ANGEL'S INDECENT PROPOSAL
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Had she sounded a bit jealous?
The courtiers moved closer to me, asking about angels’ food culture and dating rules in our home world, their ample breasts brushing against me from both sides.
I felt nothing at their touch, but I didn’t shove them away. I smiled and wanted Rose to see this at least.
She kept her face expressionless, then turned and headed to the ladies’ lounge at the end of the dining hall, her guard at her heels with sword ready.
As soon as Rose vanished from my view, I snarled at the courtiers, “Be quiet.” And my eyes didn’t leave the entrance of the ladies’ lounge.
Chapter 26
PRINCESS ROSE
I wasn’t impressed with Babylon’s diversity and complexity. It smelled of trash, sweat from mixed subspecies, and cheap perfume. Paper and plastic bags littered the corners of the streets, and then the wind picked them up and blew them everywhere.
Babylon couldn’t hold a candle to Mysth, the only magic realm on Earth.
Rumor had it that the Mysthians wouldn’t visit mortal realms. The prince had no idea that I’d been here twice, disguised as one of the subspecies.
This time, I didn’t come to the Free Market Place to shop. I came with the sole purpose of meeting the Dragonian rebel leader. With Prince Seth escorting me, no angels would suspect me. All I needed was to ditch him in the middle of our outing, and then Femi and Philomena would take over and stall him. They had done a fabulous job charming him at every turn.
I thought, walking amid the crowd, that the prince and I were just two faces amid thousands. But soon I realized in dismay that we couldn’t really blend in while the damn prince stood out and kept drawing attention.
He’d cloaked his wings alright. He had a hood over his head and his face was in shadow, but he couldn’t cover his warrior’s large size and the menace he’d been born with. It emanated from his every pore.
Regardless of how crowded the streets were, all the subspecies voluntarily gave him a wide berth, as if their survival instinct had sensed a deadly predator among them. The incoming crowd couldn’t help but stare at him then quickly tear their gazes away, as if they understood clearly that staring at the disaster would just invite it.
Then they swept a glance by me.
The prince growled at anyone who dared dart their gaze in my direction, until they fled. He thought they wanted the bone another dog wanted to claim. He didn’t realize those who stole a glance at me were only curious to see what type of female I was—she was either foolish, audacious, or both to stand by the worst predator.
Seth found every chance to touch me, pretending to be chivalrous. I let it go instead of snapping at him only because my people were watching, not because his touch sent pleasure slicing up my spine and made me crave more. I put on a mask of indifference and occasionally a little disdain, when all the while my nerves caught on fire.
At some point, he started flirting with my courtiers. After all, the prince was a male, so he acted like any typical male who enjoyed being showered with attention by beautiful females.
I should not have been annoyed. Hadn’t that been my plan all along?
Femi and Philomena were doing an overqualified job of getting the prince heated up, so they could play him and keep him occupied after I took off.
Then why did I let sizzling anger build in me? But shouldn’t he at least put up a little resistance when beautiful females came along? Shouldn’t he keep up his act and reputation as the coldest bastard?
When I gave him a look, he showed me white teeth and a roguish grin.
I decided to block out their flirtation and giggling. I needed to focus on my task. It was time to ditch this stupid, horny angel.
Right on cue, Femi suggested having a snack at the Mooncake Teahouse. I chose a table away from the window on the second floor. Femi and Philomena sat on either side of the prince, their buxom chests squeezing against him, and he seemed to enjoy their touch to no end.
I told Femi to order the pearl tea for me and excused myself for a bathroom break.
The prince immediately tensed up and objected, “It’s a public lounge, which isn’t suitable for you. I have a penthouse not too far—”
“When I need to go, I need to go,” I almost yelled at him.
“Fine,” he said. “I’ll accompany you.”
Oh really? He’d go watch me pee?
“I won’t let you out of my sight,” he said as if it was the final word on the subject, and rose to his feet.
“I’m not going to disappear on you!” I said with enough temper in my voice.
Right, he’d finally shifted his attention back to me, but only to treat me like his damn prisoner.
I laid out common sense on the table, informing him that it would cause an ugly scene if he followed me into the ladies’ lounge. “Is that what you want?” I demanded.
Lexa glared at the prince. “I’ll go with her. You can see us in and out from here.”
I told him blankly, “You go ahead, enjoy a drink and your lovely companions.”
Femi and Philomena dragged him down with soft purrs and sexy whispers.
The prince didn’t look happy at all.
Before I entered the ladies’ lounge, I glanced over my shoulder. The prince’s stare followed me, temporarily ignoring my gorgeous courtiers, who were all over him. They should have been able to keep the prince engaged long enough for me to return.
For a second, I wondered if the prince would take them to his penthouse instead of me. No male had ever before rejected their invitation.
And why the hell not? He had this burning lust in him for so long, and both Femi and Philomena wore my scent.
The image of him mounting my courtiers stayed in my mind like slime.
I wasn’t beside myself with glee now, even though I had easily ditched the prince. My treacherous body urged me to go back and stop him from taking other females. But if I had vowed that he would never have me, why was I so unhappy about him having others?
Lexa pulled me along as she noticed my steps halting on the stairs.
Seth had no idea that the upstairs ladies’ lounge was connected to the one downstairs. That was why we had specifically chosen this teahouse, though we had made it look like a random pick.
“Femi and Philomena can take care of themselves,” Lexa said.
I fought the nausea and followed Lexa out through the downstairs exit.
I am Rose Jekaterina Faylinn, I repeated to myself. I’ll do whatever is necessary to secure my people’s future. I wouldn’t allow my selfish need and emotions to get in the way.
The Prince of Angels didn’t matter. Right now I had more important things to consider than worrying about whom he was going to sleep with.
Out of the Mooncake Teahouse, Lexa and I rounded a few zigzagging back alleys, and jogged toward a nondescript building. North’s crews, disguised as vendors, tourists, or even homeless vagabonds, were planted on every block we passed.
We reached the perfume shop.
An older Dragonian female was cleaning the windows. A boy, probably twelve, handed out a brochure across the street. At the west corner near a small park, a road-repair team was testing their equipment. Under their uniform jackets, I believed they were all heavily armed.
North’s lookouts were everywhere.
The shop’s door swung open at my approach, then shut behind Lexa and me as soon as we swept in.
A Dragonian warrior bowed and gestured for me for follow him down the stairs to the cellar. Lexa entered first, her hand tight on the hilt of her sword.
A tall, lean Dragonian male in a grey trench coat stood before the half-window that rose above the ground. He turned slowly as I padded toward him.
I would recognize him anywhere just by his distinguished black horns.
I threw back my hood and revealed my face.
My glamour had fallen off because Femi, who had the gift of glamour, wasn’t close by.
“Hello, North,”
I greeted him.
Chapter 27
PRINCE SETH
I kept an eye on the doorway of the ladies’ lounge, even as I ordered a mug of red tea that—according to the Aryanian server—grew on the highest mountain on Earth, and even as I fended off the courtiers’ unceasing demands for attention.
They ordered almost every kind of cake. Of course they would expect me to pay for everything.
Angels usually didn’t pay for whatever they took from the earthborn, but I wasn’t that kind of angel.
When the desserts arrived and filled the table, my gaze remained in the direction of the ladies’ lounge. The redhead courtier cut a piece of blood rice cake and raised a spoonful to my mouth. “Try this, my lord,” she purred. “See if it melts on your mighty tongue.”
The black-haired courtier giggled in a low, sensual voice.
I swatted the spoon aside and ordered sternly, “Leave it.”
The redhead blinked, putting on an injured look.
Like I gave a damn.
I had ended my sport with them as soon as Rose left the table.
The redhead put the cake into her own mouth instead. “Yummy!” She shut her eyes in ecstasy. When she opened them, she gazed at me brightly. “You sure you don’t want a bite, my lord?”
“Just be quiet,” I said curtly.
It had been three minutes and Rose hadn’t come out.
Why did it take so long?
The dark-haired courtier stood up, nestling her breasts against my shoulder. Her hand curved down on my chest to massage my muscles. She thought that I’d lost interest in her “sister,” so she needed to step in.
“Get your hands off me,” I said, dropping all my niceties since their princess wasn’t around to watch. “I did not permit your advance.”
The courtier jerked back her hand, and both females looked at me, batting their eyelids with puzzle, hurt, yet forgiving expressions.
“I don’t need you to entertain me,” I said. “You’re Rose’s companions. Keep an eye on her for me, and you’ll do just fine. Now I need my focus; I need to make sure Rose is safe.” I pushed their chairs further from mine at the same time. “And some space, ladies.”
They traded another uncertain, worried glance.
“She won’t come out so soon,” the dark-haired said. “It takes time to redo the hair and makeup.”
I frowned. “In the ladies’ lounge?”
“Oh, yeah,” the redhead said. “There is a lot about Mysthian noble females you don’t know, and Rose is our role model in perfection.”
“I didn’t see her put on much makeup before,” I said.
“Today is a special occasion, isn’t it?” the redhead said.
She meant that Rose had her full masquerade.
“She looks fine!” I sighed exasperatedly. “I’m sending one of you to go check on her process.”
“Certainly, my lord,” the dark-haired courtier said and headed toward the ladies’ lounge. She stalked out half a minute later. “She’s still fixing her makeup, as I said. She ordered us not to go check on her every two seconds. She needs her privacy.”
“Privacy?” I snorted. “That’s a public ladies’ lounge!”
“Maybe for you, privacy isn’t required. No offense, my lord,” the redhead said. “But Rose isn’t a soldier under your command. Neither are we. We’re the delicate kind.”
“Like flowers,” the dark-haired one added.
“Fine,” I gritted my teeth. “But if she hasn’t come out in five minutes, one of you will go in again and tell her I won’t wait here forever! Tell her to hurry up or I’ll come for her myself. I’ll go in and cause an ugly scene.”
“Patience, please, my lord,” said the dark-haired female. “We’ll do as you order.” As she spoke, she produced a miniature chess board. “While we’re waiting, why don’t we play a round to kill time? I’m an excellent player.”
The courtiers had done their research and knew that I favored chess. They had even carried it with them, which meant they were indeed here to stall me.
I would go into the ladies’ lounge in three minutes.
The dark-haired Mysthian started setting up the game. I ignored her and kept my eyes in the direction Rose had gone.
“My sister dreams of defeating the most powerful, handsome male,” the redhead said in a sensual voice, “and I’ll get cozy—”
I dragged her up by her elbow before she could sit on my hard-on, which remained from the princess’s effect on me.
My cock throbbed and wanted some action, and the courtiers were offering. They would go with me anywhere and let me fuck them both. Since they had part of Rose’s “scent,” they might even be able to relieve the pressure in my dick.
“Haven’t you heard I have no interest in sex, wench?” I asked, adjusting the coat over my groin. I couldn’t allow anyone to know that I was no longer a sleeper. If the courtiers found out, I’d have to kill them to keep my secret. I was allowed to be around Rose at all times only because my lord father and brother believed I couldn’t get hard.
“We also heard that you’re in the market for a bedmate,” the redhead said.
“And you think you can arouse me?” I asked, sipping the red tea and leaning back on the chair. The Aryanian had possibly lied about the tea growing on a mountain peak. It didn’t taste like one. Earth was full of liars.
“We might,” the redhead said. “You haven’t seen us in action. Give us a shot and you won’t regret it.” She somehow let hot desire exude from her whole body. No wonder the Mysthian courtiers were hot items in the angels’ court. My dumb brother called them “the delight of Earth.”
“We also have a suite nearby, my lord,” the dark-haired female added.
They were promising me guaranteed pleasure and satisfaction, while their princess kept me burning and hanging mercilessly.
“What will Rose say?” I asked.
“She wants us to meet your every need,” the redhead said.
“She wouldn’t mind us leaving her behind?” I asked.
“Rose is a big girl,” one of them said. “And Lexa is with her.”
“Shall we leave now, my lord?” the other asked breathlessly.
So this had been Rose’s arrangement. While my cock was hot for her, coldness edged toward my heart. She’d planned to pass me on to her courtiers as if I were leftover.
But what did I expect? I told her that I just wanted one fuck.
A fuck’s a fuck.
Did it matter who I fucked?
“So Rose put you up to this,” I said, my voice calm, but I wondered if they could detect the storm in it.
“No, my lord,” the redhead said. “We want you. No female can resist you. You’re the most striking male, and the mightiest!”
“Cut the crap,” I said and eyed the direction of the ladies’ lounge. A few females had gone in after Rose and had already come out.
A nagging certainty grew in me: they’d played me for a fool.
I stood up, kicked back the chair, and strode to the ladies’ lounge.
“No!” The redhead sprang after me and grabbed my sleeve. “You can’t go in there. You’ll cause a scene, my lord.”
I shoved her aside and kept going.
I halted outside the door and sniffed. Rose was gone. She wasn’t even inside the Mooncake Teahouse.
Anger shot through me. Again, she had used and played me.
The Aryanian server rushed to me. “My lord—” She did not know I was the High Prince of the Angels, but she realized that I was an aristocratic angel.
“Is this the only exit?” I asked.
I hadn’t threatened her, but she flinched. It seemed the only one who didn’t fear me was Rose. “It’s…” the Aryanian stuttered. “It’s connected to the downstairs exit.”
I cursed and the ladies recoiled.
Had Rose rushed to see one of her lovers in this city? That wicked witch was full of dirty, dark secrets.
I’d kill him!
The courtiers pushed toward me, despite the cold, killing light in my eyes. Yet they reeked of terror. Only their loyalty to Rose made them brave. It was evident now that they had offered themselves as a sacrifice when they had come to Atlantis to help their beloved princess do whatever she wanted to do.
If I struck them down in my rage, Rose would never forgive me, and I would never get to sleep with her.
At this point, did I even care?
“Rose must have gone shopping with Lexa,” the redhead said. “She can be a little… spoiled, according to your angels’ standards. Let’s enjoy ourselves and catch up with her later. You can chew her out then, my lord. Let’s go to our suite and let us make you happy. Even if you don’t want anything, a good massage will relax you. You’ve been working too hard, my lord, and your muscles are all tensed up. We can loosen the knots. You’ll feel good.”
The courtiers could turn any tide with their sweet talk. I regarded them as though I’d never really looked at them before. Even when I’d dallied with them, my gaze had been on Rose. These females were gorgeous, soft, and sultry. Just one look at them, any male would have an instant hard-on.
I could fuck them both until my anger ebbed, until my frustration ironed out, until my cock no longer ached.
I would escape the burning lake of lust, even if only temporarily.
Yet I had no interest in them. My erection was gone the second I considered taking them to my bed. The princess didn’t give a damn with whom I slept, but I cared greatly who she ended up with in bed. And that one would be a corpse soon.
I would show her how this was going to be from now on: I wouldn’t allow her to have pleasure without me. I wouldn’t allow anyone else to touch her. I would run my long sword through the male in front of her eyes if he, unfortunately, was her lover.
My hard gaze skipped over the courtiers, who looked miserable as if they knew they’d failed in their task. Any other male would take pity on them and give them whatever they wanted, but I was still the heartless angel.