“I will,” she whispered. “If you tell me how you met Nico.”
His fingers skimmed over her hips and waist, sending ripples of need cascading through her sensitized body.
“You’d never believe me.” His voice rumbled against her ear, amusement and lust vying for dominance. It was enchanting, even though it should be anything but.
“Try me.” Gods, why was it so easy to flirt with him?
A silent laugh shook his big body. “I take it back. You would believe me.”
Her hungry gaze roamed over his face, searching for a hint of the monster she knew lurked beneath. But all she could see was Nate’s admiring eyes, focused on her, and the chiseled perfection of every autocratic feature.
She curled her hand around his neck and pulled him closer until their lips all but touched. “Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?”
“Frequently.” His husky voice was more potent than any aphrodisiac. “It’s one of my better qualities.”
“You intrigue me.” No. Stop speaking.
“Makes two of us. You captivate me, Isabella.” His fingers tangled in her hair, pulling her head back. Tension spiked the air, electrifying her senses. “There’s something about you I can’t… fathom.”
And the day he did, would be her last. It should terrify her. And maybe in the morning it would.
She dragged her fingers along his jaw, his stubble grazing her palms. “If you knew all my secrets, you wouldn’t be standing here with me now.”
“Then keep your secrets.” He brushed a fleeting kiss across her lips. “For a little longer.”
She’d keep her secrets for the rest of her life.
Chapter 11
Nate
Nate unzipped Isabella’s dress, and she pulled back to allow the soft silk to glide from her body and pool on the floor. He sucked in a sharp breath and feasted his gaze on her matching royal blue lingerie that sculpted her curves with delicate ribbons of lace.
He’d never seen anything so utterly bewitching in his life.
You captivate me. He’d told her the truth. But when he uncovered the secrets that made her so alluring, she would no longer fill his mind or cloud his reason.
“Stop thinking.” She breathed the command against his lips, as she tugged his coat down his arms. “There’s nothing to analyze.”
He laughed, couldn’t help it. “What makes you think I was analyzing anything?”
She draped his coat over hers, before running her palms over his biceps. “It was written all over your face.”
Right, that wasn’t so funny. He didn’t think he was that easy to read. “Is this another one of your superpowers?”
“No. It’s called being human.” She tilted her head and gave him a smoldering look from beneath her lashes. “I’m not looking for anything serious, Nate.”
He wasn’t sure why her comment struck a discordant note. After all, it mirrored his own sentiments. But something just seemed… off. And it had nothing to do with the fact humans never called the shots because he’d already accepted she wasn’t affected by his archangelic presence.
It was why she was so irresistible.
He gave her a slow smile and allowed a sliver of immortal radiance to escape. She didn’t even bat an eyelash. Instead of diminishing, his fascination for her dug deeper into his psyche.
He cupped her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks. “That’s fine by me.”
Her eyes darkened with desire. Even though he had witnessed the phenomenon countless times before meeting Isabella, it had never been this bewitching. “I still want your help in tracking down the sword.”
“You have it.” His fingers slid into her hair and she gave a delicate shudder.
Her hands clenched on his biceps. “Why are you still dressed? I want you naked.”
“That works for me.”
She groaned in mock exasperation and proceeded to unbutton his shirt. “I hope you remembered the condoms this time.”
His fingers froze in her hair. Fuck. That hadn’t even entered his mind. Was that the real reason she had been so icy with him all day? Because he’d forgotten a basic hook-up rule when it came to mortals?
Truth was, he couldn’t recall the last time he’d taken a woman who wasn’t at least part immortal herself and was fully aware of who he was.
It was pointless telling her she had nothing to worry about when it came to health and conception. She knew of dhampirs and vampires, but she’d sounded distinctly disbelieving of the existence of archangels. There was no reason to tell her who he truly was. It was warped, but he liked the fact she was ignorant of his true heritage. Besides, he had the feeling the time for such a confession had passed. And there was no way he wanted a discussion of his race’s reproductive shortcomings.
“Isabella,” he began, although he had no idea what he was going to say, but she cut him off with a smile designed to incinerate every star in the galaxy.
“Relax. I’ve got some in my bag.”
Relief surged through him that she obviously didn’t intend lambasting him for his oversight last night. He tore off his shirt and dropped it onto the floor. Her lips parted in a silent sigh as her gaze roved over his chest as though she’d never beheld such a vision before.
He grinned. Despites his joking, she did great things for his ego.
“You’re like a warrior from the dawn of time.” There was a wondering note in her voice he found crazily alluring.
“And you’re a goddess of temptation.” He meant to make her laugh, to shatter this mystifying spell, but instead she gave him a strangely enigmatic smile.
“From Ama-gi?”
What had possessed him, when he’d told her of Ama-gi? It wasn’t a word he spoke of lightly. Then again, what the hell. “Yes.”
She went onto her toes, pressing her curves against his chest, and tugged at the band around his hair. The lace of her bra caressed his naked flesh and her erect nipples sent sparks of lightning blazing through his blood. He cradled her butt, and her uneven breath dusted his jaw as she concentrated on her task.
“Do you need any help?” His voice was rough, but damn she was driving him out of his mind.
“Got it.” With one final tug, she released his hair and admiration glowed in her eyes. “You’re nothing like I imagined.”
“Neither are you.” He had the uncanny feeling she hadn’t meant to say that aloud, and he didn’t know what she meant by it, but it was only sex talk and when did that ever make sense? He forced his mind back to practicalities, so he didn’t need to think about it later. “Condoms?”
Gods, he couldn’t believe he’d just asked that. He’d never used such a thing before.
She blinked, almost as though she had no idea what he was talking about. But since she was the one who’d brought it up, his lust was clearly giving him hallucinations.
“Oh. Yes.” She cleared her throat before unzipping a side pocket on her luggage that was on the floor by the chest of drawers. She tossed a packet onto the bed. “I got you the triple X size.” Her grin was pure evil. “Didn’t want you having any problems with your blood supply.”
It sounded horrendous. He managed not to shudder. “Good call.”
Without taking her eyes from his, she unbuckled his belt before skimming her fingernails over his erection. Even through his pants her touch was like fire. Why was she taking so long? The suspense was killing him.
With infinite care, she eased his pants over his hips and down his thighs until she kneeled on the floor at his feet. Unlike last night, this time he’d gone commando. Her gaze devoured his cock and the tip of her tongue peeked between her lips, an erotic invitation. With a growl of frustration, he toed off his boots, transfixed by her rapt expression.
“Magnificent,” she whispered, and glided the tip of her finger along his length.
He hauled her to her feet. As much as he wanted her gorgeous mouth around his cock, he had plans for making tonight one she would never forget.
<
br /> “Later.” He backed her up against the bed and she wound her arms around his neck, her fingers teasing his hair. As if that was going to stop him. Within a second, she was flat on her back, and he climbed on the bed after her, bracketing her hips with his knees. “Questions?”
She scraped her nails over his pecs and circled his nipples. His cock jerked in appreciation. “Hundreds,” she breathed. He had no idea what she was talking about. Her fingers were instruments of mind-altering pleasure. “Everything you do throws up another dozen. But they can wait for another time.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?”
Her smile caused his gut to clench with need. “Only if they had a death wish.”
He laughed. “Spare me. At least until the morning.”
Her smile faltered, and somewhere in the back of his mind, through the swirling heat of lust, unformed doubt stirred. Why does she do that?
And then she dug her fingers through his hair, gripped his head and pulled him down. Her kiss was sweet, exploring, and his disquiet at her strange glimpses of melancholy vanished.
He cradled her face, her silken curls cascading over his fingers as he took everything she offered. It was only a kiss, but it was so much more, a fleeting touch of something insubstantial that was buried deep inside his chest.
Panting, he pulled back. Her eyes were glazed with passion and a hint of her evocative vanilla perfume scented the air. For endless moments it seemed time had suspended, and then she gave a soft smile and pressed the tip of one finger to his forehead.
“Stop thinking.”
“You want me to stop thinking you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever encountered?” Well, fuck. Really?
Yes, really.
“Is that what you were thinking?” She didn’t sound as though she believed him, despite her smile.
He captured her lips. “Yeah.” He nibbled kisses along her throat, and she gave a breathy sigh. He’d known goddesses and vampires and had met countless females from advanced civilizations across the universe. But they all faded besides Isabella.
He buried his face in her scented cleavage, and she clasped his head. Within a moment he’d unhooked her bra, and with seeming reluctance she loosened her grip so he could peel it from her.
But his gaze remained locked with hers. Her eyes were hypnotic, the swirls of blues an invitation to drown in their mysterious depths. He swallowed a groan of defeat. She was right. He needed to stop thinking when he was with her because it was driving him crazy.
Slowly, he inched down her lush body, lavishing attention on her beautiful breasts. He sucked on her nipples, cradling her breasts in his palms, and her sighs of pleasure were the sexiest sounds he’d ever heard. His tongue swirled and she gripped his hair, her body arching into him with provocative delight.
“You’re slaying me,” she groaned, and he grinned, his teeth grazing her flesh.
“You’ve uncovered my nefarious plan.” He glanced up at her, and her grip on his hair tightened in mock warning. “You’ll be screaming for mercy before I’ve finished with you.”
She let out a choked laugh. “You wish.”
“Is that a challenge?”
“I don’t scream for anyone.”
He teased her nipple with the tip of his tongue, and she writhed beneath him. Satisfied, he trailed kisses over the curve of her waist. “Challenge accepted.”
His fingers glided over her soft skin, before sliding beneath the lacy band of her knickers and inching them over her thighs and along her legs. Gods, she was exquisite. He pressed his lips against her slit, and she tasted of…
Ama-gi.
“Not screaming,” she slurred, as her nails dug into his head.
“Not finished,” he countered, before circling her clit with his tongue. Her muffled moans filled his mind and her scent weaved an exotic spell around them both. He tongue-fucked her, his hands exploring her hips and waist and finally her luscious breasts as she bucked helplessly.
Blood pounded, blurring reality. Her breath rasped and he knew she was so close. But she was fighting it. Primal need surged through him, and as he sucked her sweet clit, he pinched her erect nipple.
She shattered, gripping his head as she came inside his mouth. He barely heard her scream his name above the thunder of his heart. Only one imperative thudded through him.
Make her mine.
He rose onto his knees, his cock nudging her silken heat. She wrapped her legs around his hips, and dark desire glowed in her eyes. He raked his fingers through her hair, and from nowhere, a warning hit him.
Shit. He had almost forgotten. Again.
It fucking hurt to pull back, but he gritted his teeth and without tearing his gaze from her, he grabbed the packet she’d tossed onto the bed. Her eyes widened in apparent amazement as she watched him grapple with the packet, before he conceded defeat and glared at the damn thing so he could see what he was doing.
He ripped open the box and frustration clawed through him like a feral lion. He’d faced down countless packs of bloodthirsty demon spawn in his time. A condom wouldn’t beat him.
“It’s okay,” Isabella gasped, flapping a hand at him. “You don’t need to…” Her voice trailed off as he triumphantly ripped his prize from its wrapping and rolled it on. It wasn’t a great fit, but neither was it as horrific as he’d feared.
“Ha.” He grinned at her and she gave a disbelieving laugh as though the fact he’d remembered staggered her. His fingers tangled in her hair and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him close. His kiss was savage, branding her, and it was crazy and primitive, but he was beyond caring. With demeaning lack of finesse, he thrust into her and lost what was left of his mind.
She clasped his length in a silken embrace of molten fire. Nothing existed but this moment, with the scent of lust and sex filling the air, the sound of harsh breaths and pleasure echoing around the room, and Isabella’s face the only anchor in the universe.
And as her climax claimed her, cascading over his buried cock, he let go, following her over the edge into a starburst oblivion.
Chapter 12
Nate
Nate stirred, and reluctantly opened his eyes. Early morning sunlight slid through the gap in the curtains, creating a golden halo of light around Isabella’s tangled hair, as she slept on the bed beside him. The sheet had slid down during the night and her exposed shoulder was devastatingly enticing. Stealthily, he sat up and trailed kisses along her bare flesh until she rolled onto her back.
He gazed, entranced, as her long, dark, eyelashes flickered, and she gave a sleepy sigh. His cock thickened and he swallowed a groan. Maybe he should have told her of his heritage and the reason why there was no need for precautions. But he’d made the choice. He had to suffer it.
They’d used up all the condoms during the night.
“Morning, Isabella.” He murmured the greeting against her lips and felt her smile in response.
“Morning.” Her voice was husky, and he pressed his forehead against hers in an effort to stem the primitive need to take her right here, right now. She didn’t help his resolve when she wound her arm around his shoulder. “I thought you might’ve disappeared before I woke up.”
“Why would I do that?”
She shrugged. “No strings.” She sounded vague, as though that wasn’t what she really meant at all. “No more condoms.”
“You think the only reason I’m sticking around is for the sex?” He gave her a mock frown, and twined strands of her hair around his fingers, even though a warning thudded in the back of his mind.
He did want more sex. But he shouldn’t. The primary reason he should be sticking around was to discover what secrets Isabella was keeping and to protect her from possible danger.
“Hmm. Well, I’m not complaining.” She wrapped her hand around one of his locks. “Last night was reasonably spectacular.”
He laughed. “Reasonably?”
“Okay. Totally.”
“I didn’t want us to be caught out like the other night.”
The memory of both nights melded, a hot and erotic fantasy fusion. Frustrated need pounded through his blood. But he had to commend her foresight. It sure as hell had flown over his head.
And then her words penetrated the fog of lust and he frowned. “You didn’t know I was going to be here, so why did you have condoms?”
She blinked up at him, and he could have sworn alarm flashed in her eyes for an eternal second. What am I accusing her of? She could have bought the damn things in the village. Except Sakarbaal’s influence had prevented it from becoming an international tourist attraction and its few shops tended to close early on Saturday afternoons. Isabella hadn’t even left the castle by then.
“A girl has to be prepared.”
“Okay.” He wasn’t accusing her of anything. So what if she traveled abroad with a handy supply in her luggage. He sure as hell wasn’t insinuating that she shouldn’t be even thinking of sleeping with anyone but him, because that was fucking mad.
“I got you the triple X size.” Her teasing words from last night jarred his brain. What the fuck was going on? He had serious shit to focus on. He didn’t have time to pick apart inconsequential inconsistencies in Isabella’s conversations with him.
“I got them in London,” she said, almost as though she could read his mind. Except that wasn’t possible, even if she’d belonged to a telepathic race. Nobody could penetrate an archangel’s mind without their permission. “I don’t know why I packed them. Good job I did, though.”
He forcibly buried the questions gnawing through his mind. There was no mystery, here. With difficulty, he released her hair. He needed to get back on track. “What time’s your flight?”
Her smile turned quizzical, as though she had no idea what he was talking about. “Oh.” She pulled the sheet around her and sat up. “Soon. I’d better… pack.”
Salvation: A Realm of Flame and Shadow Novel Page 10