Midnight Burn: a New Adult Paranormal Romance Novel (Gothic Angels)

by Ashur Rose

  He caught her moan with his mouth, teeth tugging on her bottom lip as he drove deeper inside of her.

  He opened her more with each thrust. When she was able to fully sheath his cock, he pressed his hips against hers, straining to fill her completely.

  “You’re so fucking tight, Lilith.” His voice quivered. “So wet.”

  He felt fingernails in his back as he hiked her right leg around his waist. He rocked his hips, pumping with slow, vicious strokes. The wet sounds of his hard cock thrusting in and out of her pussy was the sweetest music and nearly broke him. His strokes became fierce and rough, their hips meeting with each deep thrust.

  Ripples crossed Lilith’s muscles, a cry rumbling deep inside her. She gasped and panted, breaths deeper and faster, mirroring his increased speed and strength, each slide of his cock into her drawing him closer to the edge.

  “God,” she cried. “I’m coming!”

  Her words sent him over. Destroyed him.

  Iain slammed his cock in to the hilt, clenching his eyes shut as he came.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  LILITH

  THE NIGHT MOVED ON as they lay together, locked together, panting, holding each other tightly. If not for the rise and fall of his chest, Lilith might have thought their lovemaking had killed Iain. She ran her hands through his thick black hair, tracing a streak of gray. It seemed there was a lot less gray than before.

  He withdrew from her, still semi-rigid, and held her in his arms.

  “Next time, let’s try the bed,” Lilith said into his chest.

  Iain asked, “Do you think that would be better?”

  “Better? No. But I think I’ve got rug-burn on my ass.”

  “Noted.” Iain chuckled. “Speaking of which…”

  His hands moved over her back, massaging gently. Lilith felt soothing warmth cover her. When his hands moved from her shoulders to her arms, she saw a warm orange glow seep between his fingers. The deep ache in her muscles subsided.

  “Maybe I should’ve done this first, but I was a little too—“

  “Excited?”

  He smiled, manipulating her legs now, the tears in her muscles repaired, the strain on her joints relieved. He stood, offering his hand back to her.

  “We gonna try out the bed method?” She took his hand and managed to stand.

  “The Phyrss will be expecting us soon.”

  Lilith pulled away, her eyes on the floor.

  Iain put a finger under her chin and lifted her face. “If you’ll let me, I would be honored to show you my home world. It’s a beautiful place. But it would pale without your presence.”

  Well, at least he was asking her. Sort of. And he didn’t rattle on about demons or her safety. She had already come to a decision, only now voicing it.

  “You’re mine forever, right? I can’t imagine being somewhere without you. Not anymore.”

  Iain nodded, his eyes closed. “Enni nuun, della.”

  His words were foreign to her but soothing. Something she could get used to. She melted into his arms, kissed him. It only took a few heartbeats for the gentle embrace to become more engrossing. Iain pulled away.

  “Get dressed. We’ve got places to see in this world before our journey to Empyrean. I know a great ramen place.”

  The thought of food pushed passion aside. At least temporarily. “I’m starving. Let me take another shower first.”

  Iain took her in his arms. “Want me to join you?”

  “No, I’m ravenous. I want you to take me to dinner. Get dressed, big guy; I’ll only take a second.”

  Lilith quickly showered and dressed in the clothes Cree had purchased for her. When she moved into the loft to strike a pose, she stopped short.

  “You’re wearing a shirt? I’ve never seen you wear a shirt.”

  Iain looked down at himself. The dress shirt was open at the collar; Lilith figured he probably couldn’t find a shirt to fit his wide neck. “Nice places tend to frown on shirtless patrons.”

  “And your wings?”

  “Shrunken.” He drew on his ubiquitous trench coat and held out an elbow. As they touched, he looked her over.

  “Cree pick the outfit?”

  Lilith nodded. “Right down to the bra.”

  Iain smiled. “Gives me a chance to show you off.”

  They took a cab east to a ramen house with a view of the Navy Pier. She blushed a little when Iain held her chair for her. “Wow. An actual date.”

  “Nothing but the best noodles for my della.” Iain gazed out the window. “We should take a turn around the Navy Pier before everything closes.”

  “Really?” Her heart lifted even higher. “I’ve always wanted to visit. But with the…” She stopped herself. No talk of demons tonight. Lilith needed to take the time to simply be happy for a while.

  The food was delicious—perhaps because she couldn’t remember the last meal she’d eaten. Was it leftovers? With the entrance to the Navy Pier only a few blocks away, they walked. Iain took her hand.

  Boats docked along the pier for the night, a tall ship and dining cruisers back from their last tours. In the near distance, the Ferris wheel spun, its lights dipping between the multi-colored tent-like roofs of the attractions.

  They walked together through the crowds entering or exiting the Shakespeare theater and restaurants, moving along the long pier out onto the stormy face of Lake Michigan.

  “I’ve wanted to visit here so bad.” She gave Iain’s arm a squeeze. “It’s just such a happy place.”

  Iain faced her with an expression she couldn’t read. “Wait here for one second.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Trust me.”

  “Fine.” She didn’t get the word out before Iain disappeared into the tiny mall.

  Lilith folded her arms, giving the place the onceover. Why would Iain need to visit a cheesy souvenir shop? Certainly not for a keepsake to take back to Empyrean.

  After a few moments, she tapped her foot impatiently. What could he possibly need there? Bored, she took in the throng of visitors. Distantly, she saw an older couple. Something about them caught her eye.

  The man pointed at her, and the couple quickly walked her way. Breathing deeply, she drew upon her speak. But the couple appeared fully human, even if they were interested in her.

  When they neared, Lilith understood why.

  “Dad?” Her heart lodged in her throat. She walked toward him, blinking in disbelief. “Dad?” She ran toward him now.

  They collided in a deep hug. Familiar scents of her father’s aftershave, and the minty smell of gum drew tears from Lilith.

  “Oh my God, what are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I’ve been so worried. Why did you run off, Lilith?” Her father hugged her again, burying her in kisses. His hands fell on her shoulders.

  “You look good, Lilith. Are you doing okay?”

  She gazed up at him, love and concern vying in her father’s eyes. “I’m—yes. I’ve met somebody. Somebody you need to meet.” She craned her head, gazing into the shoppes. “He’s here with me, but I don’t see him.”

  “When the detective called me and said you’d be here, I didn’t believe him,” he was saying. “But here you are. Safe and sound. I think. Right?”

  “Safe and sound,” Lilith agreed. She had a strong suspicion that the detective that called her parents was very likely named Bane.

  “Who is this person?” her father asked. “Does he have a good job?”

  Just like Dad. “He sure does. He has to travel a lot for business.”

  Better break it slow and easy.

  “What business?” Dad pressed.

  She made something up quickly. Fighting demons hardly sounded like a profession you wanted your daughter involved with. Even if it was as much her career as Iain’s. “Art supplies, specifically sculpture. Carving tools, raw granite and marble. That kind of thing.”

  “I hope I get to meet him. You said he went into the shoppes?” He
r father gave her a worried look. “They seem to be closing.”

  Lilith shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll catch up. There is one thing I should tell you.”

  “What’s that?” he asked.

  “He’s asked me to travel with him.” Lilith’s heart sank a little at their expressions. “I’m not sure when I’ll get home again.”

  Her father grabbed her up in a bear hug. “Oh, sweetheart, just the idea that you might be coming home again… I've been so worried. First your mother, and then you left without a word. I thought you were—” He paused, collecting himself. “I thought we’d lost you, too.”

  “I know,” she said into his shirt. “But everything that happened—I just had to get away. When Carlos died.” It had been a long time since she’d spoken his name. Since she’d allowed her mind to knowingly drift to a time when he’d been alive, before the demon that had come to kill her had found him instead. “I—I just couldn’t stay.”

  She knew they would press. Lilith didn’t know what she would say. None of the past few years sounded even slightly sane.

  But he did know what to say. “Let’s just enjoy the night. How about we get some ice cream?”

  Lilith returned his hug fiercely. “You don’t know how much I missed you.”

  “Yes I do,” he said, running her hand through Lilith’s hair.

  Together, they headed along the pier, looking for an open ice cream vendor.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  IAIN

  IAIN SAT WITH CREE on the edge of the Shakespeare theater roof. He watched his pure embrace her father. As her eyes scanned for him, Iain sank deeper into the shadows.

  “Thank you for tracking her father down for me,” he said.

  Cree shrugged. “Woman comes out of nowhere, burning shades like nothing. I wanted to meet the guy who helped make her, even if I had play cop to do it.”

  “I owe you.” Iain nodded as the three figures strode away together, voices chatting happily.

  “Owe me? Hell, Iain. Think of it this way. What if you were orphaned in this realm? You turned to stone when the sun came up, you morphed into a huge, stone monster, you’re nearly blind—what if there was no one there for you? Can you imagine what it’s been like for her? She had no one. You don’t owe me anything. But her…” He pointed to Lilith. “You owe her everything.”

  Iain frowned. “I never thought about it like that.”

  “Smitten,” Cree said. “It screws up your thinking.”

  Lilith and her father rounded the far end of the pier, their auras disappearing from view. Iain turned to his brother. “What about Zorn’s bastard? Any intel on his location?”

  Cree shook his head. “Probably somewhere deep in The Nether regrouping. We’re on to him now. The Phyrss will be pleased with what we know about their strategies. Right now, we’ve only detected a single untethered shade in this realm.”

  “Raze’s spy,” Iain guessed.

  His brother’s expression turned dark. “We’ll have to deal with him one day soon, I’m sure.”

  Iain grimaced. “I shouldn’t be returning to the realm. We need to storm The Nether and root the bastard out before he has time to gain strength.”

  “We’ll let the Phyrss decide when and how we attack.” Cree stretched his shoulders and wings. “I’m not looking forward to another trip there. I think I might have soft spots from the Sorain smoke.”

  Iain was feeling a little weak himself, but he didn’t let on. “Next time, a little more backup would be good.”

  “Maybe if we learned a little more about Lilith’s speak, we could shield ourselves from the heat better,” Cree said.

  They fell into silent agreement. The next attack would be up to the Phyrss.

  “I wish I knew what She had planned for me,” Iain said. “It doesn’t sound like I’ll be returning to the Watch.”

  Cree put a hand on his shoulder. “You will. We all will. We’ve done good work here. It just doesn’t seem like our work is finished.”

  Iain took in the auras mingling below. “I’ll miss you, you miserable son of a bitch.”

  Two familiar auras appeared, their voices happy. Iain focused on his pure, his heart soaring at her presence.

  “No, you won’t.” He glanced over to see Cree’s lascivious grin.

  Iain stood from his crouch. “I have something to take care of.”

  “Time to meet the parent. Good luck, brother.”

  With a smile, he shook his head at Cree. “See you later, brother.”

  He leapt off the cornice, landing hard on the concrete below. Hopefully not hard enough to attract attention. Adjusting his lapels and the collar of his shirt, he moved onto the pier. He intersected the path of Lilith and her father.

  “There you are,” Lilith said. She had an ice cream cone in her hand and she toasted him with it. “Too bad you missed out. That’ll teach you to wander off.”

  “I suppose so,” Iain said. He extended his hand to her father. “I’m Iain Bane.”

  “Frank,” the man said, introducing himself.

  “Pleased to meet you.”

  “Well, me, too.” Frank Harper pumped his hand. “Lilith’s been telling me a lot about you. It must be wonderful, traveling to different countries to find the best stones for artists,” her father said.

  “I told them you have to travel a lot,” Lilith jumped in. “For your art supplies firm.”

  Iain tried to embrace the lie by sidestepping it. “Did Lilith tell you she’ll be traveling with me?”

  Frank’s face fell. “Yes, she did. She doesn’t know when she’ll be home again.”

  “This is true,” Iain said. “I’m not sure when we’ll return. I’ll do my best to make sure she stays in touch with you.”

  “Well, given the past few years, even a postcard once in a while would be great,” Frank said, eyeing his daughter.

  Lilith moved into the crook of Iain’s arm, and Iain enfolded her. Postcards was a good idea. He needed to get Cree on that. “I’ll try to encourage her,” Iain said.

  “I'd also like an address where I can send things—Christmas presents, birthday cards, things like that. Do you have a home in the States, Iain?” Frank pressed. “It would be good to know if Lilith will have stability in her life.”

  "Yes, sir. I'll have the address to you before Lilith and I depart."

  “And nursing school,” Frank said, afther a thoughtful pause. “Are you planning on obtaining your degree, Lilith? Is that even possible if you’re traveling?”

  Healing, Iain thought. There was definitely a need for that. “I would like to see Lilith become a healer. I believe we can come to some kind of arrangement.”

  “In the meantime, an address and a phone number would set my mind at ease,” Frank said. “We haven’t known where Lilith was for far too long, haven’t even known if she was all right. And one more thing...”

  Which turned into many things. So many concerns, Iain’s head began to swim. He reached up and removed his sunglasses and set his gaze on them.

  “Listen to my words—this is all you need to know.”

  Frank stopped talking, his eyes going wide.

  In order to best use his gaze, Iain needed to both speak the truth and let Lilith’s father's fondest wishes be realized, their darkest fears assuaged.

  “Lilith will be mine forever, and I hers. To my dying breath, I will protect and defend her. To the ends of my abilities, I will make her happy. Your daughter is safe with me, she is cherished and loved, she will want for nothing. Her life will be filled with joy. This is what you want for her.”

  Iain replaced his shades. “Look at the time. We have a…” What was it that people said when they traveled? “A plane to catch. Can we walk you back to your hotel?”

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  LILITH

  THE HOTEL WAS ON Lakeside Drive, not far away. After saying their farewells, Iain took Lilith to the cabstand outside. They climbed into a waiting taxi, Iain giving the driver the add
ress for The Sanctum. It was actually the building next to the nightclub—the actual address did not appear on any map.

  Lilith snuggled up to him in the back seat.

  “I think it was a little unfair to put the hoodoo on my dad like that.”

  Iain balked. “It was only a slight reinforcement of the truth. Something he needed to hear. It will put his mind at ease.”

  She side-eyed him. “And we’re going to visit for Christmas?”

  “I have no predictions regarding our location come the solstice.”

  Lilith pressed. “But if we’re in the area?”

  “We’ll just have to wait and see,” Iain said, putting his arm around her.

  Lilith leaned in close, a hand on his chest. Iain tilted his face down until their lips met. She lost herself in the soft, hot embrace, feeling his hands roving over her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the cabbie adjust his rearview mirror to give them privacy.

  The cab stopped just as things got a little hot and heavy. With a deep breath, Iain found cash to pay the driver.

  “Well, if it isn’t beauty and the bruiser,” Lucius said by way of greeting at the door. His Mohawk was dyed in shades of blue to match his shiny, electric blue suit. “Welcome back, Miss Lilith.”

  “Nice to see you again, Lucius.”

  “It’s a packed house tonight, but you two are on the list.” He lifted the velvet rope with a flourish. As they passed, he took Lilith’s hand to kiss. “I’m shocked to still see you with this pigeon magnet. A girl like you should be on the arm of a gentleman.”

  “Iain is a gentleman. Most of the time. But believe me, I can get rough if I need to.”

  The narrow bouncer smiled with pointed teeth. “I work at The Sanctum. I believe anything. Entrez-vous.”

  Lucius wasn’t kidding. The place was packed, three- or four-deep at the bar. This time, the band was a bunch of satyrs letting loose with slow, dirgy heavy metal. Nymphs wearing very little writhed and danced on the floor.