by Lili Detlev
And just like that, the fight was over.
Ramael held the girls’ purses. “We have to get you out of here. We cut a hole in the fence. You can get out that way.”
Melinda couldn’t find her voice, so she just nodded and pulled herself up on shaking knees.
Adrienne was already standing. “What the fuck just happened?”
A tall, lanky man with dark hair emerged from the shadows. “We couldn’t get into the club, but we had no problem getting back here,” he said. “When I saw these guys come out the door, I called my brother. By the time they saw us, we were disguised.”
Adrienne looked from the man to the winged demon. Her face finally registered shock as she realized what exactly she was seeing. “Oh. My. God.” She wobbled, and then fainted. Fortunately, the stranger caught her before she hit the ground.
“Can you carry her?” Ramael asked.
“Yes, brother.”
“Good.” He turned to Melinda. “We really need to go now.”
“Okay,” she said, barely above a squeak.
Ramael saw her distress and shock, and quickly scooped her up into his arms. He lifted into the air and flew over the chainlink fence at the back of the alley. His brother disregarded the ragged hole that had been cut at the bottom of it. Instead, tentacles slid out from beneath his duster and pulled him up and over it with ease. He never once had to shift Adrienne in his arms.
The headed down a dark street to a parked SUV. As Melinda watched, Ramael’s wings folded, and his face changed into that of a man with dark eyes and a goatee. He looked like a cleaner version of the homeless man to whom she’d given a few dollars.
“So that was you, at the train station.”
“It was. I slipped a note into your purse. I assume you didn’t get it.”
“I did, but it was too late.”
“I apologize. My brother and I should have intercepted you before you even left your campus. But if there was going to be a confrontation, this was a good enough spot for it.” He bundled her into the back seat, while his brother did the same for Adrienne. Then the two strange men climbed into the front. Ramael took the wheel.
As the sped off into the night, he said: “This is my brother Mare. He usually prefers the water.”
Mare turned and smiled at Melinda. He had similar eyes and hair to Ramael, but was clean-shaven. “How do you do?”
“Okay, I guess. No. Not okay. Not by a long shot. Not after that.” She fanned herself. “Jesus, you just killed, what, five guys?”
“A regrettable circumstance. But necessary,” Mare said.
“We were hoping they’d bring you closer to us,” Ramael explained. “When one of them said they’d force you to, um, pleasure the two bums, we thought it’d be a simple matter to overpower them. But you kind of jumped the gun.”
“I was hoping to distract them long enough for Adrienne to get away.”
“That wouldn’t have improved your lot any,” Ramael said.
“I wasn’t worried about that,” she replied.
Adrienne spoke up then. Her words were slurred, but still distinct. “I always said you were too nice, Mel.”
Melinda turned to her friend and pulled her into a hug. “Oh God. A, I’m so sorry. I don’t even know where to begin. I’m so sorry I got you into this whole mess.”
“Oof, you’re smothering me!”
She pulled back, giving her friend some air.
“That’s better. Seriously, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m okay now. But who the hell are these guys?”
“Well, they’re demons. But not the bad kind. I think.” She glanced up and saw Ramael smiling in the rearview mirror.
“We’re mostly decent chaps,” Mare said. “My brother has a bit of a temper, though, when someone he fancies is threatened. In this case, I can’t say I blame him.”
“Is this the friend you were telling me about?” Adrienne asked.
Melinda sighed. “Yup. Adrienne, meet Ramael. And this is his brother Mare.”
“Our knights in not-so-shining armor. So, what happens now? Won’t somebody call the cops when they find the bodies?”
Ramael answered. “The witches who own Club Darque are neutral. They just don’t like creatures entering the club and causing trouble. It will be in their best interests to get rid of the bodies. I’m sure they’ll also reassess the employment status of some of their staff, since someone had to be helping those pigs in trapping you. As for us, we’ll get you someplace safe so you can clean up, and then take you wherever you wish.”
Melinda realized that a hot shower sounded like the best thing in the world. “Does your house have running water?”
Ramael nodded. “It does.”
“Then how about we go there?”
“As you wish.”
“So,” Adrienne said, “these demons aren’t going to eat us, or tear our souls from our bodies?”
Melinda let her head fall back against the seat. “I don’t think it works that way. But no, they’re not going to hurt us.”
“Okay, good.” Adrienne snuggled against Melinda’s shoulder. The four of them were silent for the rest of the drive.
#
Her roommate looked far from impressed when they reached the abandoned farmhouse.
“Trust me,” Melinda said, “it’s better on the inside.”
The four of them carefully climbed the sagging porch steps and stepped past the fluttering crime scene tape into the front room.
“Um, this isn’t much of an improvement,” Adrienne whispered.
“Close your eyes.”
“What? Why-holy shit!”
Melinda had been ready for the bright flash of light. She waited a moment after it subsided, and then opened her eyes. Sure enough, the dilapidated room had transformed into one of opulent gentility.
Adrienne rubbed her eyes and looked around. “Whoa. What just happened?”
“Magic,” Mare said with a wink.
“I’ve charmed this place to look completely deserted,” Ramael explained. “It’s true nature isn’t revealed except by my command.”
“Beats any B&B my folks ever dragged me to.”
“Mare will give you the grand tour. Melinda, if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you where you can shower.”
“You gonna be okay, A?”
“I think I can manage,” Adrienne replied.
Melinda nodded. She followed Ramael to the back of the house, and up a narrow set of staircases. They went down a short hall and stopped before a set of double doors.
“My private quarters,” he explained. “Mare usually takes the guest suite at the other end of the house.”
“He’s not going to try anything funny with Adrienne, is he?”
Ramael’s eyes glinted with good humor. “Only if she asks him to.”
“And what about me? And you?”
He unlocked the door and opened it before answering. “Enter my lair, and you just might find out.” He winked and stepped inside.
Melinda’s heart tripped before racing double-time. This man – this demon – had killed people just an hour or so before. And now he was inviting her for, what?
You know what.
She knew indeed. Ramael had always made his desire crystal clear. She knew she should run. She knew she was playing with fire, perhaps literally. From downstairs, she heard Adrienne laugh. And she knew, despite appearances and legends and lore, she knew that she’d made her decision long ago. So she stepped forward, and again, and crossed the threshold into Ramael’s suite. And then she shut the door behind her.
#
The room was gorgeous. Decadent, actually. Certainly a place well-suited for relaxation. Or seduction, depending on the mood of its host. As she took in the lush amenities, Ramael poured red liquid from a crystal decanter and handed the glass to her.
She accepted it with a half-smile. “Blood sacrifice?”
He chuckled. “Just wine, I’m afraid.”
She took a si
p. Whatever it was, it tasted delicious. Fruit and flowers burst over her tongue, finishing crisp and clean when she swallowed. No wonder wine snobs were so snobby. “Mmm,” was the best response she could come up with.
Ramael sipped at a glass of his own, then cleared his throat. “I want you to know that you are safe here. It’s been a traumatic evening, and I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable in the slightest.”
“So you’re not trying to lower my inhibitions and take advantage of me?”
“Er, no, actually. I just wanted to calm your nerves. Wine always helps me with that.”
“So you’re calming my nerves to lower my inhibitions and take advantage of me?” She couldn’t keep the smile out of her voice.
For the first time since she’d met him, Ramael appeared to be speechless.
Melinda laughed and reached up to touch his face. “It’s okay. You don’t have to worry about me.”
He set his wineglass down and returned the gesture. “And are you worried about me?”
“Maybe just a little. Though I’m sure it will take more than me to rattle your nerves.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. You’ve got a pretty wicked uppercut, as I recall.”
She laughed and rested her head against his chest. “You kind of deserved that.”
He gently plucked the glass from her fingers and set it next to his own. That allowed him to wrap her fully in his arms. “You’re right of course. I’m just not sure that I deserve anything more from you.”
“You could try kissing me again and find out.”
He pulled back just enough to tilt her face up, and did exactly as she asked.
Just like the last time he kissed her, Melinda’s breath was taken away. Ramael may have masked his appearance, but that kiss was a perfect match. Even his tongue, forked and hot, caressed hers in a dance that felt familiar and entirely too delightful. She moaned in appreciation and clutched him harder, winding her arms around his back and clawing in.
Ramael chuckled against her mouth. “Quite the temptress.”
“Just trying to keep up.”
She kissed him again, reveling in the warmth and flavor of his mouth. He tasted like wine and cinnamon, a potent combination. Her body buzzed with need, suddenly feeling constricted, aching to be released and explored. Ramael seemed to sense her need, skimming his hands up and down her back, pressing as close against her as their clothes would allow. Then he scooped her up into his arms, causing her to yelp in surprise.
“Running away with me?”
“Only as far as the bed.”
She nuzzled his neck. “Sounds divine. Dangerous, but divine.”
He laid her gently on the softest mattress she’d ever felt, and gazed intently down at her. His eyes had turned from dark brown to the bright green she was used to.
“I don’t want to alarm you, but the farther we go, the less I’m going to be able to keep this façade up.”
She leaned up and nipped at his nose. “Does that mean your demon wants to come out and play?”
His reply sounded suspiciously like a growl.
Melinda couldn’t help but laugh, and nipped at him again. When she spoke, her voice was low and husky. “You don’t need to wear a mask around me. I already know who you are. And I’m not afraid.” Then she kissed him hard.
They sat up for a moment, and Melinda lifted her arms over her head so Ramael could lift off her t-shirt and sports bra. The cool air mingled with the heat from his body, teasing and taunting her exposed breasts. Her nipples pebbled when she felt his hands on her bare back.
Ramael pulled away and drank in the sight of her. “Exquisite,” he said. “Simply exquisite.”
She blushed, suddenly feeling shy and exposed. But then he laid her back down on the bed, and dipped his mouth to the hollow of her throat, and her shyness flew away as he feathered kisses along her neck and collarbone. Ramael worked his way down to her breasts, nuzzling her between them before taking one into his mouth.
Melinda gasped and arched her back at the touch of his tongue and scrape of his teeth on her nipple. Oh, he truly was wicked, and knew exactly how much pressure to apply, and right where to lick. Her chest positively hummed, and she threaded her fingers through his hair, not wanting his mouth to move an inch from the pleasure zone it was so expertly strumming.
While his head may have been held in place, his hands weren’t, and Ramael skimmed one of them down her body until it met the bare flesh of her thigh. He rubbed the tender skin there before gliding up under her skirt. She wore a pair of boy shorts, in case her skirt flashed what was underneath while she was on the dance floor. Ramael grasped them with one hand and tugged them smoothly down her legs.
Melinda squirmed out of them, kicking her shoes to the floor as well. She pulled his head up from her breasts so she could look into his glowing eyes.
“You all right?” he asked.
“Little eager are we?”
“Very.”
“Not that I’m complaining. But don’t I get a peek too?”
“You can have anything you want, my sweet.”
“Good.” She reached up and worked open the buttons of the shirt he was wearing. She realized that he’d changed from a homeless man to a demon to a handsome rake wearing a silk button down with dress pants. She’d have to ask how he managed that. It certainly would make her wardrobe a lot simpler if she somehow harnessed that power.
Smooth skin greeted her, and he shrugged out of the shirt. Melinda openly admired the lithe muscles that rippled with his every move. She knew this was all illusion, but she appreciated the show. And she also remembered what he’d looked like in his true form. She wondered how long the mirage would last, and what she would need to do to make him lose control.
Ramael resumed stroking her thighs, easing her legs open. Melinda’s breath hitched, and she shuddered under his ministrations. He really was good. Every time he touched her skin, sparks of pleasure fired out from the point of contact, zipping through her body and ratcheting her arousal up. She could feel her sex dampening, and it ached to be touched, filled, claimed.
“Is this okay?” he asked, nudging her thighs open a bit more.
“Oh yeah.”
“If you want me to stop-”
“Don’t you dare!”
He massaged her thighs and teased the tops of her socks, tracing the skin just beneath. She squirmed, raking her nails across his shoulders. Ramael’s eyes gleamed with hunger, and he paused in his ministrations just long enough to remove his pants and settle over top of her.
“Do you want this thing off?” Melinda couldn’t help the trembling in her voice.
“No. I rather like the idea of lifting your skirt to have my way with you.”
“Oh, sweet God.” She whimpered as he pushed the material up around her waist and settled between her open thighs. His hard cock rested on her labia. Then he slid it slowly back and forth against her. “Oh God, that feels good. So warm and hard.”
He kissed her, pulling the fingers of one hand through her hair while massaging her breast with the other. She felt him moan into her mouth. His hips pulled back. Melinda ran her hands down the muscles of his back and grasped his firm buttocks, guiding his movements as he positioned the head of his cock at her moist opening.
“I want you,” she said between kisses. “Please. I want you in me.”
She urged him forward, pulling his body into hers, and cried out in ecstasy as the head of his cock pushed up and into her vagina. Her legs wrapped around his waist, allowing him deeper inside. But Ramael was in no hurry, and eased his way inch by glorious inch, until at last he was seated fully in her.
“So good,” she whispered, nibbling his earlobe. “So big and good.”
“If there’s a heaven, it pales next to how divine you feel.”
She chuckled. “Such a smooth talking devil.”
“If I’m a devil, then I’m one who is completely powerless to resist your charms.”
S
he hugged him tight against her. “I guess I’ll believe you. For now.”
Ramael eased out of her and then pushed back in. Her slick pussy was eager to accept his fullness, and clenched around him, desperate to hold onto her prize. He repeated the moved, staring into her eyes as he did so. Again and again he slid out and pushed back inside.
“Yes,” she said. “Fuck me. Just like that.”
He settled into a steady, easy rhythm, taking her higher and higher with every thrust. Every inch of her vagina thrilled to his invasion, welcoming his cock like a liberating army. Her fingers dug into his back, and she grunted softly each time he bottomed out. His paced quickened, but never wavered. Smooth and steady, he plunged into her over and over again. His eyes were practically on fire, and she could feel his muscles rippling, yearning to be freed from their disguise.
She was panting now, punctuating her breaths with encouragement. “God yes. Just like that. So close. Please!”
Melinda’s head swam. Ramael was pounding into her now, shaking the bed as he worked her into a frenzy. She felt the fireworks popping, and couldn’t help closing her eyes. It was inevitable now. She tried to hold on, but he just felt so damn good.
“Fuck! I’m. Going to… Oh God I’m cumming!”
A rippling orgasm screamed through her, obliterating any lingering doubts and fears. She’d been craving something like this, and only now realized how much she hungered for such bliss. She gripped him like a vice, arms and legs holding his body secure against hers. Melinda gasped, and her eyes flew open as the orgasm crested and broke.
She struggled to catch her breath, and the room slowly came back into focus. “Holy shit. Holy fucking shit.” She kissed the side of his neck.
“I take it m’lady approves?”
“Damn right I do. I’ve never felt anything so good.”
His face showed pure delight. Smug bastard. “Then it would seem we have a lot of territory to cover tonight.”
“Oh? Does that mean you’re not done with me yet?”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Not by a long shot.”
Melinda shifted beneath him and clenched her vaginal muscles around his stiff cock. He shuddered and clenched his teeth. She repeated the move. This time he groaned.