She stood in front of the mirror. Wiping the mist from the glass, she stared at the scar on her chest above her left breast. It was a cross. The fallen called it the mark of Cain. Every Enforcer wore one. Mika’il, the Captain of the Host, had burned it into her flesh when she’d chosen to hunt her own kind.
Tomas was one of the fallen whose mind had slipped into the black abyss where his madness had taken control. He would kill until she stopped him. Since she wouldn’t be getting help from Heaven or the Host, she would have to look to the mortal world. Adam Montgomery was her only choice. He had the power and the men to search the city, street by street if need be.
She remembered how quickly the lust had overcome her. That lust would be a useful thing for her. Unlike Tomas, who gained his power from fear and pain, Celeste and the other Enforcers gained their power from sex. Maybe God had given that power to the Enforcers to make up for their bleak existence.
Her heart had reacted to Adam as well. She was afraid she was only a few steps away from love. If she spent time with him, she could lose her heart. It wouldn’t be the first time. Over the centuries, she had loved many mortals and she had cried each time one died. She could still feel the pain each death had caused her and she wasn’t sure she could deal with it again.
Each day she felt herself crawling closer to the abyss. She didn’t want to turn into one of the creatures she hunted. She had vowed to herself to end her existence before that happened. One more lover’s death might just be too much for her.
The last victim’s face flashed in the mirror. She saw the horror and the fear. How many more would die if she didn’t use Adam? She was afraid she knew the answer. Tomas would never stop on his own, so it was up to her to end his reign of terror. The risk to her heart and sanity were unimportant in view of the number of women Tomas could kill.
Her decision having been made, Celeste climbed into bed and whispered a quiet prayer. Old habits died hard.
CHAPTER THREE
Adam studied the group of men gathered around the table. They were his top lieutenants in the Demons. These were some of the most feared men on the streets, ruling with an iron fist and swift judgment. The only thing these men respected was strength. Adam had proven his ruthlessness. His punishments were severe when his rules weren’t followed; because of this his men respected and feared him.
Adam had created his own mythology. He made sure his background stayed a mystery. He had appeared on the streets at the age of twelve. Not even the best investigators could find anything out about him. He spread the rumors that he would kill anyone who asked about his past. Whether he really would or not, after one look in his green eyes, the rumors were believed. If there were any compassion or love in Adam’s heart, he had hidden it deep. To be in control of everything around him, he knew he had to be cruel.
“Thanks for coming, gentlemen. I’m sure you have all heard about the killer hunting in our streets.”
The grumbling among his men made it clear they weren’t happy with the deaths. One of the first rules Adam imposed when he became leader was no women or children were to be harmed. He remembered how helpless he had been as a child and he never wanted to cause such feelings in any child. So this Tomas had signed his own death warrant when he’d started killing women on Adam’s territory.
“They’ve found a fourth body. She looks to be the first one he killed. Now, I need you to talk to your men. Get them out on the street. They need to find out anything they can on this guy. Find the places the homeless people are avoiding. It’s usually the street people who know things before we do. Jakar will get you the information about where the bodies were found and who they were. We need witnesses who are willing to actually talk to the police.” Adam gripped his fists tight. “If something isn’t done soon, we’ll be seeing more dead women. I don’t like dead women on my turf. It upsets me.”
They nodded. They had seen what happened when Adam got upset. He brought the meeting to an end. As he walked into his office, he saw Jakar standing next to his desk. Adam could never remember if he had found Jakar or if the strange man had found him. His right hand man was tall and thin with amber colored eyes that seemed to glow red at times. Jakar had an answer for any question Adam might ask. Or if he didn’t have the answer, he would find it. Adam had never asked Jakar where he got the information; he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
“What have you got, Jakar?” Adam asked as he sat down. There were papers piled in neat stacks everywhere on his desk.
“The Russians have called. They would like to meet with you as soon as possible. They have been approached by an outside source trying to get them to deal with him. He seems to think he can get them better rates.”
“It’s good to know the Russians are willing to talk to me first before going with this guy.”
Jakar shrugged. “After saving his son, the Russian boss is willing to repay you with this courtesy. Also, I’m sure he knows you own the whole city. Nothing coming or going escapes your attention. So, it pays to be on your good side.”
“True. Set up an appointment with them as soon as possible. I don’t want this to get out of hand. What else?”
“Celeste Young has called for you.” Disapproval dripped from Jakar’s voice.
“You don’t approve of the lady, Jakar. Why not?” Adam was amused. Jakar had never made his feelings known about any of the other women Adam had dated.
“She’s a distraction you don’t need right now, Montgomery. She will take your attention away from your business.”
“Not all women are distractions, Jakar. You’ve never said anything about the others.” Adam started reading the papers he had to sign.
“That’s true. But none of the bimbos you dated before could have occupied you for more than a week or so. Celeste will demand more from you.”
Adam glanced up. “Do you know her, Jakar?”
The evasive look shooting through Jakar’s eyes told Adam his friend was about to lie to him. “Only what I found out about her while I investigated her for you. I don’t trust a woman who seems to have appeared out of nowhere.”
“Liar.” Adam stopped Jakar’s protest. “I don’t care, Jakar. Now, take these papers and get them filed. I’ll deal with Celeste.”
“Fine.” Jakar stalked out of the office.
Adam laughed. He knew Jakar hated it when Adam didn’t take his advice. He dialed Celeste’s cell number from memory. Leaning back in his chair, he waited to hear her sultry voice.
“Hello?”
“Hey there, angel.”
A shocked silence followed his greeting. Was she surprised that he’d called?
“Hello, Montgomery. We need to finish the discussion we started.”
“Started? We didn’t even get to think about it.” He licked his lips.
“I’ve thought about our arrangement. Now we need to talk.” Celeste’s voice held a hint of uncertainty.
“Are you sure about this, Celeste? I know what you’re going to ask for. You know what my price will be.” He wanted her to be sure how she felt about it. He didn’t want any regrets.
She sighed. “I really have no choice, Adam. You’re the only one with the resources to help me. I’ll pay your price without regret if this helps me catch Tomas.”
“My place or yours?”
“We’ll meet somewhere neutral first.”
“Sure. I own a restaurant on Woodward. It’s a couple blocks down from the Fox. I can pick you up.”
“No, I’ll meet you there about seven. It’s going to be hard driving downtown tonight. The Wings are playing at home again.”
“At seven.” Adam agreed and hung up. “Jakar,” he called as he walked out of his office.
“No need to bellow, Montgomery. I’m right here.” Jakar came up to him.
“Make sure there are a dozen red roses and a bottle of champagne chilling at my house around ten.”
Adam could have sworn he heard Jakar hiss as the man turned to glare at him. “You’re b
ringing her home tonight.”
Adam nodded. “She might as well start paying for my services tonight. Don’t worry, old man. She won’t be staying around long after the killer’s caught.” He reached out to pat Jakar’s shoulder.
Jakar dodged his hand. “I’ll have everything ready, but don’t expect me to like it.”
“That’s fine. You’re not the one who’s going to be fucking her tonight.” Adam walked out the door, missing Jakar’s shiver of fear and disgust.
* * * *
Adam was glad he had a napkin. It was useful to wipe the drool from his chin. He had never found a woman more attractive than he found Celeste.
Her blonde hair was pulled up in a complex knot with tendrils of curls lying on her neck and forehead. Her body was lovingly encased in a sky blue silk sheath that matched her eyes, covering her to the neck in front but plunging deep in the back, exposing her creamy skin to his heated gaze. As tightly as the dress hugged her body, he knew she wasn’t wearing anything underneath. It was obvious Celeste had decided to get the payment over with. Little did she know that it wasn’t going to be a one-night payout.
“I’ve got all my guys out looking for witnesses. They’ll scour all the areas where the bodies were found and talk to the people who won’t say a word to the police. If he can be found by sheer manpower, we’ll get him.” Adam sipped from his crystal wineglass.
Celeste’s gaze slid over his face. He wondered if she saw the lust burning in his eyes. He would have thought she would be nervous about the upcoming change in their relationship, considering how hard she had fought it before. But when he looked at her, he didn’t see nervousness. He saw a rather weary acceptance on her face as if she had always known this was going to happen.
He leaned over and covered her hand with his. “You know what my price is, Celeste. What made you decide to pay it?”
“As I said, I have no other choice. There is no one else who can help me find Tomas. So, I’ll use the best I have available to me. Being the crime boss of Detroit, you have avenues open to you that I don’t. Even though you are a criminal and a ruthless businessman, I know when you give me your word, you’ll keep it.”
“Honor among thieves then, Celeste.”
She shrugged and looked away. “Honor among the fallen, I think is a better term for it.”
Puzzled by her cryptic statement, he filed it away to think on later. “I want you to know that you will be my lover for the duration of the case. This isn’t a one night thing, Celeste. Until we put Tomas behind bars, you’re mine.”
Again, Celeste didn’t look surprised. “From the moment I met you, I knew we couldn’t have just one night together. Until the end of the case, you are mine. I don’t share either.”
He acknowledged her right to make that demand as he stood and led her outside to where a sleek black limo was waiting.
“Trying to make a good impression, Adam?” she asked as she slid in.
“I don’t want to be distracted by driving tonight. I want it to be a memorable night. If we ended up dead, it would put a damper on the evening.”
“Ending up dead is the least of my worries,” Celeste mumbled.
Adam pulled her close. He didn’t want to talk anymore. Pressing his lips against hers, he nibbled gently. A quiet moan opened her mouth and allowed his tongue in. Stroking in and out, he imitated the more intimate act. He slid his hand down her shoulder to cup her full breast in his hand and fondled her nipple roughly.
“Adam,” Celeste begged. “Harder.”
“Harder?” Adam took his hand away. “Unfasten the dress, Celeste,” he ordered.
She reached up and unclasped the button at her neck holding the dress on. It fell down to her waist to reveal her tits. He stared. They were beautiful. Lightly golden mounds tipped by dark mauve nipples. They would be a handful. He reached out one finger and flicked one hard bud. She jumped. He flicked it again. She jumped again.
“It’s like there’s an electric current running from your tits to your cunt,” he commented.
Celeste nodded. His face flushed. He felt sweat building on his forehead. She was the most responsive woman he had ever had.
Pinching her nipple hard between his fingers, he twisted slightly. Celeste threw her head back and cried out softly. The back of the limo smelled like warm wet woman and aroused man.
“You said harder, Celeste.” He took both breasts in his hands. Kneading them firmly, he pulled and tugged at her nipples.
“More,” she pleaded.
Adam licked his fingertips. When they were wet, he captured her tits again. The feel of his damp warm fingers made her gasp. The harder he pinched, the hotter she got. Suddenly, she threw back her head, arched her back and screamed.
Shit! Adam had never had a woman climax just from his hands on her tits. He gentled his touch to ease her. He felt the wetness of pre-cum warm the head of his cock. He needed to get her back to his house so he could fuck her for real instead of in his dreams.
“Was that good for you, darling?” Adam asked quietly after a few minutes.
Celeste rolled her eyes at him. “You have to ask? I’m embarrassed. I’ve never had that happen before.” She blushed.
“Never?” Adam was slightly amazed. Then he sent her a grin. “Obviously you just needed the right hands for the job.” He jumped slightly when Celeste’s hand grazed the front of his pants.
She winked at him. “Maybe you should get us home. I don’t think once will be enough, especially since I can’t wait to get this huge cock inside me.”
Hell! If she kept teasing him, he would never make it to his place. Celeste’s fingers skipped up and down the length of his dick.
“Spread your legs a little wider,” Celeste demanded while sucking on Adam’s ear lobe.
He spread them. She slid her hand down and firmly gripped his balls. He could feel his heart racing and knew she reveled in the power she had over him.
“Suck in your stomach a little.”
Adam did with a small moan. He knew what was next. She undid his belt, unbuttoned his slacks and eased the zipper down over his raging hard on. Celeste pushed the front of his briefs down until his cock sprang out. She purred in appreciation. Prime male flesh, it was as smooth as velvet and as hard as iron. The head was purple with the mad urge to fuck. Taking him roughly in her hand, she started stroking. Sliding her other hand to his balls, she fondled and squeezed him.
“You feel so good. I’m wet thinking about this wonderful cock pounding into me. I want to feel your balls brushing my thighs. I can’t wait to feel your cum making me wet and sticky.”
Slow and gentle, rough and fast, her hands played a tune on his cock that had never been played before. Her voice and tongue in his ear. To hell with control. Two hard pumps of her hand and he exploded.
Cum spurted out onto her hands and his pants and shirt. His hips kept jerking as she softly soothed his heated flesh. He finally came back to earth as the car slowed and made the turn into his driveway.
She fastened her dress as he stripped off his shirt. Wiping his pants, he shook his head at her. “I look like a fucking eighteen year old who just saw his first porn flick.” Tossing her his shirt, he straightened and fastened his pants again. “Wipe your hands. We’re at my place. You and I can’t do anything about Tomas tonight. I’ve got my people working on it. Tomorrow will be soon enough. Get ready to enjoy the rest of the night.”
CHAPTER FOUR
The limo stopped in front of Adam’s house. The chauffeur opened the door and Celeste stepped out. Her power was back to full strength from the two climaxes they had enjoyed in the limo. She smiled to herself. It was going to be a great night.
The front door swung open and a thin dark man with strange colored eyes stood aside as they entered and studied Celeste.
“Bringing home heavenly bodies, Montgomery?” he asked in a heavily accented voice.
“Yes. And she’s mine, Jakar. Don’t you or any of the others forget it,” Adam growle
d as he continued up the curved staircase. Celeste turned and snarled at the man.
“How can we resist the light?” Jakar raked his stare over Celeste’s body and shut the door. Turning back to the retreating couple, he said calmly, “Be wary of her, Montgomery. There is a darkness surrounding Miss Young that is making me uneasy.”
What the hell was a True Demon doing here? Celeste thought as she followed Adam to his room. Detroit was in for even more problems if Jakar stuck around. Adam wouldn’t be an easy mark for the beast if Jakar wanted to take possession of him. As an Enforcer, Celeste should have been concerned with the fact that a True Demon was settled in Detroit. But she found she could only deal with one problem at a time and Jakar wasn’t the worst threat.
* * * *
Celeste suggested that Adam take a shower. Throwing his clothes on the nearest chair, he headed for the bathroom. Celeste stripped and curled up in his bed. She closed her eyes as she thought about the man whose very touch caused her to go up in flames.
Adam Montgomery had grown up on the streets of Detroit where he had learned about life the hard way and he still had the scars to prove it. Was there a way she could reach him beyond the walls he’d built around his heart and soul? She knew his feelings on relationships. She also knew he didn’t understand the seriousness of them becoming involved. As she waited for him to get out of the shower, she fell asleep.
Celeste found herself standing over her own body. She watched as her body writhed on the sheets and realized the sounds she was hearing were really moans of pain. Thin red welts were appearing across her chest and thighs. A handprint blossomed on her right cheek. Her legs were spreading apart slowly, as if she were fighting the person in her dream. With a scream of pleasure and pain, she arched her back, but only for a few seconds. Looking down she was appalled to see small cuts appear on her breasts and bite marks on her thighs. Crying out, Celeste’s eyes popped open. She was struggling to fight off her dream attacker. She gagged as a cut raced across her throat.
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