charlie could set up an appointment with her for me.
Bub and I arrived at the front gate of Holly House. He gave the fountain in the courtyard a questionable look.
“Can you tell by looking at it that it’s holy water?”
“Yes, but not all demons could,” he answered with a frown.
“I think I can make it from here.”
“You’re not going to invite me up?” he asked.
I raised an eyebrow. “You’re not concerned about being in Holly House?”
“I’ve been in Holly House before.”
“Oh?”
Bub grinned. “We may not be able to vote as the Abrahamic Elite, but we still gather and discuss business on occasion, and Holly has hosted a summit or two here before.”
The Afterlife Council thought that allowing the Abrahamic heavens and hells to work together would allow them to overrule the council’s checks and balances system. So they broke up the original group of delegates into the Board of Heavenly Hosts and the Hell Committee. It was really just for show. The Abrahamic Elite still gathered, but on the council they were recognized as two separate entities.
Holly House didn’t necessarily pose a threat to demons. As long as they stayed clear of the relics and had good intentions, the protective Latin prayers carved all over the building wouldn’t do them any harm.
Bub followed me to the front door, and I nervously punched in the code.
Charlie gave us a double take when we entered the foyer. “Evening Ms. Harvey. Beelzebub,” he said, pushing the guest log across the counter.
Bub smiled and signed his name. I panicked briefly, wondering if Maalik was allowed to review my guests. That would have to go on the list of things I needed to discuss with Holly.
Bub pushed the log book back to Charlie. “It’s been a while, Charlie. How’s life treating you?”
“Can’t complain,” the nephilim answered. “Enjoy your stay.”
We took an elevator up to the tenth floor. My heart was racing. By the time we made it to my door, I was a nervous wreck.
“Do you drink coffee?” I asked, struggling to put my key in the door lock. I stepped inside the condo and listened for the soft sound of Coreen sniffing the air to validate that it was me.
“Don’t you think we’ve drank enough tonight?” Bub asked.
“What?” I raised an eyebrow as he reached up and fingered one of my curls.
I might have been drunk, but I wasn’t that drunk. I was still fully aware of what was happening. I had a moment’s hesitation to wonder about Maalik, and then remembered I had pretty much dumped him, just a few short hours before. Still, guilt flooded in, along with a hefty dose of exhilaration. I knew in that moment that if Bub made another move, I was done for. He knew it, too.
He took a step closer, and his body heat engulfed me. I ran a hand down his chest, caressing the shiny material of his shirt. It was such a small gesture, but it was all the invitation he needed.
Bub stepped inside the condo. He reached out and touched the side of my neck softly before racking his fingers through my curls and pulling me into a crushing kiss. My heart skipped, excited by the rush of raw need. I was frozen with disbelief for a moment, letting him handle me without reciprocating much. He noticed my hesitation and started to pull away.
I opened my eyes slowly and looked up at him.
“This is probably a bad idea,” he rasped, looking torn between wanting to stay and wanting to run.
“The worst,” I said, grabbing the sides of his collar and pulling him back to my mouth.
He leaned into me, pushing us further into the condo and pushed the door closed behind us. We stumbled across the dining room, somehow removing my jacket and kicking off our boots without ever taking our lips from one another. When we made it to the living room, Bub lifted me to sit on the back of one of the sofas. He untied my halter top and let it fall in my lap as he pulled his mouth away from mine and worked it down my neck and chest, stopping to flick his forked tongue over one nipple and then the next. I gasped and arched back to give him better access.
When he finished teasing my breasts, they glistened in the city lights filtering in from the living room windows. He grinned up at me, the gold flecks in his eyes glowing in the dark room, and then he moved lower, tickling his fingers along my hips before digging them under the waistband of my jeans. He gathered the halter top and jeans together and pulled them down my legs in one motion, leaving them in a pile on the floor.
I suddenly felt very naked, especially since he was still wearing his shirt and pants. All I had on was a pair of black, lacey panties and my peacock earrings. Bub moaned his approval as he dropped to his knees and pulled my legs over his shoulders. When I felt his slender tongue work its way around the lace, I was done for.
I screamed out my pleasure, and would have fallen off the sofa if he hadn’t had ahold of me. He tore the lace away and devoured me entirely, until my legs were trembling and my throat was raw from breathing so hard.
When Bub finally stood, he lifted me in his arms and walked around to the front side of the sofa to lay me down. His eyes danced over me as he removed his clothing.
I was still breathing hard when he came to me, gently nestling between my thighs and nipping at my breasts again. When the head of him pressed into me, I cried out. I was still moist and throbbing, and unsure if I could take more just yet. He pressed in anyway, slowly, until he filled me. I dug my fingers into his back and bit down on my bottom lip. He stayed there a moment, pressed firmly inside me, carefully watching my expression.
“Do you want me to stop?”
“Don’t you dare.”
He laughed and then eased back to thrust inside me again. I closed my eyes and tightened my legs around him. He trailed kisses up and down my neck, nipping at the edges of my scar as he rocked over me, each thrust harder and faster than the last, until we were both panting like wild animals. When we came, our voices echoed one another in a blissful crescendo.
Bub collapsed on top of me and rolled onto his side, wedging himself between the couch and me, before looping an arm under mine and cupping my breast. I lay there, my legs tangled in his, listening to our breathing slow with a smile on my face, and wondered if he could see how ridiculously satisfied I was despite the darkness.
Chapter 29
“Sex alleviates tension.
Love causes it.”
-Woody Allen
Waking up alone should not have bothered me as much as it did. I was actually embarrassed, and the feeling only got worse when Kevin emerged from one of the guest bedrooms. He caught sight of me and threw a hand over his eyes.
“Wow! S
orry! You didn’t mention that you slept nude in the living room when you told me I could move in.”
I snatched one of the oversized pillows off the couch and covered myself, wishing the damn thing was big enough to hide my face with it too.
“Were you here all night?” I asked, trying to keep my eyes from falling out of my head.
I had entirely forgotten that Kevin was moving in on Tuesday. I was probably taking my tranquilizer nap while he was unpacking boxes. I guess that was one way to get out of helping. Josie must have given him her spare key. Boy, did I feel stupid.
Kevin turned his back to me and faced the dining room. “I thought I heard you come in last night. The dogs didn’t bark, and I heard, well, it sounded like you and Maalik were busy, so I didn’t want to bother you.”
Well. This was awkward.
“Sorry, I don’t usually sleep out here. I just forgot you were moving in. I’ll get dressed. Would you mind starting some coffee?”
“You bet.” Kevin hurried off to the kitchen.
I made a run for my bedroom and closed the door behind me, pressing my back against it and squeezing my eyes shut.
I had a lump in my throat and the urge to burst into tears, but I pushed it away. I didn’t have time to feel sorry for myself this morning, and I didn’t really feel like I had a good reason to be upset anyway. Bub hadn’t made any promises. At least he wasn’t poking and prodding me for information or trying to tell me what I could and couldn’t do.
I took a quick shower and threw on a pair of jeans and a black turtleneck, but still managed to feel naked when I met back up with Kevin in the kitchen. He gave me a tight smile and handed me a mug of coffee.
“Sorry, again,” he said, blushing.
“Forget about it. Literally. Forget it happened.”
“No problem.” He sighed. “So, how about those rebels?”
It was a pathetic attempt to change the subject, but I’d have a discussion about knitting socks if it meant never having to talk about our little surprise encounter ever again.
“I think those rebels have been given the boot, and I’d like to give your girlfriend a boot upside the head for the shenanigans she pulled with Warren Tuesday night.”
“Yeah, I heard about that.” Kevin winced.
“When’s she planning on showing her face around here again? I’ve got a piece of my mind I’d like to give her.”
“She said something about stopping by after work, before you head off to your last class.”
“You may want to be scarce for that conversation.”
“You want I should take the dogs for a walk, boss lady?”
“Yeah, that’d be great. They’re going to need it. I’m not taking them with me to train with Bub today.”
Kevin perked up at the mention of my demon training. Josie had probably said something to him about it. “You really think Grim might make you his second?”
I about choked on my coffee. “Not a chance in hell, and I have no idea why everyone else seems to think that. I guess they just think he’s trying to be secretive when he says he loathes me.”
“Oh.” Kevin frowned. “Well, it would have been cool if you could have taken me with you to train against demon attacks.”
“Trust me, cool is not the word for it, but I’ll teach you a few of the more useful things I’ve learned once I’m all finished.”
“Sounds good.”
I looked up at the clock on the kitchen wall. “Gotta run.”
“I’ll be here, unpacking. Just so you know. Don’t want to risk another-“
“I thought we were forgetting that happened,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Right.”
I put my coffee mug in the sink and left in a hurry, hoping Kevin was smart enough not to mention my morning condition to Josie or anyone else. Otherwise, I would have to gouge his eyeballs out.
Once I made it past the front gate, I took the quick coin route to Bub’s house. I could hardly bring myself to climb the steps leading to his front door. My hands were shaking and a wave of nausea made the coffee in my stomach feel more like acid. Jack greeted me before I found the nerve to ring the bell.
“Ms. Harvey!” He sounded awful chipper. I felt myself blush as I wondered if Bub shared his sexual conquests with the old demon. “Master Beelzebub was called away early this morning to Pandemonium for an urgent matter, but he did instruct me to give you this.” He handed me a small, leather-bound folder. “It’s your certification stating that you’ve completed your training. Congratulations!”
I took the folder and swallowed, trying to keep my face blank. “Thanks, Jeeves. Been nice knowing you.”
Jack looked stunned. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again. Soon.”
“Sure we will.” I gave him short wave and stepped off the porch before rolling my coin.
I probably should have gone back to the condo and studied some more before my last final, but it wouldn’t have done much good anyway. My mind was not on the books. Bub had gotten what he wanted, left in the middle of the night, and then had his butler give me the certificate to avoid having to deal with me. He came. He saw. He conquered. He was the typical misogynist male. And I was an idiot, because I had known all along. It should have been easy enough to convince myself that it didn’t matter, that I didn’t really want anything more from him anyway, but I did.
I walked around Limbo City, down near the harbor on Market Street, and got lost in my thoughts. The babysitting detail had grown a little lax since the rebel arrests, and in my experience, ambushes rarely occurred in the morning hours.
The peddlers were setting up shop along the coast wall that lined the Sea of Eternity. I found an open spot between two tent booths and leaned over the wall, resting my chin on my folded arms. The sea sloshed around below, the occasional soul peering blankly up at me. A nice breeze came in with the ghostly turquoise waves, tickling my curls across my face.
“Good to see you’re not letting the rebels get the best of you.” I jumped at the sound of Holly’s voice and spun around.
The feathered Ms. Spirit was dressed in white shorts and a sparkly, peach blouse. A pair of flat sandals laced up her calves. Her blond locks were pinned up in a pretty little nest on top of her head. She leaned over the wall next to me and dangled the vendor bag she carried out over the sea. “I was sure Maalik would still have you under lock and key until Grim was absolutely certain we had eliminated the rebel base.”
I frowned at her and rested my arms on the wall again. “Maalik is not my keeper. Actually, I’m glad you spotted me. It saves me the trouble of trying to set up an appointment with Charlie.”
“What’s on your mind, Lana?” Holly smiled at me.
“I would like to stay at Holly House, but only if you will allow me to pay my own rent. Also, I expect the same privacy rights as your other tenants. I’m no longer seeing Maalik. I’d like him removed from my visitors list, and I don’t want him having access to the visitor log to keep tabs on me.”
Holly grinned mischievously. “I don’t suppose this has anything to do with your slumber party with the Lord of the Flies last night, does it?”
I blushed. “Like I said, I’m no longer seeing Maalik. So it’s not really any of his business who comes and goes.”
Holly nodded. “Don’t sweat it, Lana. Your secret is safe with me.” The way she said the word secret sent a chill over me, and I wondered just how many of my secrets she was aware of.
“Thank you.”
“I do remember you saying that Holly House was out of your price range though. Won’t that present a problem for you?”
“That’s something else I wanted to discuss with you. My apprentice is staying with me for a bit, and I was wondering what the protocol is for roommates.”
Holly shrugged. “As long as they’re clean and follow the rules, I don’t see why moving in a few roommates should be a problem.”
“Great. I think the rent should be manageable then.”
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Holly smiled at me. “Good. I like having you at Holly House. And just so you know, I’ll be voting in your favor on the Posy Unit proposal.”
I tensed, waiting to hear what special favor was going to come with her vote. When she noticed me staring at her, she giggled one of her musical giggles and pressed a hand to her chest. “I’m not as skeptical or suspicious as some of the others on the council. When Grim says you’re not his choice as his new second, I believe him. He may be secretive at times, but that doesn’t always suggest one is untrustworthy. Wouldn’t you agree?”
There it was again, the subtle mention of my secrets. Somehow, I doubted that my tryst with Bub was the only thing on her mind.
“I suppose,” I answered carefully.
“I’m headed back to Holly House to do some paperwork. Would you care to walk with me?”
“Sure. Why not.”
It was beyond strange to me that Holly was being so friendly, especially if she didn’t want anything from me in return and if she didn’t believe I was going to be Grim’s new second. Politicians just weren’t the nice-for-no-reason type in my experience. And as sweet and innocent as Holly seemed, she was still a politician.
We leisurely strolled past the venders, stopping to check out a tent selling frankincense and rosaries. Holly picked out a set of candlesticks adorned with little crystal angels, and I bought a pair of earrings from a Summerland vender. Holly was a council member, so she was drawing plenty of attention, which meant I was too. I could smell the rumors cooking, but there wasn’t much I could do about it. I guess somebody had to fuel the rumor mill. Might as well be me.
When we turned off Market Street onto Morte Avenue I noticed two nephilim dressed like civilians following us. Holly sensed my anxiety and followed my gaze.
She placed a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry. They’re with me.”
“Nephilim Guard?”
“No, my personal bodyguards. Grim has been monopolizing the Guard for his own purposes.” She huffed.
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