by A. J. Norris
She paid no attention to him while she settled on the couch. He made no effort to conceal his erection. “You’re aroused again.”
He swallowed hard. “I know.” His mate smoothed the front of her silk gown. “I don’t—I don’t expect—may I—may I kiss you goodnight?” That was ridiculously difficult. Virgil had never been so tongued tied and nervous. She didn’t respond but this wasn’t too surprising. He wanted to slap himself for asking.
After closing the drapes, Virgil plopped onto the recliner and popped the footrest. He stared up at the ceiling in the dark.
“Virgil?”
“Hmm?”
“Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Your question from before. Yes, you may kiss me goodnight.”
Virgil leapt from the chair and was by her side in less than a second. Evita inched over, giving him some room to sit on the couch. He reached over and tapped the touch-lamp on the table above her head. She blinked a couple of times.
“Sorry. I wanted to see your face.” He ran the back of his hand down her cheek. Her skin was softer than he remembered. Virgil licked his lips, consciously not making them too wet. Her eyes roved over his features. He leaned down, stopping inches from her mouth. He slipped a hand under her and cradled the nape of her neck. “Is this okay? I crave the taste of you.”
She nodded and closed her eyes. He pressed his lips to hers. Gently. Pulling back, he checked her face for any signs that the kiss was unwanted. Her expression wasn’t one of discomfort, only bliss. Again, he kissed her. This time he lingered, savoring the velvety feel of her lips. He licked inside her mouth. She stayed with him, returning the kiss.
“Oh, Evie,” he moaned and melted into her. Her hands came around his torso. His feathers stood on end where she brushed against them. A shiver traveled down his spine.
Following her lead and encouragement, he positioned himself between her legs. His steel length pushed against her core. Oh Deus, he wanted her so badly. The instant he pressed his hips forward, her body stiffened.
“I’ll be gentle.”
She relaxed for a moment, allowing him to kiss her again. He ground his erection into her once more.
Her legs clamped shut, or at least she tried to close them. “Virgil,” she drove her palms into his shoulders and he backed off without hesitation, “I haven’t been with a male before!”
Yes, you have.
“I’m sorry, I thought I could handle this,” she confessed.
She propped herself up using her hands. He stood over her. “Evie…you don’t need to apologize. I shouldn’t have allowed myself to get carried away.”
“You didn’t. It was my fault. I shouldn’t’ve started something I wasn’t ready for.” She grabbed the blanket and pulled it to her chest. “I mean, look how I’m dressed.”
“Don’t tell me that you’re suggesting this is your fault because of what you’re wearing. I was surprised, yes, and maybe I thought…”
“Thought what?”
“I gave you a nightgown just like the one you’re wearing.” He swiped at a single tear rolling down his cheek.
“Oh. I didn’t know that.”
He nodded and wandered back to the chair. “I would’ve stopped anytime you asked. No matter what.”
A smile perked the corners of her mouth. “You’d never hurt me. I know that.”
Virgil eased onto the recliner again. Exhaustion finally won and he fell asleep.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Amalya
Amalya’s stomach lurched. She sat up in bed and burped. A bit of bile traveled up the back of her throat.
“You okay?” Elliott asked.
“Uh huh. Go back to slee—oh!” She ran to the bathroom with her hand over her mouth. Her morning ritual came a little earlier every day. This time, a half hour before she wanted to waken. Amalya lifted the toilet seat and assumed the puke-position, perched on the tile, head hung over the porcelain bowl, holding her hair back with one hand. After her stomach stopped turning itself inside out, she sat back on her heels, perspiration dotting her brow.
“You all right?” When she turned, Elliott was leaning against the door jamb.
“Oh you know, just my morning barf fest.”
He snort-chuckled. “I feel like I should apologize or something.”
“For what?” she asked, waving dismissively then belched. “Excuse me…oh.”
“Good one,” Elliott said and helped her off the floor. He embraced her from behind, caressing her round belly. “I love you and you’re so sexy with my baby in you.”
Teared formed in Amalya’s eyes. Soon, her newborn son would be taken from her.
Someone knocked on the door. “Elliott?” Joelle knocked again. No mistaking his deep raspy voice for anyone else’s.
Elliott opened the door and slipped out into the hallway to join his best friend. Amalya tuned into their conversation frequency. She also turned on the shower to hide the fact that she was listening curiously at the door. Joelle wouldn’t risk being caught in the Earth’s realm without a good reason.
“What are you doing here?” Elliott asked.
“It’s nice to see you too,” Joelle said.
“Aren’t you supposed to stay in Arcadia? Isn’t that the deal when you took Virgil’s job?”
“I don’t know how he could stand it. I’m so bored,” Joelle said.
“So why are you here?”
“Can’t I just visit my best—”
“Gimme a break.” Elliott chuckled. “What do you want?”
“I think there might be a way for you and Amalya to keep the baby.”
“Shh…I’m listening, but I don’t want to get her hopes up.” They moved further from the door, or perhaps out of the apartment entirely so their conversation couldn’t be overheard.
Amalya waited a couple of minutes before leaving the bathroom and crept down the hall. She checked the rest of the apartment.
“They left,” Virgil said from the chair. “You must be hungry. Let me make you some breakfast.”
She smiled. “You’re so sweet, but you’re the one that’s been in Hell. Let me.” He nodded silently and she entered the kitchen. He soon followed her, along with Evita. Amalya took two cartons of eggs and the milk out of the refrigerator. She scrambled all the free-range brown eggs. Evita jumped in and started making toast. Virgil handled the coffee.
Elliott appeared in the lee of the kitchen doorway with a pink box. “Breakfast smells awesome. I went and bought some donuts on the corner.”
“Oh, is that where you went?” Amalya threw a sideways glance at him.
He placed the box on the counter. “I love you,” Elliott whispered and kissed her cheek.
“And?”
“You’re the smartest person I know.”
She saw Virgil shaking his head from over by the table.
“I’m assuming since you’re still here, you’ve decided to stay a while longer.” Amalya said, addressing Evita.
The Warrior took a deep breath. “Yes. We’re waiting on the Healer to return.” She touched one of her horns. Her face scrunched up.
“You still don’t remember shit about Virgil, do you?”
“You’re direct. I like that.” Evita laughed, which was the reaction Amalya wanted.
Elliott told Amalya to have a seat at the table. She snagged a vanilla crème filled powdered donut before sitting down. The males served her and Evita a heaping plate of food. Too much food. Amalya wanted to gag.
“So how was my old friend?” Amalya asked her.
Evita’s eyes widened. “Who?”
“She means Abaddon,” Elliott said.
“Oh. Still in power if that’s what you mean,” Evita said.
“I know. Three amulets remain.”
Evita’s brow furrowed then she gasped. “Oh Deus!”
Virgil placed a hand on her shoulder. “What is it?”
“I know why he captured you. I know why!” She looked up at Virgil stand
ing behind her. “I hid one before I…before I fell. I told him about it but not where I stashed it. He erased my memories in a fit of anger and—”
“Do you remember where you left it?” Amalya cut in like she was able to go after it.
“I do,” Evita grinned. “We have to get it. Destroy it.”
Virgil sighed. “Not so fast. If Abaddon tricked me, he did it because he knew I wouldn’t leave Netherworld without you. That makes him dangerous. You think that he won’t send someone after you? He has ways of tracking angels.”
“Desperate people make mistakes, and Aba is desperate to get his amulets back. I can handle Berus with my wings back,” she said smugly. “We have to get rid of it.”
Virgil’s brows knitted together. “I take it Berus is the bull-headed demon? Why do you think he’d send him after you?”
“He smelled me.”
Virgil threw his hands up. “Splendid.”
“I heard a rumor you were back.”
Everyone turned their attention to the golden-winged Warrior standing with her hands on her hips in the kitchen.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Virgil
“Dahlia!” Virgil spat.
“Oh thank Deus, you still have your wings,” she said.
Virgil stepped around the table, putting his back to Evie, his protective response automatic.
“They’re a little shorter,” Dahlia said.
“What brings you for a visit?”
“I’ve been so worried about you. Ever since you fell…”
“How’d you know he fell?” Amalya asked. “Because we didn’t tell you. Did you mention it, Elliott?”
“Nope. Sure didn’t.”
“I just assumed, that’s all. Not hard to figure out.”
“Mmm hmm. Right. Do you think we’re all stupid?”
“Yes, you. What exactly are you accusing me of?”
Amalya started rising from the table until Elliott stopped her. “Sweetheart, think of the baby.”
The uninvited guest glared at Amalya. A smirk quirked a corner of her mouth. “I’d listen to your baby daddy.” Dahlia leaned to the side, peering around Virgil at his mate. “Who’s the demon?”
Virgil’s jaw clenched. She knew damn well who Evita was. His hand twitched at his side, resisting the urge to throttle her.
“She’s not a demon,” Amalya hissed. Elliott placed himself between his mate and the winged Warrior. She tugged on one of his wings and he moved aside, although stayed close. “What’s your problem? You’ve been nothing but a total bitch since I met you.”
Dahlia glowered. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“Like Netherworld it doesn’t. This is my home and I don’t remember inviting you in.”
“I go wherever I please.”
“If I wasn’t pregnant I’d kick your ass.”
“Yeah right.”
Amalya sneered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You aren’t stronger than me.”
“Bitch!”
“Hey hey, Dahlia,” Elliott put his palms up, “don’t speak to my mate like that. You better leave.”
“Or what? You’re gonna kick my ass. Ha!”
Elliott’s nostrils flared as he breathed deeply through his nose, his face red. Dahlia crouched into a warring stance, ready to spring forward off one foot. Virgil prayed Elliott wouldn’t engage her any further. The last thing Amalya needed was a mate with a broken neck. Females were the stronger of the genders and males weren’t weaklings either. Elliott stayed rooted to the floor.
“You always were an asshole,” Evie said to Dahlia, “I see nothing’s changed in the last two hundred years. Except maybe you’ve gotten bitchier.”
“Oh, I get it, I’m supposed to step aside now that you’re back?”
“Step aside from what?”
Virgil lips pressed into a thin line.
“Aren’t you going to tell her, lover?” Dahlia slithered closer to him. He brushed her off. “What’s wrong?”
“Lover?” Evie echoed. “You laid with her?”
Virgil inhaled sharply. He couldn’t deny that Dahlia had been his sex buddy for years, although he never allowed himself to love her and never fully gave himself to her. He pined for his Evie. “We ended things nearly a year ago. What are you doing here?”
“I missed you,” Dahlia pouted.
“Well obviously he didn’t miss you,” Evie said, smiling coldly. “Now run along before I hurt you.”
“Yeah, and he really missed you when he was making love to me.”
Virgil grimaced. What they did, he wouldn’t classify as love.
“I’m sure whatever you think you had with Virgil was one-sided on your part.”
“Are you so sure about that? Lemme guess, he told you he craves the taste of you too.”
Virgil groaned internally and glanced at Evie. She looked up at him without joy in her eyes, her silver irises gray. She mouthed, How could you?
“I didn’t. I never said those words to her.” He honestly hadn’t spoken them to Dahlia in the context she implied.
Dahlia folded her arms across her chest. “Then how did I know—”
“Because I told you,” he snapped.
“Oh, please. Evita, think about it, why would he tell me what he said to you?”
“I don’t know, but I’m assuming there’s a logical explanation,” she said to Dahlia then turned to her mate. “Virgil, we’ll talk later about why you told her private details about our life together. For now, please step aside so I can kick her the Netherworld out of here.”
Amalya chuckled. “Oooh, this ought to be good.”
The golden-winged Warrior’s mouth dropped open. “Excuse—”
Evie rose from the chair, her fists clenched at her sides.
***
Evita
Evita never liked Dahlia. Something had always been off with her. She didn’t care that Virgil had sex with her, what bothered her was that the angel was still in the apartment, glaring at her like she was his mate. Evita may not remember him, but she’d marked him and he was hers. A growl rumbled low inside of her. A warning to the other Warrior. Dahlia’s eyes widened.
Evita ducked her head and pointed her horns toward Dahlia. “No one invited you,” she growled. “Get out!”
“Is that a challenge?” Dahlia snarled.
“Take it whatever way you’d like.” Evita stepped closer to her. Dahlia’s golden wings flared. “Am I supposed to be impressed? Oooo, big bad Dahl—”
The Warrior leapt toward Evita in the tiny kitchen. She dimly heard Elliott tell Amalya to teleport out of there. They collided and grabbed each other. Dahlia spun her. Evita’s hands landed on the edge of the sink, her hips on the Formica, and her horns cracked the tile backsplash. Pieces fell and clinked into the bottom of the stainless steel basin as she pulled away.
Oh, Hell no.
Evita whipped around in her battle-ready stance. She roared, the sound like a thunderclap.
Dahlia answered with a roar of her own. The light fixture over the table swung back and forth. Elliott and Virgil made eye contact and gripped the golden wings, pulling them taut, immobilizing her. Dahlia screeched, fighting against their hold. The males were knocked around but kept her under control.
Evita balled a fist and landed a punch to Dahlia’s left jaw. When the female brought her head back around, she nailed her square in the face. Blood gushed from the Warrior’s nose. She listed on her feet. When they freed her wings, she dropped to her knees on the floor. Evita waited, hoping the bitch would leave.
“You broke my nose.”
“Aw. What a pity. Am I supposed feel badly?” Evita’s knuckles throbbed. She wanted to rub and shake out her hand.
“You’re gonna wish you hadn’t done that,” Dahlia said.
“Bring it!”
“Don’t worry. I will.” Dahlia shut her eyes and as she evaporated a moment later, her last words whispered through the air. “He was never truly yours.”<
br />
Evita fumed around the kitchen, repeating Dahlia’s words under her breath. “He was never truly yours.” What did that mean? She waited for a rebuttal to those words, yet none came. “Virgil…?”
“Oh, good, she’s gone. I knew there was a reason I didn’t like her.” Amalya stood on the threshold between the hallway and the kitchen.
Evita snorted. “Yeah. She’s always been a bitch.”
“She’ll be back. I’d watch yourself,” Max said from behind, startling Evita. She gasped. Virgil and Elliott must have seen him arrive. They didn’t have the same surprised reaction.
“I’m not worried about her. I’ve got skills.”
Max cocked his head. “So does she. It’s called sandbagging. She has a reputation. Just ask Ra’zael.”
Evita made an exasperated noise. “I haven’t heard that name in a while. What’s he been up to?”
“Same as you. Vacationed in Netherworld. He’s doing well now, provided he stays away from Dahlia.”
“Him too? Oh, brother that female gets around. What about you?”
Max smiled. “Mated.”
“What? Oh, my God!” Amalya said and waddled forward. “Congratulations.”
Virgil and Elliott patted him on the back. He thanked all of them then focused on Evita.
The Healer blew out a breath. “Let’s do this in the living room where there’s more space.”
Once they were all in the other room. Evita knelt on the floor. “Sh-shouldn’t we ask Deus?”
“I already got his approval. He’ll do his part,” Max said.
Evita nodded. Breaking an angel’s horns off and shoving them into their back wasn’t enough. The deity had to fix their head where the horns grew. This could be done from anywhere. Evita knew Deus lived all around them, no matter where they were in the worlds. The only place He didn’t have full access to was Netherworld. She placed her palms on the carpet. Virgil’s comforting hand smoothed down her spine.
