by Eve Newton
Before I know what I’m doing, I grab her upper arms and drag her towards me.
“Hey!” she cries, but I silence her by pressing my mouth firmly to hers.
I slip my tongue into her mouth as her hands fist into my t-shirt. She swishes her tongue against mine, so I copy her move. I have never kissed anyone before, much less anything else this creature is no doubt thinking of doing. I wrap my arms around her, falling into the kiss so deeply, I can feel the taint on my purity, but it isn’t enough to make me stop. She is intoxicating. She has bewitched me. I have no excuse because her powers are switched off. This is all me and I am about to risk everything for her, for this Demon in my arms, because my jealousy has gotten the better of me. I need to put an end to this kiss before I fall because I know without a doubt, that if I fall for her, it will result in my ultimate doom.
She pulls back before I can gather the strength to shove her away.
“Oh, you are a coup,” she murmurs. “Imagine getting the mighty Guardian Angel to fall from grace.” Her eyes are flashing with desire.
“I am Heaven’s Guardian,” I inform her. “My name is Dashel.”
“Well, Dashel, I hope that you are ready for the ride of your life. If you’ve aligned yourself with me, you are against him.”
“I’m always against him,” I say, puzzled. “And I haven’t aligned myself with you.”
“No?” she asks. “That kiss was…mmmm…”
Her hands disappear under my t-shirt, skimming over my skin, making my breath hitch and wish she would do this forever.
“See?” she says. “You are mine.”
I balk at her, but it’s just posturing. I am hers. She knows it, I know it and so does Evan as he reappears with a glare at the two of us, standing here in this indecent pose.
“I c-can’t…”
She shushes me with a soft kiss to my lips. A kiss that makes me crave for more. I am lost and Heaven help me, but I don’t want to be found again.
Evan
“This looks cozy,” I snap at the two of them. How dare he come here and take the woman that I’m falling in love with.
Axelle just giggles at me. “Jealous?” she chirps.
“Pah,” I scoff. “Of him?”
She pulls away from the Angel and turns to me with a serious look. “You know each other?”
“Later,” I snap at her. “Right now, we have your host issue to deal with. Here.” I shove a phone directory at her.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” she asks, looking at it with disdain.
“Get your whatever the hell he is downstairs to call you a few psychics. We need to be practical about this. Leave this host here, where she is supposed to be.”
“You mean stay here?” she asks aghast.
I take her hand. “Just for a little while. I’ll be waiting for you outside.”
“We!” Dashel exclaims, interrupting me. “We will be waiting for you. Evan is right, we need to deal with this with some finesse.”
I glare at him. “You can shut the fuck up. I don’t know who invited you on this escape plan, but as far as I’m concerned…”
“I did,” Axelle snaps at me. “Dashel wants to save me.” She gives him a big beam that turns my stomach.
“Oh, like he tried to save my mother?” I growl.
Axelle’s mouth drops open, while Dashel looks grim-faced at me.
“I apologize that I was unable to save Eleanor. She chose the wrong side. There was nothing I could do after that,” he says.
“What?” Axelle asks and then grunts with pain, clutching at the swollen belly of her host body.
“I said, later,” I snarl at Dashel and then lead Axelle back to the bed. “Let this man have his wife back in the right way. We will cause less chaos and our chances of staying under the radar will be higher.”
“Ugh,” she spits at me. “Slade and this bitch don’t deserve their happily ever after.”
“You know them?” Dashel asks.
“Slade was an old flame,” she says, giving me a sassy look that does nothing to make me love her any less. If anything, it increases my feelings for her. “A slave that I whipped so hard he bled. I rode his cock as he whimpered in pain and I reveled in it.”
Dashel’s sharp intake of breath, makes her look over at him.
“Shocked?” she asks archly. “You know what I am, and if I get the chance to do the same to you, you’d better believe that I’ll take it.”
I stifle my moan of desire. I want nothing more than all of that.
“Oh?” she asks, turning back to me. “You want to be my slave, Evan?”
The desire swimming in her eyes stiffens my dick to bursting point.
“Anyway,” she continues before I can say anything, “Lacey isn’t in here. It’s just me. I’m guessing we swapped, which means she’s…”
“In Hell with Luc,” I gulp. “Fuck.”
Axelle just arches her eyebrow at me. “Good,” she snorts. “I hope he’s torturing her.”
I fluff her pillows and pull the duvet up around her. “We don’t have much time. Get Slade to call the psychics as soon as possible. We’ll be waiting for you.” I lean over to kiss her. “And when you are in your new body, I’m going to fuck you so hard, your screams will be heard in Hell.”
“Oh,” she says faintly, a sexy smile playing at her lips. “I do like the sound of that.”
Her eyes flick to Dashel. He is standing uncomfortably over by the dresser. “What about you, Angel?” she asks him. “Will you let me corrupt your soul and damn you to Hell?”
I see him gulp and I tut slightly at her. “If you want him to stick around, what good is he down there if you’re up here?” I point out lightly, not out of concern for him, but out of jealousy that she wants him so badly. I get it, though. It’s who she is. She will always be in the pursuit of sex with men she can corrupt. I can accept that. I just don’t have to like it.
“Good point,” she says with a fierce frown. “That sucks.”
I chuckle at her, relieved to have that sorted for the time being. If I’m being forced to align with the Angel in order to protect Axelle from Luc, then so be it. Doesn’t mean I have to stand there and enjoy watching her take his soul. Because let’s face it. Dashel looks about as ready to fall as an Angel can. He is mooning over Axelle overtly, his dick is busting impressively against his pants, and his breathing is slow and heavy as if he is trying to control the urge to jump on her. I don’t blame him. If she wasn’t sitting here with a pregnant belly, I wouldn’t have hesitated.
She drags me back down to fuck my mouth with her tongue. That’s exactly how it feels. It is sexy as fuck and man, she knows what she’s doing. I can’t wait for the real deal. Even if I will have a Guardian Angel standing over me while I do it.
“I love you,” I risk murmuring to her.
She grins and rubs her thumb over my bottom lip. “You’d better because I think I’m falling in serious like with you.”
I snort. “I’ll take it,” I tell her, knowing that is about as good as it will get for a while. She has no idea what love is.
A sadness falls over her features and she sighs. “You need to know that I love Luc. I am in love with him. I want to be with him, I just can’t accept what he wants from me.”
“What does he want?” I ask carefully, ignoring the feeling of resignation settle over me at her admission.
“I’ll tell you later. We are wasting time. Go now and unfreeze Slade. I will catch up with you just as soon as I can.”
I nod briskly at her. She is right. We need to get this thing moving.
I kiss her again quickly and then leave the room, grabbing Dashel’s arm on my way out.
“Wait,” he says and pulls away from me.
He goes to her and kisses her as well. “I do not want to leave you.” He frowns at her. “I do not want Luc to find you and take you back there.”
She gives him a soft smile and cups his face. “Go with Evan. I’ll be with
you again shortly.”
He nods hesitantly and then he follows me out of the room.
We head downstairs and exit the house. Dashel stands on the threshold and fixes first the door and then unfreezes Slade, and, I’m assuming, altering his memory to forget this ever happened.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I ask him seriously as we cross the road to the park opposite to sit and wait for our Demon to return to us.
“I have never been so sure about anything in my life,” he replies, looking back up at the house. “She is worth it.”
“It’s a big leap of faith,” I say, hoping to dissuade him from this course.
He gives me a searching look. “From the moment I was set on this task to connect with her and to try and convince her to break the ritual, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. I grieved for her when I’d thought she’d died. I don’t know anything about the ways of love or romance, but I know that I don’t want to be apart from her for a day longer now that she is here. I need to protect her with everything that I have, even if that means losing everything in the process.”
I grit my teeth at that and hope that Axelle never hears him say that. I don’t have that kind of grand gesture to give her. I don’t care about losing my place in Hell. In fact, I hope it happens. I just hope that when Luc does catch up with us, she chooses to stay and not go back with him. But I know in my heart, that he cares about her. Loves her even, he will offer that to her, and she won’t be able to refuse.
Dashel and I sit in a maudlin silence as we wait for Axelle to join us.
~ CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO ~
Axelle
I’m bored out of my mind - already. I’ve been subjected to this humongous body for about an hour now and it’s really not what I’d hoped it would be. That is, escaping it to meet up with my sexy Reaper and an eye wateringly gorgeous Angel that wants to save me.
Slade has hovered over me relentlessly, only letting me get up to pee and then ushering me straight back into bed. He wouldn’t even entertain my idea about getting me some psychics. I need to try and find a way to convince him without using my seduction. He will know instantly it’s me and banish me back to Hell.
“Slade,” I whine, desperately needing to get out of here. “Please, if you won’t entertain me by doing as I ask, please just let me go for a walk.”
He gives me what can only be described as ‘filthy’ look, so I give him one back.
“Trixie, I don’t understand what has gotten into you. The doctors have told you that this is a high-risk pregnancy and that you need to stay in bed.” The reprimand is slightly harsh, and I worry for a moment that he will know his wife has gone and that I, his ex-Demon Mistress, am in her place.
I change my attitude and smile gently at him, lowering my eyes, curling my hair behind my ear and it works like a charm. He is over at my side in an instant and takes my hand, kissing it.
“I know how difficult this is for you,” he says, “but it’s for the safety of our baby.”
“Okay,” I mutter, meekly. I cannot give Slade any reason to suspect me and get rid of me before I’ve gotten myself out of this awful situation. “I’m just bored.”
“I know,” Slade says with a sigh, running his hand through his dark brown hair, reminding me of how attractive he is, when he isn’t being a pain in my ass. “I’ll fetch you up some magazines, okay?”
I sigh and nod, feeling the relief wash over me when he disappears out of the room so I can think straight for a minute. Evan and Dashel will be getting worried if I don’t make a move soon. We might have to rethink me sitting here like a fuckwit and freeze my ex-slave again so that I can escape in Lacey’s body until I find another host.
My scattered thoughts have regained focus now that I’m alone.
For starters, I know I can’t try and get myself back into the form that Luc gave me back in Hell. He will probably skin me alive, piece by tiny piece, for doing a runner on him. Secondly, there is no way that I’m staying here to give birth to this squirmy child that won’t quit kicking me. So, my only option is to body jump into a new host, but the obstacle here is finding one if Slade won’t stop hovering. I’m screwed until Dashel gets worried enough to come back and help me out with that freezing thing.
I’ve tried to get myself out of this body repeatedly, but I’m too weak after my escape to leave without touching another host. It had happened once before to me a long time ago, so I recognize the signs. My trip out of Hell has made me a bit useless right now. If only there was a way, I could get Slade to take me outside.
All too soon, he has returned with a stack of magazines and I take one, just for something to do with my hands. I’m uncomfortable, I need to pee again and man, I’m starving…but not just for any food. No, I want French fries dipped in chocolate sauce. What the Hell is up with that?
“Slade,” I purr suggestively and his eyebrows skyrocket as I give him a smoldering look.
“Err…err…” he stammers, flustered at my come-on.
I grin to myself.
“Will you get me some fries and chocolate sauce?” I interrupt his spluttering, and his face relaxes. I don’t blame him for being nervous. I wouldn’t want to bang myself either looking like a beached whale.
“Sure,” he breathes out and races from the room like his ass is on fire.
I heave another sigh and flop back into the pillows before I lurch back out of bed. I simply cannot stay like this for a second longer. I need to flag down Dashel and Evan from the window to help me.
I waddle over to the window and peer out. I can’t see them. They said they would be waiting for me. Traitors! They’ve abandoned me in my hour of need.
I bite my lip, resisting the urge to cry, which is a horror unknown to me. What is happening here?
I waddle over to the dresser and sit down to stare at myself in the mirror. I’m very similar to the form that Luc gave me. My eyes are a paler blue, and my hair is more honey-colored than the light blonde I’ve grown accustomed to, but my cheekbones are sharp, my nose is perfect and my full lips are luscious. If it weren’t for the awful plumpness of my features, my enormous breasts and this dreadful bump, I would preen like a peacock.
I pick up the brush and pull it though my slightly greasy hair.
I need a shower in the worst way.
Placing my hands on the dresser, I heft myself to my feet and shuffle over to the en-suite bathroom.
“Trixie!” Slade’s sharp snap comes at me, along with his angry footfalls. “What is wrong with you today?”
“I need a shower,” I respond with my hand in my hair. “I’m disgusting.”
Slade’s face softens and he approaches me quickly. He takes my arm and ushers me back to bed. “I will run you a nice bath,” he says kindly, tucking me back into this loathsome bed.
“No, I want a shower,” I insist, pushing his hands away from me.
“Trix, I understand you’re frustrated, but you aren’t acting like yourself,” Slade says, his eyes focusing on me in a way that makes me shrink back into the mountains of pillows.
He is scrutinizing me, and I feel like a bug under a microscope. “Lacey?” he whispers, the fear in his eyes. It makes my heart thump with excitement to see him scared and my breathing gets heavier.
“No, my love,” I say, shaking my head, reluctantly. Oh, how I want to tell him that I’m back, but he won’t hesitate to get rid of me. He is so different now, so pussy-whipped by that little slut.
I give him a sweet smile that feels all wrong to me, but it reassures him, and his shoulders relax. He indicates the plate of food and despite myself, I reach for it eagerly. It looks disgusting, but I savor the taste as I pick up the fries and dip them into the sauce.
“I’ll be right back,” Slade says quickly and ducks out of the room while I’m happily occupied.
He returns a few moments later and sits next to me on the bed while I polish off my meal. I hand him the plate.
“Thanks,” I say and
stifle a yawn. I’m feeling pretty tired suddenly. I’m struggling to stay awake so that I can formulate my plan. But my eyes close against my will anyway.
I wake up to a hushed conversation over in the corner of the bedroom. I blink and the nightmare of my situation thunders around me as I remember. Shit! I’d hoped it would all be a dream and when I woke up, I would be back in Luc’s arms and he would tell me he’s joking about the baby.
No such luck.
My eyes land on Slade and a very gorgeous man whispering in the corner.
“Slade?” I ask, hoisting myself up out of the soft, floral-printed pillows. I was only asleep for about twenty minutes, so who is this creature staring at me with interest?
“Trixie. Dr. Dann is here to pay you a visit,” Slade says, looking a little shifty as he averts his eyes to the good doctor who takes over.
“Slade tells me that you are getting frustrated,” Dr. Delicious says in a voice like smooth honey.
I give him a sultry once-over, starting with his dark brown, short-cropped hair, down to his glittering green eyes, across his face that needs to be on the cover of GQ, stat, and down that rocking bod that I wish I was lithe enough to jump on and ride until the cows come home.
“You have come this far,” he continues, approaching me and placing his hand, rather intimately, on my large bump.
My eyes zero straight in on his elegant hand and then they narrow.
What is this? He is touching me way too familiarly for just a doctor/patient relationship.
“It won’t be much longer, and it will all be worth it when you hold your precious bundle in your arms,” he adds kindly.
I fix Slade with a look, but he hasn’t seemed to notice the cozy touching of Dr. Dreamy.
“Yes, well, I just want a shower,” I say, patting his hand swiftly.
“And I said I would run you a bath,” Slade interjects.
“Excellent idea,” Dr. Delectable says with a winning smile, keeping his hand firmly on my belly.
“I’m bored,” I whine again suddenly, hoping that in the doctor’s presence, Slade will agree to take me outside. “I want to go outside.”
