by Brenda Trim
A female’s scream made Ayil groan. Why weren’t the Phoenixes running away? It was difficult enough to kill the demons without having to watch out for innocents.
Within seconds the beach was littered with decaying demon bodies and Ayil and his brothers were sweating, bruised and bleeding. Abraxos clapped him on the shoulder, making him wince. “It’s done. Let’s burn these fuckers and call earth Angels to the scene.”
“Sounds good to me, just don’t call Jared. I detest that male,” Ayil replied and hefted a Behemoth demon over his shoulder.
After several more bodies were added, the fire started to die. Dammit. They needed more flames. “Hey, Candle, get over here and give us a hand?”
Kennex looked up from her phone and jogged toward him. “A healer is on the way. What do you need?”
“More firepower, and a marshmallow. S’mores suddenly sound good.”
Her nose scrunched up in disgust and her eyebrows drew together. “How can you think about eating when we’re surrounded by dead bodies?”
Ayil shrugged his shoulders. “You ready to tell me what happened?”
“I already told you. I came to the clan meeting, took a bite of a brat that tasted funny and then demons appeared.”
“Who drew the runes in the sand to call the demons?” Ayil asked.
“And, who set the circle?” Araton asked when he joined them. Most of the bodies were in a pile next to the fire which was even lower than before.
Kennex thrust her hands on her hips. “How am I supposed to know? I didn’t see much before all hell broke loose. Maybe the demons heard about the last time you guys showed up and are punishing us.”
“It’s possible,” Araton said, surprising Ayil. He was the hot head of their trio and usually looking for any excuse to jump into a fight. “We were thorough when we cleared your clan, so I doubt that’s what it was, but it’s possible.”
Kennex went pale beside Ayil before she could respond, and her body did a rendition of shake, rattle, and roll. Were the demons back? Ayil’s gaze traveled over the area but saw no sign of anything infernal.
Earth Angels appeared and worked their magic on the soil in the area. Cole approached Ayil and Araton and Kennex’s trembling shook his body along with hers. Was she frightened of Cole?
“Are you okay?” he asked and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Kennex went stiff beside Ayil, her gaze fixated on Cole and his massive blue wings. He doubted she could see the unit working behind him. Did they know each other? Did they have a relationship?
“I’ll be okay. It’s difficult to see so many dead Phoenixes. My clan is diminishing rapidly. I’m afraid there will be none of us left.”
Ayil was an insensitive asshole. He should have known this would be traumatic for her. Last time the loss to the clan was minimal. The scent of blood and brimstone in the air was cloying and making him sick. He could only imagine what it felt like for her. He was a battle-hardened warrior. Scenes like this were not uncommon for him.
“I will do everything I can to save your people. But, we need to get to the bottom of what happened here to save the rest of you,” Ayil replied. Now that his adrenaline was waning the pain hit home. His back burned where his skin was sliced, as well as, his wing, and his leg was on fire. “You head home and take a shower. I can stop by later.”
“Don’t you need me to help with my fire?”
“No. It was insensitive of me to ask you to help. You go home and relax.”
“Looks like you have enough help here now,” she said as she watched Cole with wary eyes. “I’ll order takeout if you want,” Kennex offered. When she took a step away from him and put space between them the air cooled considerably.
“Dinner sounds good. But, remember some of us can’t eat food that burns like the sun on a hot summer day,” Ayil teased.
“I’ll make sure to order a kid’s meal for you.”
Ayil laughed at her easy banter. “I’d rather have dessert.” It was impossible to keep the heat from his voice as he realized his double entendre. Kennex blushed and turned to leave. He smiled and watched her hips sway before his brother smacked him upside the head.
Ayil dug into clean-up. The faster he got that done the faster he could go see a sexy Phoenix. Recalling the way she moved as she hurried to her car made the continual burn of demon blood bearable. The urge to kiss those lips and find out if they were as soft as they looked overcame him.
An unwelcome thought occurred to him a split second later. He was going to have to question her further about events that evening. Curses filled his head as he realized there would likely be no kissing after all.
* * *
Chapter 14
Everything ached and all Ayil wanted to do was return to Heaven and soak in the hot springs in his home. It would speed the healing along and help cleanse the demon venom from his system, but that wasn’t in the cards for him, yet.
The task of questioning Kennex fell to him since he had a relationship with her while his brothers continued to assist in clean-up. Excitement hummed through Ayil over the prospect of seeing Kennex again. She crossed some invisible barrier when she called him for help.
It was the last thing he expected from her. He hadn’t believed her initially when she told him she wanted to start over. It seemed as if she needed something from him, and was using that as an excuse, but between their date the other night and now her phone call, he was starting to believe she meant what she said.
One thing that was clear to him the day he met her. The hatred she displayed toward him and his brothers told Ayil she would protect her clan from them if she was able. No way would the female he met that day have called when some demons attacked. She would have mobilized any and all members of her clan to take care of the problem.
Which brought him back to the events of the evening and how the demons might have crossed to attack her clan. The beach wasn’t an infernal hotspot, so a portal had to be opened and based on the runes and blood in the sand it was done by someone inside the clan. More than anything, Ayil wanted to believe in Kennex’s innocence. But, was that being naïve? Too much was at stake to ignore common sense in favor of what he wanted to be true.
“Let me know if you need backup,” Araton informed him as he tossed a shoe into the raging bonfire.
Ayil smiled at his younger brother’s desire to be doing anything but destroying evidence. Araton wasn’t happy unless he was immersed in chaos and fighting. “The day I can’t handle one female is the day I retire my position.”
“I admit I’m surprised she’s attached herself to you,” Abraxos added, his confusion clear in his voice. Abraxos was the Rico Suave of their group, always attracting and sweet talking the females. It was a rare night Abraxos didn’t have a new female in his bed. “It must be because I was too preoccupied to pay her proper attention before.”
Ayil clapped his older brother on the shoulder. “You keep telling yourself that, brother. I’ll see you later.” Expecting his cells to disperse into millions of particles so he could travel across town in an instant, Ayil was shocked when he didn’t go anywhere.
Teleporting was second nature to Angels and the fact that he couldn’t travel meant he was more injured than he realized. That was a matter that had to wait. He needed to get to Kennex before she had time to put her walls back up. The only way he was going to get honest information from her was to question her while her defenses were down.
Closing his eyes, Ayil forced his mind to focus on anything but the pain wracking his body while giving his mind the command to teleport to Kennex’s complex. Anticipation of seeing her smile had his body rewiring his nerve receptors. Apparently, arousal wasn’t a deterrent as his body became insubstantial and he moved from one location to another.
Reforming under a tree he’d previously spotted on the property, Ayil took stock before approaching Kennex’s front door. He needed to be prepared in the event this was a trap to isolate him from his brothers. Shoulder’s
stiff, Ayil stood with clenched fists as he surveyed his surroundings.
After seeing proof that the clan was still involved with demons, he expected infernal energy to surround the duplex. He knew another clan female shared the home with her, but the grounds were free of anything except ethereal energy, much like the first time he’d visited.
The night was clear and quiet this far from the beach which was refreshing while it made for a startling transition. The gentle breeze blowing through the palm trees replaced the howls of hellhounds and headlights from cars in the distance replaced the flare of demonic energy as runes were destroyed. It was so different from the turmoil and malevolence he just left. Despite catching the scent of humans and Kennex, his senses were still filled with the stench of demons that clung to him. Fuck he was filthy.
Too late to go home and shower, he thought as he crossed the parking lot. Steps eager, he knocked on the wood panel. Kennex answered with a small smile on her face and fatigue in her eyes.
Rising on her tiptoes, she looked over his shoulder. “I wasn’t sure you’d come alone.”
He entered her home when she stepped aside and waved him forward. His flesh prickled from whatever spell surrounded her home. It was the same as before confirming his previous assumption that she had to grant individuals admittance. An image of her with healing bruises and the blood near her bookcase came to mind, once again making him wonder who had hurt her.
“My brothers are with the earth Angels cleaning the beach and removing any evidence of demonic activity and death.” His eyes narrowed when she flinched at his words. Perhaps that was too harsh, but the stakes were much higher now with the clan being in the middle of an urban area rather than in the middle of the desert.
Kennex lifted her hands to her mouth a second later. Her eyes wide and focused on his lower body. He almost looked down to see if his erection was showing. “Oh my Gods. You’re bleeding. Why aren’t you at a healer? Do they even have healers?”
Ayil watched her hurry down a hall confused for a split second. The noise from cabinets opening and shutting echoed before she returned to him with a black plastic container and towels in her hand. “There are healing Angels, but I rarely visit them. And, I’m here to ask you more about what happened tonight,” he divulged.
Her head shook as she sat on one of the sofas. “Of course, you are. Come and sit down. Let me at least clean you up.”
He glanced down and noticed blood seeping through his shirt where he took a claw to the side. The second his ass hit the couch he expected the pain to hit full force again, but her nearness ramped his arousal instead.
“Take off the shirt and your pants so I can see what’s going on.”
“If you wanted to see me naked all you had to do was ask,” he said in a voice gone husky with desire.
Kennex’s cheeks flamed red but her eyes lit with interest. At least he thought it was interest. He’d never seen her look like that and he wanted to believe she wanted him, too. Ayil stood tugged his shirt over his head and toed off his shoes.
“Wait, what are you doing?” she asked as he quickly shucked his pants.
He chuckled as she glanced down and began sputtering. His erection was at half-mast and rising by the second. He sat and tried to focus on anything but the way she licked her bottom lip.
“You said to take them off. And, before you start complaining, just know I can’t help it. I get aroused when I’m close to a beautiful female. Nothing I can totally control, but don’t worry. I won’t try anything.”
Shaking her head, she grabbed a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a towel. After wetting the towel with the peroxide, Kennex pressed it to a deep gash in his side, forcing him to suck in a breath as the pain intensified. “Thank you for coming when I called. I didn’t think about the danger to you. I’m sorry you were hurt.”
“Hey,” he murmured as he lifted her chin with his finger. “Unless you opened the portal and called the demons, it wasn’t your fault.”
Her head was shaking as he spoke, but her eyes remained focused on his lips. “No, I didn’t do anything. I wouldn’t have even gone to the beach if I’d known what was going to happen. Is it possible the demons have a hold on my clan and they’re forcing some of us to act against what they would normally do?”
Her hand resumed cleaning. She wiped demon blood from his skin and her fingers ran over his chest, making his eyes roll back in his head. “I’m not sure if that is possible, but I will look into it. You’ve got to stop touching me like that. It’s making me want to do things you might not be ready for.”
Kennex tucked her red hair behind one ear and considered Ayil’s words. Did she want to kiss him? Or more? It was difficult to look away from his scalding gaze. From her peripheral vision she noticed his cock was getting harder and threatening to poke out of the lower leg of his boxer briefs. Damn, he was huge.
“What if I don’t want to stop?” She meant to tell him in his dreams, but an invitation flew out instead.
It was tough to think straight when his hands settled on her leg, sending little licks of arousal straight to her core. If only he’d trail them a bit higher.
“Then don’t,” he told her. “I’m up for anything you want.”
“You most certainly are,” she teased. Ever since meeting Jared she had easily fended off males’ advances, and never fell into their seductions. There had not been a male who had been irresistible to her, the few times she was intimate with one. Now she had no desire to stop Ayil.
Hatred for his kind ran deep. Until recently, she believed all Angels should die, but the sensations he evoked were too delicious to ignore. She wanted to experience more with Ayil, and the rest of her plans would wait.
He leaned down and lowered his face then growled into her ear, “I want to kiss you, Candle.” His hot breath caressed her face and seeped into her bones, lowering her guard even further. She wanted to feel his lips against hers. It was impossible to recall her plans when he was this close. His masculine scent enveloped her, calling to her inner Phoenix.
His hands moved up to her shoulders and ran down her arms, his fingertips grazing the sides of her breasts, which made her nipples harden. Nervousness suddenly assailed her.
It was now or never, she thought. After putting the towel down, she placed her hands on his shoulders. For a second, she struggled with whether she was going to push him away or pull him closer. Before she could act, her wrists were manacled in one of Ayil’s hands and trapped behind her back.
The move shocked her and made her think of Jared. Forcing ugly thoughts away, she focused on his gentle hold, as well as, the caring look in his eyes. Besides, she wanted to know what would he do next?
His lips brushed against hers, setting her on fire as if she’d ignited into flames. Gently he moved his mouth over hers, but her reaction provoked a response from him. With a groan, he let go of her hands and placed one big palm under her shirt on her lower back.
His tongue delved into her mouth when she gasped and held her close. Their tongues tangled wetly, sliding against each other for several heated seconds. When he finally broke the kiss, she was panting, and it made her hard nipples brush against his chest. Despite the clothes that separated them, the contact titillated her, and made her want more.
She looked up and met his green eyes. It was stunning to realize she was affecting him as much, if not more, than he was affecting her. Wanting skin on skin contact, she pulled her shirt over her head.
“I want more, but I’m not sure how far I can go with you,” she told him honestly. Her experience with Angels wasn’t great and as hard as she tried, her mind kept comparing him to Jared.
Unaware of her internal struggle, Ayil’s cock jerked inside the briefs, “I will never ask for more than you want. I will stop at any time no matter how far we are.” His promise reassured her and had her standing up to take her pants off.
The second the jeans were pushed to her ankles he wrapped his hands around her hips distracting her f
rom what she was doing. “Let me help,” Ayil chuckled and brought her hands to his shoulder then tugged her foot out of her pants. Within no time she was clad only in her bra and underwear and being pulled into his lap.
“I want to explore your delectable body and make you cry out my name,” he said against her ear, licking the shell and making her shudder.
She tilted her head, giving him more access. “That’s the point, right? As unexpected as this is, I can’t deny the heat between us,” Kennex admitted.
“I’ll be honest. This is not how I pictured the night going. But I’m not complaining,” he countered as he ran his hands up her back.
Her comeback faltered as he laid her across the cushions of her new couch. Pausing as he sat up, his eyes on her body heightened her arousal. The feel of his hot hands running over her abdomen heated her skin making her Phoenix unfurl in her chest like it did when close to a fire or molten lava. She found herself arching her back off the sofa and toward Ayil’s body.
For several seconds he stood there staring at her for so long that her ache built to a painful level. Trying to tease him into action, she reached behind her back and unclasped her bra to reveal her breasts.
“God, you’re perfect. I’ve never seen a more beautiful female. I need to see more.” With that Ayil reached down and slipped his fingers under the waistband of her panties and pulled them down. She lifted her hips to make it easier for him.
Feeling feminine in a way she’d never felt before, Kennex threw her hands above her head and watched him. It was difficult to resist covering her body and hide. As if driven by a need, he reached out and tweaked her nipples. Moaning, she cupped both breasts and became lost in the feel of his hands.
Lost in her desire, she slid her hands down her abdomen but Ayil caught them in an implacable grasp. It startled Kennex and her eyes popped open and met bright green eyes.
