“It’s a treacherous journey, and one I’m not sure I should take again without consulting Mira first. The last time she was not so happy with me.”
Mira was the mortal host of the first Seal and Kagan’s mate. Luther refused to give up. “I have to try, Kagan… Please. I only need you to help me gain me access. I’ll handle the rest myself. If you won’t help me, then I’ll find another way in. I have to know.”
Kagan watched him for a long moment, then nodded. “Fine. I’ll take you. But it will take some time to arrange the travel details. And for me to persuade Mira it’s necessary.”
The knot of tension between Luther’s shoulder blades loosened. He was grateful beyond words for his Scion brothers’ support. He couldn’t do this without them. There was strength in numbers and he needed to protect Thana. Lin, Wyck, and Sloane could prove crucial in any fight that might arise if Neilar or more Nephilim came after them. They could at least protect Thana while he fought. “Arrange it and I’ll meet you here at dusk, okay?”
“On it.” Kagan glanced over to the door and Luther did the same.
Thana stood in the doorway, wringing her hands.
She’d changed into dark jeans and a black top. His destination for some quiet time with her had changed. The danger of returning to his apartment was present in the back of his mind but taking her home for a few hours would hopefully make her feel safe with him again. Home really was where his heart was, with her anyway.
Luther walked over to her, his steps determined.
“Something wrong?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Nah. I thought maybe we’d just go upstairs and relax, if that’s okay with you. We can go somewhere more exotic, if you want—”
“Upstairs sounds wonderful,” she said, placing a finger over his lips to stop him.
He laughed and scooped her into his arms, cradling her like a princess as he carried her back inside and up to his apartment.
13
Luther lowered Thana to the ground inside his apartment. It took her a moment to find her feet again and he held her waist while her legs slowly stopped trembling then drew her in for a kiss. She smiled against his mouth as his stomach growled.
He eased away and sniffed the air from the open window. “Something smells good.”
Thana recognized the scent of fresh baked beignets from the café across the street. “I think we have a problem. I have no money.”
“Not a problem.” He kissed the back of her hand. “I’ll just compel them to give me whatever I want.”
“Isn’t that stealing?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Too hungry to get your walle—” She frowned as his words settled in. “Have you compelled me to give you what you want?”
He laughed, dipping his head to kiss her again. “No… never.”
“Food.” She pointed to the white building across the street. “We get money, we go downstairs, then we eat. Keep your eye on the prize.”
His gaze narrowed. “I am.”
Prickly heat flushed her cheeks. “Maybe I should let you compel them… I have a feeling if we set foot in your apartment, you’re going to forget all about eating.”
“Not all about it. What I’m hungry for might change though.” He grinned.
She’d created a monster.
A very sexy, passionate and irresistible monster.
He kissed her again, until all she could focus on was how good it felt to have his mouth on hers. She wanted more. She wanted to lay her hands on his delicious body and know what was happening between them was reality and not a shared fantasy.
“This is taking too long.” Luther waved his hand and his clothes disappeared, leaving him nude in the middle of her living room, his cock rising out of its nest of dark curls.
Her outfit vanished too. She barely had a second to be embarrassed though, before Luther stalked toward her, caught her wrist and tugged her into his arms, skin to skin. His hardening length pressed into her stomach, the heat of it heightening her desire. She wanted to drop to her knees and ravish him until he lost control.
“You are so beautiful.” He kissed her bare shoulder, working his way along the curve of her neck to her jaw. She slid her hands up his arms, sweeping them over his strong muscles to his shoulders then down his chest. Luther exhaled sharply as she raked her nails over his nipples, but she didn’t stop there. Instead, she continued exploring, tracing her fingertips down his washboard abs.
Luther stilled his muscles tense and his gaze hungry with passion.
She eased her hand downward, fingers pushing into the dark curls surrounding his cock, and watched his face. His eyelids dropped, and his lips parted, tempting her into claiming them. She held back though and kept watching him instead as she wrapped her hand around his hard length and gave him a gentle squeeze. He sighed as she slipped her thumb over the sensitive head, smearing the pearl of moisture there into his skin.
“Thana.” He groaned, his whole body taut as she stroked his stiff cock, straining for her touch and attention.
Thana knelt. They’d covered the basics back in that other world, making love several times, but there’d been minimal foreplay. She hadn’t put her mouth on him then, but she wanted to now. She wanted to know every inch of him intimately. She wanted to taste him.
She ran her tongue over the blunt head of his cock. Luther gave a throaty moan, jerking his hips forward as she took him into her mouth. He tasted delicious, salt with a tang of soap. She moaned as she slowly sucked him, savoring the feel of him under her tongue, as turned on as he was by all this. She swirled it around the head then withdrew, eliciting a deep growl from him. His hands rested on her shoulders, clutching tightly as she teased him, investigating every inch of his beautiful cock with her tongue before sucking him into her mouth again.
Thana looked up at him, running her hands down his lithe thighs. His knees bent, and he drew her up to stand before him, his mouth descending on hers once more. He continued to kiss her as he carried her into the bedroom then lowered her onto his double bed.
“I want to taste you too,” he said thickly, sending a rush of heat through her as he parted her knees and pulled her to the edge of the mattress. She dug her heels into the bed and opened herself to him. His eyes darkened, and his lips parted again as he ran a lone finger down the middle of her slick folds before adding a second. His gaze flicked to hers as he lowered his mouth and swirled his tongue around her clit. He spread her further, licked up the length of her.
“I want to eat you.”
Collapsing back onto the bed, Thana submitted to him. She bucked against him, moaning with each sweep of his tongue, arching off the bed when he slipped two fingers into her core. Unable to resist the need within her, she worked her hips, riding his fingers as he suckled and licked her. She tipped over the edge, bucking hard as she came with a rush of tingly heat, radiating outwards from where Luther was moaning between her thighs.
Luther climbed onto the bed with her and pulled her against him, his knees between her legs with her astride them and her back pressed to his front. He held her there, kneeling in the middle of the bed with her, and rocked his hips, thrusting his cock into the valley between her buttocks. His hot breath teased her ear as he clutched her to him. She wanted him right that moment, wanted him inside her in the position they were now.
“Condom?” she whispered, and he waved his hand again, sheathing himself.
Then she reached down between her legs and took hold of his cock, guiding him to her entrance and slowly sank down, taking him all the way inside her body. He moaned and held her waist, slowly lifting her. Thana leaned back into him, losing herself as he moved her on his cock at a slow pace, each glide bringing maximum satisfaction.
Her head fell back against his shoulder the muscles so hard, so firm. Awareness of his strength only heightened her arousal until she couldn’t contain her moan of pleasure. This felt so powerful and possessive and primal. She’d never felt so turned on. Ever
y plunge of his cock sent shivers pulsing through her body as he claimed her.
“Harder,” she whispered.
He hesitated for a moment, then moved her faster, thrusting deeper into her as he nibbled on the side of her neck. “More, Luther.”
It still wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.
“Thana.” His voice was low and rough and laced with lust.
With a cry, she climaxed hard for the second time, the world exploding around here in sparkling shards of ecstasy. Luther kept driving into her, grunting her name. Then he reared back and plunged himself hard into her body one final time, his body going whipcord tight as he found release, come deep inside her.
Afterward, they stayed like that for a while, still joined, the pressure of his fingers gradually lessening, until finally he collapsed onto the bed with her beside him. He spooned her, her back to his chest and kissed her shoulder.
“It was even better than the dream,” she whispered and covered his hands with hers, slipping her fingers between his.
Luther murmured his agreement.
She smiled lazily and turned to kiss him.
Time might be their enemy now, but she planned to make the most of every minute.
14
Luther found it difficult to drag himself away from Thana and their bed, but duty called. He could have spent forever there alternating between making love and just laying with her in his arms. Thana’s energy had started to flag though and eventually he had dared to look at the clock and realized night was falling. They got up and got dressed then finished the rest of the beignets he’d bought for them earlier just as Kagan knocked on the door.
Sloane and Lin both hung back in the hallway outside the apartment, still complaining about the heat. Luther wanted to point out that three-piece suits and all-black attire probably weren’t the wisest choices in mid-summer New Orleans but refrained.
Another person stepped from the shadows and Luther tensed. Then the light hit on a head full of bronzed curls and he looked from the woman to Kagan. “You brought Mira here?”
She was the first true witch that Luther had encountered and the power flowing through her held a tinge of darkness.
“Come in,” he said, waving them all inside. Mira’s hazel gaze met his as she passed.
“I’m not happy about you asking my husband to take you to that place,” she said, a weary edge to her voice. Luther knew requesting access to Hell was asking a lot of his old friend, since he’d been imprisoned there for centuries, but all of his hope rested on finding out what Neilar had seen.
“I’m sorry, but I must.” Luther held his hand out to Thana. “Her life depends on it.”
Mira’s gaze shifted to Thana and softened. “In that case, your Seal host and I have a lot of catching up to do.”
She stepped around him and he got a clearer sense of her power. She was strong, her magic emanating in tangible waves and mingling with the anger evident in the set of her jaw.
Luther understand her reluctance and her feelings. Kagan had to accompany him in order for him to gain access to Hell. It was a dangerous place for Scion. The pool that recorded the history of the mortal realm was close to the bottomless pit where Lucifer resided.
“Sorry. I didn’t have time to tidy the place up,” Thana said from behind him.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s lovely,” Mira said, seemingly more at ease with Thana than she was with him. “Have you lived here long?”
“A few years. This is Luther’s apartment.” Thana glanced his way, her bright eyes enchanting him. “Mine’s next door.”
“Let’s get some air out on the balcony.” Mira took hold of Thana’s hand and led her outside.
Luther clenched his fists and exhaled slow. “I should go with them.”
Kagan’s hand clamped down on his shoulder. “I think you should give her a moment. Let them talk.”
The temptation to go to Thana was strong but he held himself back. If Kagan believed Mira could help Thana with the situation, then he would trust her with that mission. He frowned at the wooden floor. She wanted to be with him. She wanted him to stay on Earth. He had hated this place so much in the past, had carried that feeling into battle with him so many times, but now his feelings were changing thanks to one woman. A pure soul. A beautiful creature in a world filled with cruelty, despair, death and destruction. If she let him, he’d give her all she deserved. He’d give her a place like this in whatever city she desired to live in as long as she remained with him.
“Is he in love?” Lin whispered in Kagan’s direction.
“It certainly seems so.”
Luther closed his eyes and focused inward, trying to put a name to his emotions. He was attracted to Thana, she was constantly on his mind, and he couldn’t stop thinking about doing things that would make her smile or feel safe or make her want to kiss him. He cared about her and wanted to see her survive the event that lay ahead.
And he was considering staying in the mortal realm.
He loved her.
Suddenly, a wave of anger crashed through the room and Kagan doubled over, clutching his head and burying his fingers in his bronze-colored hair.
“What’s wrong, brother?” Sloane moved in beside him then stepped back as Kagan’s gaze locked on him.
The women came rushing in from the balcony and Mira gasped, running to her husband’s side. “What’s happened? What did you do to him?”
“Nothing. We were talking and then…this!”
“Must leave… All in danger.” A pained expression darkened Kagan’s face and he growled. “Run… get away from me.”
The desperation in his tone sent a bolt of fear through Luther.
He caught hold of Thana’s hand and grabbed one of the blades from his waist, watching Kagan for a sign he might attack.
“What’s happening?” Mira’s voice trembled. “Tell me what’s wrong?”
Kagan snarled, whimpered then looked at her, his gaze pleading. “Take them and go… They must have done something to me. During my torture. I can’t… I can’t fight it.”
Mira stepped back, away from him, looking over her shoulder at Luther.
He wasn’t what to do. Nothing seemed real. Kagan had been fine, up until Luther had realized he loved Thana. His eyes widened. There was only one explanation Luther could come up with and it chilled him to the bone.
Hell wanted a Seal host dead and would force Divinity’s own Scion to do it.
No wonder Xander hadn’t wanted him to speak of this future.
“Take her,” Kagan whispered, tears wetting his dark lashes. His battle against his duty was tearing him apart along with the fear of hurting those he cared about. “I didn’t know. Not until just now. I swear. I’ll hold off as long as I can. I don’t want this.”
The truth in those words and the agony in Kagan’s expression made Luther push Thana behind him to shield her.
“Run,” Kagan ground the word out, staring at Luther. “I can’t hold it back… this fury… I’m sorry. Forgive me.”
A thousand tiny needles pricked down Luther’s spine. He didn’t know what Lucifer and his minions might have done to a Scion warrior to make him go directly against Divinity’s orders, but there was no way that he was going to let anything happen to Thana. Even if her survival meant the end of the world, even if her existence caused a catastrophe, he wouldn’t let her die. He couldn’t allow it. Not for Hell or Heaven or even Lucifer himself.
“No!” Luther stepped forward, keeping hold of Thana’s trembling hand. Her fear flowed into him. He wanted to take it away and tell her everything would be fine, but he couldn’t lie. All he could do was protect her.
“It’s her destiny.” Kagan struggled as a curved golden blade appeared in his hand. The air around Luther cooled and he hesitated. Destiny wasn’t set in stone.
He wasn’t going to step aside and let her die. The slightest thing could change fate and he was willing to do all in his power to ensure that happened.
Even if it meant sacrificing himself in her place.
Lin and Sloane moved away, leading Mira off to a distance. He wanted them to take Thana too and leave him to fight Kagan, but it wouldn’t do any good. His brother was no longer in control of himself and if Thana went to the others, there was a good chance he’d attack and hurt them all. Kagan had already suffered enough. If he harmed Mira, it would kill him. Luther couldn’t let that happen, but he couldn’t let him kill Thana either.
“You must allow this to happen for the sake of humanity.”
Luther shook his head. “Can’t do that. I won’t let you hurt her.”
“Then you must take the wrath of Hades upon yourself.” Kagan raised his curved blade and the ceiling disappeared to reveal swirling black clouds surrounding a circle of blue sky.
Wind gusted as they faced each other across the span of a few feet.
“Try to take it easy on me, brother” Luther said, bracing one foot out in front of him, and brought his arms together in front of his face to shield his head. “Fight it if you can.”
“I’m trying.” Kagan threw his head back and yelled at the sky.
“No!” Thana shrieked.
White light shot down in a twisting beam from the hole in the sky and rocketed toward Luther. He didn’t have a chance to prepare himself before it hit him. The first blast of power burned over him, far stronger than he had anticipated. He leaned it and closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. He wasn’t strong enough to survive such a direct assault and something told him it was only going to get worse. It wouldn’t be long before Luther didn’t have the energy to deflect it.
He’d fought great powers before, but nothing compared with the furnace blasting him now, pushing him backwards toward Thana. He took a labored step forward and growled, sheer desperation driving him. He had to protect his Seal’s host.
Another wave crashed over him, stronger this time, and his knees threatened to give out. The energy tore at him, heating his body as it whipped against him, lacerating his skin. He focused his power and fought, even as his hope faded. The longer he shielded Thana, the more time Kagan had to fight for control over himself. He was counting on his Scion brother.
Scion's Redemption Page 11
