New York

by Tiffany Aaron

“Oh, my God,” she cried as her orgasm exploded inside her. Her muscles clenched around his erection, milking it as best she could without a working brain to tell her what to do.

  “I love you,” he whispered right before his climax hit him. Then as he froze deep inside her while filling the condom, he shouted in the dark room.

  Joan blinked in confusion. Had he said he loved her? Wasn’t it too soon for that? They’d only met a few days ago, and she wasn’t sure she believed in love at first sight. Yet she had no other word to describe how she’d felt about him since the minute they’d met and after, when she hadn’t been able to forget about him.

  He collapsed to the side, and she grimaced as he slid out of her. She settled on her side to watch him take care of the rubber then he turned to face her. She tried to figure out what he was thinking, but his expression was blank.

  Did he realize what he’d said during sex or was it something that had slipped out, but he’d never have said it if he’d been in his right mind?

  “I do, you know,” he said softly.

  “You do love me?” She wasn’t going to pretend that wasn’t what she was thinking about. “How do you know that? We just met the other day. No one falls in love that quickly.”

  Christian ran his finger down the slope of her nose. “Maybe most don’t, but I’ve been alive long enough to not question how I feel. It’s not like we don’t have time to get to know each other, and maybe you can learn to love me as well.”

  Joan grabbed his hand then placed a kiss in his palm. “I think I’m on my way.”

  He relaxed, and she realized how nervous he’d been about her reaction to his declaration. She traced his features with her gaze, learning the curve of his cheek and the strength of his jaw, trying to etch them permanently on her heart. He was familiar to her in a way that she couldn’t really explain, and it didn’t have anything to do with his striking resemblance to Lucian.

  It was like she’d always known him, and had been waiting for him to return to her. It was a strange feeling, and she would examine it more in the morning. At the moment, all she wanted was to curl up in his embrace and sleep, knowing he would keep her safe.

  Christian wound his arms around her waist before pulling her as close as they could get without being one body. Joan gave herself permission to relax, and her pleasant exhaustion drew her under, and she fell asleep listening to Christian’s heartbeat.

  * * * *

  Later the next day, Joan was getting ready to leave Christian’s apartment to go to work. He’d been busy planning something with his business associates, but he hadn’t told her what it was. He’d simply given her a card key to his apartment, and told her to come back when she got off work.

  “I might not be here, but I’d like you to spend the night again. I like the idea of coming home to you sleeping in my bed.” He gently pushed a lock of her hair off her forehead.

  “All right. I can do that.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. “Be careful doing whatever you’ve got planned for tonight. I hope you’re not doing it on your own.”

  “No. I have some people coming in from out of town to help me. The good thing is that after tonight, there shouldn’t be any more of that particular problem.”

  “Good. I want you safe, so that I can congratulate you on a job well done with a celebratory blow job.” She grinned as he groaned. “I have to go now. I’ll see you whenever you get back.”

  As she headed toward the elevator, it dinged and two people stepped from it. The statuesque blonde and the dark-haired man made quite an impressive couple, and Joan felt uncomfortable in her waitress uniform.

  “Bradford. Montgomery. I’m glad you could get here on such short notice.” Christian rested his hand at the small of her back, urging her forward.

  “When you call, Vosberg, we have to obey,” the man said, not looking overjoyed to be there.

  The woman shook Christian’s hand. “It’s a problem we all might be facing at some time in our individual cities. We help you here, you repay the favor later on when it’s our turn.”

  Christian dipped his head in acknowledgment of the deal. “Certainly. I’d like to introduce my girlfriend, Joan Fisher. Joan, this is Celeste Montgomery and William Bradford, two of my Enforcer friends.”

  Both of them looked shocked when Christian told her that, but Joan smiled and shook their hands.

  “Christian told me about being a fallen angel and all that. I’m still working on accepting it.” She glanced at her watch. “Shit! I have to get out of here or I’m going to be late.”

  After blowing Christian a kiss, she nodded at the others then walked onto the elevator to go down to the street.

  * * * *

  “I can’t believe you told her about us,” Celeste commented as they strolled away from the warehouse.

  Christian grimaced at the rip in his jacket. He’d throw it out when he got home. It wasn’t like he didn’t have the money to buy a new one. When Celeste’s comment registered with him, he glanced over at her.

  “Why wouldn’t I do that? I love her, and she needs to know the truth before she starts falling in love with me. I don’t want her stuck with me and not knowing who I really am.” He propped his fists on his hips. “How long will it take Bradford to deal with them?”

  “Not very long. He’s full up on power and none of them were very strong to begin with. I’m surprised they were able to gather together for this long without fighting amongst themselves.”

  “I’m not. The unrepentants are stronger than you think, Celeste, and they want to survive as much as we do, so they’ll try to find ways to do so.” Christian rubbed his neck. “I should head back to the apartment. Do you and Bradford have a place to stay?”

  Celeste turned to face the warehouse, but Christian knew she was still very focused on him. “Yes. We have rooms at the Waldorf-Astoria. You do know she’s marked, right?”

  Sighing, Christian rolled his eyes. He should’ve known she would bring that up.

  “Yes, I know, and I didn’t realize she was until last night.”

  “You’ve never seen him around her? I would’ve thought he’d keep an eye on his prize.” She kept her voice even and calm, though Christian knew she wasn’t happy about what was going on.

  “I think he’s been keeping an eye on her since he marked her. She has a friend called Lucian, and the way she described him fits Lucifer. Yet Joan says he’s been nothing but good to her. He’s helped her become a recovering alcoholic, and get her life back on track.” Christian closed his eyes for a second. “Does that sound like the Lucifer we know?”

  “No, but that doesn’t mean anything. He’s never been predictable, Christian. You know that.” She heaved a sigh of annoyance. “I can’t tell you what to do, except keep an eye on her if you love her. I don’t know how to help Joan. We can’t counteract a mark like that.”

  “I know,” he ground out between gritted teeth, and it was that knowledge of helplessness that got to him. “I’m leaving. I’ll see you tomorrow for a late lunch before you fly home?”

  Celeste nodded, and he left to go back to Joan. He needed to hold her in his arms to help convince him the world is a good place to live.

  Chapter Seven

  The next morning, Christian finished sliding pancakes on two plates while Joan poured the orange juice. She pinched his ass when he walked by, and he grunted, sending a lust-filled glare at her. She just laughed.

  “Did your business go well last night?” she asked as they sat at the kitchen table to eat.

  “Yes. It’s been taken care of and the mess has been cleaned up.” He took a sip of juice before he said, “I told Celeste and William we would meet them for lunch before they flew home.”

  Joan was amazed that he would want to be seen out in public with her, which she readily admitted was a silly thought. “All right. I don’t have school or work today, so I’m free all day.”

  “Good. Maybe after breakfast, we could go back to bed and work off the cal
ories we ate.” He leered at her.

  “I never say no when a handsome man wants to take me to bed.” She winked.

  The elevator doors opened, and they jumped to their feet to see who could’ve gotten up to the penthouse without being buzzed in.

  “It’s time, Joan,” Lucian said as he walked into Christian’s apartment like he owned it.

  “What are you doing here, Lucifer?”

  “What are you doing here, Lucian?”

  She and Christian spoke at the same time. Joan looked over to where Christian stood, hands clenched and face flushed.

  “You do know him.” For some reason that was more important than why Lucian was there. “Lucian said he knew you, but you never said you knew him.”

  “I don’t know him as Lucian, but I do know Lucifer Daystar. We’ve been opponents for more centuries than I can count.”

  “Lucifer? His name is Lucian.” Joan glanced at her friend, silently imploring him to deny what Christian said.

  “No more lies, Joan. I am Lucifer, the most horrible of all fallen angels. The creature mortals seem to fear even more than God.” Lucian paused for a moment before continuing, “I never understood why your kind are so scared of me. I mean, I don’t hold absolute power over you.”

  Lucian reached out to touch her cheek, but Christian sprang in between them. Lucian raised his eyebrow, his only sign of surprise.

  “Don’t touch her,” Christian snarled and Lucian stepped back.

  Yet Joan could tell it wasn’t fear that made Lucian back off. The sadness that always seemed to lurk in Lucian’s eyes flared, and Joan had the feeling that Lucian hated what was going on between him and Christian.

  “Joan must pay the price, Christian. You can’t stop me from taking what is mine,” Lucian—or Lucifer since that was his true name—said.

  “She probably didn’t even know what she was doing when she made the bargain with you. How can you do this? You know what she means to me.”

  The pain in Christian’s voice brought tears to Joan’s eyes. She watched Lucifer inhale deeply then straighten his back, seeming to prepare himself for some horrible duty.

  “Why do you think I’m doing this? Because I can.”

  “Right. You could’ve done this at any point in the past, but now that we’re together, you chose to call your debt in.” Christian glared at Lucifer. “I don’t believe this is a coincidence.”

  Joan stepped between them, ignoring Christian’s protest. “I want to know what the hell is going on. What kind of debt do I owe you, Lucifer? And why don’t I remember it? Does this have anything to do with Mika’il saying I was marked?”

  “Mika’il knows about her?” Lucifer asked Christian.

  “Yes. We met him the other night,” Joan answered. “I don’t think he was happy about the whole situation.”

  “No one is happy about any situation I might be involved in,” Lucifer pointed out. “I don’t have much time. I need to get this taken care of.”

  “Get what taken care of? Nothing is going to happen until you explain what the fuck is going on.” Joan folded her arms and stared at both men.

  “You sold your soul to the devil, Joan, and he’s here to collect.” Christian encircled her waist before pulling her tight to his side.

  She tensed. “What? I think I would’ve remembered that.”

  Lucifer paced the living room. “Do you remember the last night you drank? You were throwing up in an alley, and you were bleeding from ulcers in your stomach and throat. I’m sure you felt like you were going to die. I found you there, and as I walked up, you said, ‘I’d do anything to stop from doing this again’.”

  Joan sorted through her memories, going back to that night, then she nodded. “I remember saying that, then you showed up and offered me your hand. Was that when we made the deal?”

  “Yes. I asked you if you would accept my help for a debt to be paid at a later date. Usually when anyone makes a deal with me, it’s for their soul, which I take and use to add to my power.” Lucifer spoke as if reading from a script—saying what people expected him to say. It didn’t make sense to Joan.

  “Why don’t I remember that?” Joan frowned as she tried to remember the entire conversation.

  Lucifer shrugged. “Most people seem to forget until I return to collect. Not sure why, though I haven’t tried that hard to find out.”

  “You’re going to take my soul, and I’ll cease to exist…like I died?”

  “Yes, and you won’t be going to Heaven because I guess no creature without a soul can go there.” Lucifer’s laugh sounded bitter and angry. “Which is why I’m banned from there, apparently.”

  Joan turned to look at Christian, shocked to see tears rolling down his cheeks. She couldn’t stop from kissing him, the knowledge that it might be the last time they did chasing through her mind. He held her tight like he would never let her go.

  She didn’t know how long she was lost in his embrace before Lucifer huffed.

  “I can’t waste any more time. I have other things to do.”

  “No! Take my soul instead,” Christian offered, moving to stand between Joan and Lucifer.

  “Christian, you can’t,” Joan protested as she gripped his arm.

  “I’m not letting him have your soul, Joan. Lucifer will be happy to take mine. It’s something he’s been after for a long time.”

  Christian met Lucifer’s dark gaze, and he frowned at the look of resignation swimming deep in Lucifer’s eyes. The strange sadness Christian had often seen in the other fallen’s eyes was there as well.

  “Are you sure you wish to give up everything for her?” Lucifer gestured toward Joan. Christian nodded. “Joan’s given me something I never thought I’d have again.”

  “What’s that?”

  Lucifer might have asked the question, but Christian had the oddest feeling he already knew the answer. Turning to face Joan, Christian smiled as he reached out to cradle her face in his hands.

  “She gave me my faith back. She showed me that not all humans were selfish and only out for themselves.” He heard Lucifer exhale loudly, and shot him a quick glance. “What’s that for?”

  “Really? She’s not selfish and only out for herself? What about all those years where she drank herself into a stupor every night? When her family worried about her and thought she was dead in a gutter somewhere because she never contacted them?”

  Lucifer would’ve gone on listing all of Joan’s past transgressions, but Christian wasn’t interested in hearing them. He didn’t care what she’d done before he met her, just like she didn’t care what he had done all those millions of years ago when he’d fallen.

  Of course, his actions could be considered worse than hers, and his consequences were far direr as well. But she’d recovered and out of her troubled past, she’d done something to make her life and the lives of others around her better. That was what forgiveness did for a person.

  “Yes, she did all of those things, but she eventually got back on the right path. It just took a little forgiveness and some help to do it. Help like I needed.” Christian leaned down then brushed a kiss over Joan’s lips. “I love you,” he whispered.

  “I love you, too. You can’t do this, Christian. I have an idea about what his taking your power means to the rest of the world.” Joan clasped his biceps in a tight grip, seemingly unwilling to let him move away from her. “One person isn’t worth the lives of millions.”

  “Yet I know other Enforcers who have sacrificed themselves for the ones they loved, so I’m not the only one who believes one person is more important than millions,” Christian muttered.

  “True, but I’m forced to point out that what they sacrificed wasn’t going to give me more power,” Lucifer spoke up. “They just gave up their power and souls to keep their lovers from dying. You’re giving me your soul and your power to save your lover from hell. Trust me, there is a small difference.”

  “Shut up, Daystar,” Christian ordered, not looking away fr
om Joan. He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. “You don’t understand what you’ve done for me in the time since we first met. They will all tell you that I was on the edge of becoming the very creatures I hunted. The fallen who allowed their hopelessness to overcome any part of their heart. I’ve felt the darkness calling to me for a century or more, and I was weakening.”

  Tears welled up in Joan’s hazel eyes, and Christian wanted her to remember the good times, not the last moment of his life when Lucifer wrenched his power and angelic soul from him. Christian touched her forehead then caught her as she slumped.

  After laying her on the couch, he turned to look at Lucifer. “Let’s go to the roof. I don’t want to take the chance that she’ll wake up while you’re sucking me dry.”

  Lucifer bit his lip and Christian wondered what the fallen was holding back, but again Lucifer surprised him by not saying anything. Not even the crude comment he could’ve made.

  “Follow me then.” Lucifer shimmered, then disappeared.

  Christian brushed one last kiss over Joan’s lips before he too dissolved. He reappeared on the roof to find Lucifer standing on top of the small wall bordering the edge. As much as he didn’t want to, Christian joined him. They stared down at the bustling streets below them.

  “Do you remember standing at the boundary of Heaven, and looking down at these mortals?” Lucifer’s voice was soft like he was lost in memories of better days between them.

  Smiling, Christian nodded. “We never could understand what He saw in them, yet we knew our job was to protect them for Him.”

  Lucifer sighed. “Until that moment when our lives changed forever.”

  “Why did you do it, Lucifer?” Christian had often asked his former friend that, but he’d always felt that the answers Lucifer gave him weren’t the true ones.

  “Does it matter now? You’re going to die, Christian. You’re going to cease to exist when I take your soul. Unlike our brethren who will find a place somewhere when they die, you’ll be nothing.”

  “It doesn’t matter. If I don’t exist, then I won’t know what I’m missing,” he joked.