by Nina Bangs
Edge lay quietly while she tried to slow her breathing, recapture a heartbeat that was running free. Couldn’t do it. And so she stopped trying. She’d go with what her body was urging.
She reached down to slide her fingers over his smooth, warm chest, his male nipples, his ridged stomach, and then along the thick hard length of his…cock. She’d heard the word so often in the minds of the women she’d visited, but never understood the surge of hunger and emotion attached to it. She did now.
Her exploration drew a groan from him. And when he spoke, his words came in short gasps. “I can’t give you slow and gentle for your first time, but I can give you control.” He added in a harsh whisper, “Even if it kills me.”
Passion grinned. “You won’t have to suffer long. I’d like more time to touch…” She reached between her spread thighs to cup his sac. “To taste you.” She leaned down to glide her tongue across one nipple and felt his whole body shudder. “But I can’t wait any longer.” Every moment since Ted had kicked her down here seemed to have been leading to this moment, and she wanted to savor it, but she couldn’t stop her mad dash to the finish line of this particular race. Sparkle had a lot to answer for.
She started to scoot forward so she could plant herself on top of him. Surprised, Passion realized she was shaking. Nerves, eagerness? She didn’t know.
“Wait.”
Even through the full-symphony volume of Sparkle’s humming in her mind, she heard him and paused. “I thought I was in control.” Stupid, stupid thought. Her body had ripped control from her brain a long time ago.
“I’m just taking you on a little side trip to a scenic overlook. Trust me.” His eyes glowed with wicked intent.
The promise in his eyes would always get her. And somewhere in the heat and desire of the moment, she realized her admission had closed the door to her past. “This had better be worth the risk.”
“Risk?” He raised one brow.
“Of me dying from frustration.” Of me never being able to return to Ted’s world. When had she stopped calling it home?
His laugh was low and sensual. “Come here.” He beckoned.
She slid up his body until he signaled for her to stop. Then he nudged her thighs farther apart and put his mouth on her.
Her world exploded with sensual overload. She tangled her fingers in his thick hair to anchor herself, but it didn’t do much good. Bits of her flew off to disappear into the cosmos.
He slid his tongue back and forth across the nub of flesh that right now held all the secrets of her sexual universe. With each stroke of his magic tongue everything became more. The scent of him, a blend of dangerous dark places and aroused male. The sound of his breathing, harsh with need. And above all else, the feel of each stroke—swirling, touching her whole body with just the tip of that tongue, driving her closer and closer to the edge of his scenic overlook where the air was almost too thin to breathe and just thinking about plunging off the cliff made her close her eyes and lick her lips.
Edge’s sensual side trip ended here. Who knew she had a compulsion to jump from high places? She opened her eyes to stare down into the endless spiral of longing, lust, and—no, that last “l” word would remain only a possibility for now.
She hurled herself into the unknown.
Rising above him, she lowered herself onto his cock. Slowly, relishing the friction, the sense of being filled completely, she pushed past the brief pain—too far into her free fall to stop. Sexual hunger she’d never imagined feeling drove her toward that final impact. If she’d known falling would be so awesome, she would have jumped sooner. But only with Edge.
She stilled for a moment, her eyes closed, imprinting the glory of him deep inside her, making sure she’d never forget no matter where the rest of her life took her.
Then she began to move. She rose until only the head of his cock remained inside her before easing back down again. The heaviness built, strengthened, pushing toward…
Thought vanished and sensation took over as need twisted her into the shape of desire. She rose and fell, driving him deeper and deeper and deeper.
Somewhere along the journey, Edge joined her. He put his hands on each side of her hips and then drove up into her. And each time flesh met flesh, she thought it couldn’t get better.
Closer, closer, closer. His groan blended with her small eager sounds. And suddenly, she was there.
Her orgasm took her even as Sparkle’s song spun magic around them. Passion screamed Edge’s name. He answered with one final thrust and a shout of triumph.
She held her breath as spasms of pleasure washed over her.
Never stop, never stop, never stop. But they did, the spasms growing weaker and weaker. And when stillness finally lay around her, she realized that she’d never regret closing the door to Ted’s world and her past. This—even if it was all she’d ever have—had been worth it.
Passion felt Edge gently push the hair away from her face. She opened her eyes. For just a moment, his unguarded expression caught at her heart. But then it was gone, and he was once again what he’d always been—the cosmic troublemaker in charge of death.
“That was…”
Edge placed his finger over her lips. “Don’t. Let it be what it was. We don’t need words for it.”
She nodded, and then slid off him. With her back to him, she quickly dressed. As her euphoria faded, reality set in. She was sore. She just hoped the hurt didn’t spread to her heart.
Edge frowned. Did she regret making love with him? Damn. This was one time he wished he could slip into her mind. No, you don’t. He wouldn’t take it well if he found that what they’d shared hadn’t meant as much to her as it had to him.
More slowly, he rose and dressed. She still had her back to him. Someone had better say something, because without Sparkle’s humming in his head, the silence was deadly. He needed words, any words, to drown out his uncertainties. His doubts made him uneasy. He hadn’t had many during his long existence.
“Are you okay?” Right. How to be cool. Next you’ll ask her if it was as good for her as it was for you. He already knew the answer to that one. It didn’t get any better.
Passion nodded and turned to face him. “I need a shower.” She sounded distracted as she carefully avoided his gaze.
Oh, no, she wasn’t going to get away with this. “Look at me, Passion.”
Taking a deep breath, she raised her gaze to meet his.
“What’s wrong?”
She shrugged. “Nothing, I guess.” Then she pressed those sexy lips together. “Fine, so that’s a lie. I was just wondering if what we felt…Well, was it real? I mean, with Sparkle spinning her ‘Light My Fire’ craziness everywhere.”
He tucked his emotions deep inside him where she couldn’t see them. Sometimes, pride was all he had. “Do you think it was real?”
She studied him from those pale green eyes. “Yes, I do. For me.” Uncertainty seemed to touch her. “I don’t know about you.”
“Couldn’t get more real for me. Believe it.” Intense relief almost made him weak. He didn’t know where any of this would take them, but at least they had a chance. He pushed her hair aside and whispered his secret into her ear. “I’ve wanted to make love with you from the first moment I looked through the bars of that cage and saw you.” Surprised, he realized it was true.
Before she could reply, someone flung the door open. Dacian and Cinn stumbled in. As soon as Dacian saw him, he peeled his lip back to show fang. Both of them had the same hungry look that Edge figured he and Passion had worn.
“Crap.” Dacian pulled Cinn to a stop. “We came here looking for some privacy. No way would we have made it back to our apartment. What the hell are you doing here?”
“Leaving.” Edge smiled. “It’s all yours.”
Cinn waved at Passion. “We spoke on the phone. I’d stop to chat, but…” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m not standing strong against Sparkle’s song.”
“No
ne of us are.” Passion returned Cinn’s smile. “We’ll talk later.” She grabbed Edge’s hand to urge him toward the door.
Edge paused just before leaving. “What’s happening with Sparkle?”
Dacian made an obvious effort to focus. “Ganymede’s still missing. Hope is nowhere to be found. In other words, we’re screwed. So far, Sparkle has stayed in the castle, but her song has leaked out into the courtyard. I don’t want to even think about what will happen if she takes her show on the road.” He shook his head. “I can’t stop her. I can’t even stop myself.” He pushed Edge out the door and slammed it behind him.
“What now?”
Edge smiled. Passion was having trouble making eye contact. She’d turned her head and aimed her question at the courtyard. But what she saw in the courtyard widened her eyes. She gasped and switched her attention back to him.
“I’m giving Sparkle a lot more respect after this.” Edge felt equal parts amusement and horror. Naked bodies littered the courtyard. “I’m impressed.”
Passion looked horrified. “They don’t care that everyone can see what they’re doing.”
“And doing it with strangers. I don’t know how we’ll straighten out this mess once someone stops Sparkle.”
Passion refused to glance to left or right. “Will this ruin the castle?”
Edge shrugged. “No one will be able to prove anything. But even if Ganymede, Dacian, or I take away their memories, we’re still going to have to get them dressed and then make up some explanation for the missing time.” He raked his fingers through his hair. Damn. This was getting complicated. “There’s always the chance that someone will get pregnant. And if Sparkle takes to the streets, there’s not much we can do to salvage the situation.”
“Pregnant?” Her eyes widened. “I could be—”
He put his finger across her lips. “No, you can’t. One of the perks of being me. I control my body.” He thought about Sparkle’s song. “Well, most of the time. Anyway, I wouldn’t allow pregnancy unless it was mutually agreed upon.”
“Have you and someone ever mutually agreed—”
“No.” He sounded curt, but he couldn’t help it. No way would he ever be a part of bringing an innocent life into his world.
She simply nodded.
“Let’s find Sparkle.” Passion turned and headed for the door they had come through a lifetime ago.
He took a step to follow her, and then he heard it. Sparkle was humming in his head again. After he’d made love with Passion there’d been blessed silence. He’d thought it had been one time and out. Wrong. Evidently, Sparkle’s song sent you back for seconds.
Passion stopped. She looked back at him. “I hear Sparkle.”
He knew his expression was grim. “We have to stop her before we end up in the greenhouse again fighting Dacian and Cinn for their cot.” Under normal circumstances, making love with Passion over and over would be his idea of heaven, but compulsions wore out their welcomes fast.
Once inside the castle, he led her toward the great hall. If they didn’t find Sparkle there, then they’d have to search the rest of the castle. And every minute spent looking for her brought them closer to…He narrowed his gaze. Not going to happen. The next time he made love with Passion, she’d have no doubt the feelings were their own.
They got as far as the chapel. That’s where they found Murmur, feet propped up on a pew, head thrown back and long hair trailing over the back of the pew, earbuds in place, listening to music. He looked up when they entered, but he didn’t remove the earbuds. He just smiled.
What the…Edge walked over to confront the demon. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Murmur didn’t take out the earbuds. “I can’t hear you, but I can read your lips. I went to the great hall looking for someone to dance with me, but all I found were a bunch of naked people having sex. I’m waiting here until the floating woman puts on a new tune. The one she has on repeat is getting old.”
Passion joined him and got into Murmur’s face. “Where’s Hope?” She looked puzzled. “And I thought demons couldn’t enter holy places.”
He shrugged. “I left her at the mall. There’s just so long I can listen to her message of love, redemption, and blah, blah, blah.” His smile turned sly. “And I think you’re asking how I can be here. Just because people call a place holy doesn’t mean it is.” His expression turned dangerous. “I go where I want to go.”
Edge was losing his temper. “Why don’t you take out the damn earbuds?”
Murmur’s eyes narrowed to slits of pleasure. “I like it when you get mad. What can I say to make you madder?”
Passion put her hand on Edge’s arm. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself.
“If I take out the earbuds, I’ll be just like you.” He shook his head in mock sympathy. “Compulsions are a bitch.”
Passion looked thoughtful. She leaned close to the demon and spoke slowly so he wouldn’t have any trouble understanding her. “Maybe you can help us. We need someone to hold Sparkle in check while we search for Ganymede. He can yank her away from whoever is controlling her. Edge would take care of Sparkle, but the compulsion makes it tough for him to focus. Do you have that kind of power? Could you stop what she’s doing long enough for us to find Ganymede?”
Murmur looked amazed that anyone would ask his help for anything. “Why would I want to do that for you?”
“Because with everyone having sex, you won’t find anyone to dance with you.”
Murmur looked away, and Edge held his breath. He had no proof that Murmur wasn’t the one creating the problem, but right now he had to take help where he could find it.
The demon nodded. “Let’s go.”
Edge decided that Murmur was smart to keep those buds in his ears. Sparkle’s humming was starting to take its toll. He figured Passion was experiencing the same thing. They had to track down the cat fast.
They found Sparkle in the great hall. Evidently, she had enough power to spread her siren’s song throughout the castle and into the courtyard. He just hoped it hadn’t gone any farther.
Edge shook his head. “I’ve never seen this many naked people doing it in one place before. Not even at a Roman orgy.”
“Ted would expect me to stop this.” She kept her gaze fixed on him. “And when I couldn’t, he’d use it as an excuse to send down the avenging angels.”
“Avenging angels?” Edge and Murmur spoke at the same time.
She waved their questions away. “Later.”
Murmur studied the situation. “I don’t think I can stop her compulsion, but I can counter it with my own.”
“Do it.” Edge didn’t even ask for details. “And do it fast.” Or else he and Passion would be joining that crowd rolling around on the floor.
Murmur nodded. “You’ll owe me for this. I’ll have to stand here and watch all their jiggling and jumping bits. Humans shouldn’t dance naked. It’s an affront to music.”
Passion frowned. “What’re you going to—”
Edge grabbed her hand. “Doesn’t matter. Get ready to run or else we might get caught by his compulsion.”
She held back. “Wait. Just a minute. I want to see.”
Murmur stood gazing out over the hall. Suddenly, power swirled around him. It pushed Edge back a step.
Then the music began. It came from nowhere and everywhere. Music like he’d never heard before. The rhythm lived and breathed, defying him to stand still. Sparkle’s humming faded in the glory that was Murmur’s music.
As if in a trance, everyone climbed to their feet and began dancing. They’d forgotten their partners of only a few seconds ago as they swayed, leaped, and twirled, held fast by Murmur’s compulsion.
Edge didn’t even realize he was dancing until Passion grabbed him. She’d latched onto a doorframe, trying to hold herself still. She clung to him. Probably afraid he’d drift away to be lost in the dance. Hated to admit it, but it could happen. They might want to move the demon up on th
eir suspect list.
Meanwhile, whoever was controlling Sparkle’s humming must have noticed the competition. Sparkle’s blank stare grew a little less blank. Her gaze narrowed on Murmur, and her humming grew louder. Murmur grinned. His music swelled and sped up. The dancers’ frenetic motions became a blur.
“Great. Dueling compulsions.” Edge forced his feet to shuffle and slide their way toward the door. He resisted his almost irresistible need to swing and sway. And he definitely would not twirl.
Passion threw one last question at Murmur. “How long will they dance?”
Murmur glanced at her. His eyes glowed red. “Until they die.”
“No. You can’t. That’s wrong.”
“I’m a demon. When did you forget that? Demons kill.” His gaze shifted to Edge. “As do other beings.”
Edge cursed as he danced back to grab her hand and yank her toward the door. “It’s either dance, make love right here, or get out of Dodge. Your choice, but decide now.”
She followed him from the room.
They didn’t stop running until they once again were standing outside the castle. Even here, Edge had to focus on not dancing, on not dragging her back into the greenhouse.
“Where do we start looking for Ganymede?”
Passion was hopping and bopping to Murmur’s music. Edge didn’t think she even realized it.
“If I can get my head straight for a minute, I’ll reach for his mind.” Why hadn’t Ganymede reached for him? He didn’t have time to sift through possibilities. He’d put a mental call out and hope Ganymede answered.
“Anything I can do?” Passion kept glancing at the naked humans and a few nonhumans dancing in the courtyard.
“Pinch me.”
She abandoned the dancers in favor of staring at him. “Excuse me?”
“I need to get the compulsions out of my head for a few minutes while I search for Ganymede’s mind.”
Her smile looked a little too eager. “Pinch? Where?” Her gaze slipped to his butt.
As tempting as that was, her pinch would have to be in a spot that wouldn’t aid Sparkle’s cause. “Better make it my arm.”