“Put your hands on the railing,” he commanded huskily.
She did. Catching the direction of his thoughts, she leaned forward, eliciting another groan.
“How did I ever get so lucky?” he whispered. His big hands lifted the back of her robe, revealing her perfect backside. He managed a few appreciative caresses before folding his body over hers. His fangs slid into her neck as he entered her from behind. Every time felt better than the last.
She moaned in encouragement, her desire flaring in his mind. She loved this. She loved him. Life didn’t get any better than that.
One hand cupped her breast, tweaking and gently pulling at her hardened nipple. The other wrapped around her hips and found her sensitive nerves. Their intimate connection made it so easy to please her. He never had to worry about what she liked or didn’t like. It was all right there; all he had to do was open himself up to it.
Their coupling was quick, but no less powerful because of it. When he first awoke, his cravings were fierce. Ryssa understood that, and by patching in to their bond, she was right there with him.
After they both crested, David pulled her down into a chair and sealed the tiny holes on her neck. Within seconds, they had healed completely. Ryssa wrapped her arms around him and settled her head on his shoulder. As much as he enjoyed making love to her, he cherished these quiet times as well, when Ryssa was sated and replete in his arms.
“She doesn’t know, does she?” David asked.
“Who?”
“Ana Masterson.”
Mentally, he could feel Ryssa retreating. While Ryssa had openly given herself to him, there was still much about her he didn’t know. It worked both ways; there was probably a lot about him she didn’t know either. But, as her lifespan was many times his own and she was a fallen angel, he figured her secrets were a hell of a lot more interesting than his.
“Don’t, Ryssa.”
“Don’t what?”
“Pull away.”
“Who says I’m pulling away?”
He took her hand and placed it against his chest where his heart had once beaten. “I feel it. Here. Ana is the reason you fell, isn’t she?”
“No,” she denied. “I’m the reason I fell.”
“But you did it to save her.”
“And you know this how?”
David withheld his smile. Being a shrewd businessman, he knew a thing or two about skirting direct questions and providing responses that weren’t really answers. If he wanted her to trust him enough to tell him the whole truth, he had to answer honestly himself.
“The night Masterson filled me in and gave me the choice between door number one and door number two, I had a dream. I saw what happened that day in the garden with the serpent.”
Ryssa said nothing for a long time. He could sense the turbulence roiling within her, a dark spot amidst the soft glowing light. David held her close and stroked her hair, remaining silent. Confirming the truth had to be her decision.
“No,” she finally admitted. “Ana doesn’t know. She doesn’t remember any of it. Doesn’t remember me. She is such a sensitive soul, I didn’t want her to carry that burden.”
“So you carried it for her.”
“Yes.” She smiled into his neck. “I’m not nearly as empathetic. Angels don’t have the same connection to the world around them as the Fae do. We are essentially eremitic creatures.”
Because David had sworn fealty to Vlane, he knew of Ana’s secret. In a private ceremony attended only by those of Vlane’s bloodline, through a series of ritualistic blood exchanges overseen by Armand, he had officially became one of Vlane’s “family”, and as such, was entrusted with the secret knowledge necessary to keep Ana – and now Ryssa – safe.
“And yet you gave yourself for her.”
“Yeah, well,” she smirked. “Sacrifice is kind of a big thing up there.”
“I get that,” he mused, stroking her arm tenderly. “But what is she to you?”
Ryssa stiffened slightly, then relaxed. The fact that she wasn’t even trying to block him was humbling.
“My half-sister.” When David said nothing, she looked up at him. “That doesn’t come as a surprise to you.”
“Not really. In the dream, you looked very much alike, Ana simply a smaller, younger version of you. At least until...” Until the serpent leeched the golden light from her hair, eyes, and skin.
“Our father was an archangel, my mother an angel. Ana’s mother, of course, was Fae. A Fae queen, to be exact.”
“And Zach is your brother?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “He was so angry. Once I fell, he decided to become a Reaper. I thought it was to punish me. To remind me of my sins. Of what I had lost.”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
She shook her head sadly. “What do you know of angels?”
“I know that Zach is the one who told me I needed to save you.”
That got her attention. “Zach came to you?”
“He’s the one who showed me the dream. Did I forget to mention that?”
“Yes, you did.”
“Oh, well yeah, he did. Want to know what I think?”
She nodded.
“I think maybe this whole reaping gig is his way of looking out for you.”
Her eyes widened and her lips parted. “Maybe,” she murmured, but he could feel a tiny spark of hope take root. For as aloof and unaffected as she pretended to be, his angel had an enormous capacity for love. Beneath the prickly exterior, loving was her nature.
She was silent for several long moments. “David, how did you know to seek me out when your mother was sick?”
David explained about the nurse who had filled in that night, the one who had suggested going to the cemetery and calling for Ryssa. It had seemed so ridiculous at the time, but now, not so much.
“What did she look like?”
He closed his eyes briefly and tried to recall that night. “I only saw her for a few minutes. On the thin side. Ash-blonde, I think. The only thing I really remember about her is her eyes. They were a really bright blue, like - ”
“Cornflowers?” Ryssa guessed.
“Yeah, exactly. And she showed me her ID badge. Her name was - ”
“Claire?”
“Yeah. How’d you know?”
Ryssa smiled enigmatically, thinking of the clever, sweet woman she’d helped not all that long ago. “Lucky guess. So, what’s on the agenda for this evening?”
“We have to head over to Vlane’s. Some kind of Extraordinary meet and greet or something.”
Ryssa nodded. “It’s a vamp thing. When a master like Vlane sires another, it’s the vamp equivalent of having kids. He’s got to show you off, publicly claim you as his.”
“It really is like being part of a family, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
David felt a pang of grief. His mother had been the last of his mortal family. As she sensed his thoughts, she stroked his hair. “We have each other now, David. I think your mother will be pleased. She asked me to watch over you after she was gone.”
He almost chuckled, remembering that Elizabeth had asked him to watch over Ryssa. “And what about your family, Ryssa? Will you tell Ana?”
“I don’t think so,” she sighed.
“She deserves to know the truth.”
“Ignorance can be bliss. Didn’t you sleep better at night not knowing about the supernatural world?”
He had to admit, she had a point. There was a small window of time where he’d been human and had been given a bit of that knowledge, and he’d never felt more unnerved. Had he chosen to walk away, Vlane’s offer of a mind-wipe would have been bliss. But finding out that Ryssa was her half-sister wouldn’t be such a shock to Ana, who already knew about this world, and was a part of it herself. He said as much to Ryssa.
“She is your sister.”
“She is so happy right now. I don’t want to ruin that.”
“Another sacrifice?�
�
“Not really. Because you are part of Vlane’s bloodline, Ana and I are sisters in the vampire world. I get my sister back without burdening her with the sense of guilt she would surely feel if she knew the whole truth.”
Chapter 14 – Cue the Fat Lady
When it came right down to it, the world of Extraordinaries really wasn’t much different than the human world, David thought as he hobnobbed with the supernatural elite. As a successful human businessman, he’d had to face some intimidating figures, and learned early on to keep his composure and never show fear. Those lessons came in particularly handy when surrounded by demons, shifters, mages, and God knew what else. Of course, having someone like Vlane Masterson as a sire apparently held a lot of weight. It was clear by the way the other guests treated Vlane that he held a lot of power and respect in the community.
As always, Ryssa was a calming presence in his mind. Whenever he began to feel a bit unnerved, she would send him a pulse of warmth through their bond. He wondered how he had ever managed without her. Ryssa was everything he’d ever wanted in a woman and more.
He glanced across the great hall, acknowledging her soothing gift. She was chatting with Ana, which didn’t surprise him. Whenever Ryssa wasn’t by his side, she was with Ana.
“We are lucky men, to have been gifted with such exquisite creatures,” Vlane said, suddenly beside him. To his credit, David didn’t flinch like he had initially. He was getting used to the silent, unexpected appearances.
“No argument there,” he agreed.
“They are getting along rather well, don’t you think?” Vlane commented.
“Yes, very well.”
“I am glad to see it. In the supernatural world, females are often quite wary of one another.”
“Yeah? Why is that?”
“Look around, David. Ours is inherently a predominantly male society. Competition among the females for our favor is fierce.”
Vlane spoke matter-of-factly, but David was able to pick up subtle tones of amusement. As he scanned the room, he realized Vlane was right. There were very few females in attendance, and of those, most were vying for the attention of the faction leaders.
Beside him, Vlane chuckled. “Were you not mated, they would be vying for your attention as well.”
David shrugged. It meant nothing to him. He had Ryssa, and that was all that mattered. His eyes found her again; she was watching him with obvious amusement.
“Yes, we are fortunate men indeed,” Vlane repeated. “It is remarkable, how they bear such a strong resemblance to one another, is it not?”
Not trusting his voice, David nodded. Vlane suspected the truth, he could sense it. He could feel Vlane probing curiously at his thoughts, but his vow to Ryssa was even stronger than the sire-progeny bond he had with Vlane. The only way anyone would ever know the truth was if Ryssa chose to tell them.
“Mr. Corrigan. We meet again.”
Karthik sidled up to them with a drink in his hand. With his long black hair and skin-tight leather, he looked more like the lead guitarist in an 80’s heavy metal hair band than a Demon Lord. The red eyes, faint scent of brimstone, and low-level thrum of power surrounding him hinted at his true nature.
David forced a smile, remembering what had happened last time he’d met the demon. Ryssa hadn’t shared the details, but he’d connected enough dots to know that he would take great pleasure in inflicting some pain of his own.
Karthik’s eyes glowed as if picking up his thoughts. His eyes flicked over to where Ryssa was chatting with Ana and his nostrils flared slightly.
“Don’t even think about it,” David warned quietly. It came out slightly garbled when his fangs descended without warning. To his surprise, Karthik laughed and turned to Vlane.
“I like this one, Vlane. He’s got balls. No need to worry, Mr. Corrigan. You’ve ruined her for me. Vlane, excellent gathering as usual, but I must be getting back. It’s Nymph Night at Seven Circles,” he winked. “Not for you mated sods, of course, but for the rest of us...”
He laughed again and strode toward the exit. By the time he hit the door, he had a female on each arm.
“Interesting guy,” David noted as his fangs began to retract.
“And a powerful one. Never underestimate a demon, David. Especially Karthik.”
“I think that applies to everyone in here.”
“True enough.”
Musical laughter drifted across the room, and both men turned to see that a young woman had joined Ana and Ryssa. They weren’t alone in noticing. Most, if not all, male eyes drifted over that way at the sound.
“Who is that?” David asked. “I don’t remember meeting her.”
“Danielle. Matthew’s younger sister.”
“Matt, the werewolf Alpha?”
“The same,” Vlane said with a quirk of his lips. “The whelp is quite fond of my Ana, and often creates her own invitation when none is forthcoming.”
Rather than be annoyed by that, Vlane seemed amused. David noted that Vlane’s security took no steps to remove her from the private gathering. “You don’t seem bothered by that.”
“On the contrary. I find anything that vexes Matthew extremely entertaining.” Even as he spoke, the large golden Alpha was striding purposefully across the room, his expression thunderous. David couldn’t blame him. If he had a younger sister and a room of paranormal bigshots were looking at her that way, he’d be pissed, too.
“You did well tonight, David,” Kristoff said, suddenly appearing beside them. “Vlane, if we’re done here, I’m going to take off.”
“Anything I need to know about?” Vlane asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No,” Kristoff answered. “Just need to check on something.”
Vlane nodded his agreement, and Kristoff was gone. One by one, guests began taking their leave as well. David breathed a sigh of relief when Zarek, the head of Vlane’s security, finally closed the door. “That wasn’t so bad.”
“Not bad at all,” Ryssa agreed, sliding her arms around him. He loved that she was just as anxious for his touch as he was hers. Beside them, Ana did the same for Vlane.
“You are welcome to spend the day,” Ana told them when David couldn’t completely conceal his yawn. “It’s nearly dawn. That way Ryssa can come to the Sanctuary with me this afternoon and visit with Dani while I work.”
Vlane had told him that Ana worked part-time at the shifter-run animal hospital. David didn’t quite understand how that worked. He knew how protective Vlane was of Ana, and those shifter males seemed like a pretty libidinous group to him. He knew he wasn’t crazy about the idea of having Ryssa anywhere near them without him being there, too.
His rational mind told him she was more than capable of taking care of herself, but now that he knew what was out there, his irrational, possessive side didn’t care. She was his, and he didn’t want any other males sniffing around her.
Ryssa must have picked up on his thoughts, because she said, “If it’s okay with you, Ana, I’m going to stay here with David. Maybe we can both stop by around sunset?”
“An excellent idea,” Vlane agreed immediately, then looked to David with glistening black eyes. “I would appreciate the company.”
David had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing. Apparently he was not the only one feeling overly protective of his mate.
“Honestly, Vlane,” Ana chastised lightly. “You should know by now that we will be safe in Matthew’s territory.”
“Indulge me, my love,” Vlane replied, sweeping her into his arms.
“I’m glad I’m not the only one,” David murmured as Vlane disappeared with Ana. He nuzzled Ryssa’s neck. Raw hunger rose up within him. Beverages had been available throughout the night, but nothing compared to his Angel.
Mere seconds later, they were in the guest room, now permanently David’s. Every close member of Vlane’s lineage had his own space in his palatial mansion.
“I thought the night would never end,”
he whispered, divesting Ryssa of her clothing as she did the same for him. “You look beautiful tonight, Ryssa. You always look beautiful. No one could take their eyes off of you. It was driving me crazy, knowing their thoughts.”
“You can read minds already? I thought that skill didn’t develop until much later.”
“I don’t need vampire skills to know what they were thinking.”
Ryssa laughed and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. David palmed her behind and lifted her enough to slide into her welcoming depths. Both sighed in relief as they came together.
“I know what you mean. I was ready to scratch the eyes out of every woman who was checking you out.”
He chuckled, then carried them both to the bed where he proceeded to slake both of his carnal hungers and get her to scream out his name no less than three times.
“I think Vlane suspects something,” David said sleepily. Ryssa sat beside him, finishing off the last of her Danishes.
“I know,” she sighed. “But I’ve taken care of that.”
“Oh yeah? How did you do that?”
“When I hugged Ana earlier, I wished that she be content with the present and not worry about the past.”
As a Fae, Ana had the power to grant wishes. “Didn’t she question it?”
“No. I did it in such a way that she thought I was wishing for myself. Since my past is her past, it worked.”
“Clever.”
“I thought so,” she smirked. “I can be quite devious, you know.”
“I do know. Look how you’ve corrupted me,” he teased. She snuggled down beside him and pulled up the covers.
“Yeah, well, I’m a fallen angel. I like you a little corrupted.”
“Something tells me life with you is never going to be boring.”
He felt her smile against his neck in the darkness. “Count on it, Gilligan.”
Thanks for reading David and Ryssa’s story
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Fallen Angel: Mythic Series, Book 2 Page 12
