by Vivi Dumas
“Sorry, Antione’s one of the most ruthless vampires alive or undead rather. He was a bastard when he was human. When he died, he should’ve come to Hell. But before Lucifer could keep him, he was turned into a vampire. He’s been wreaking havoc for centuries.”
“Leave it to the Devil to find a way out of a deal. Well, it’s not like I got many options. I have to find him and bring him in.”
Wood smashed in the background, and Jacque cursed under his breath. “I’ll have Laurent come see you. We’ll have to discuss a strategy on how to get rid of Antione. I’m going to kill Luc when I see him!”
“Okay. I’ll wait at the house until I hear from him.”
“Angel, please be careful.”
Angel prayed the longing in her words were lost in the transmission. “I’ll do my best. It was good talking to you, Jacque.”
“I miss...you know it was good talking to you, too. I’ll have Laurent contact you.”
The dead air lingered several moments before she forced herself to hang up. The caress of his soothing tone beckoned her to open her heart to him. His beautiful face danced in her mind. The memories of his emerald-green eyes haunted her. She imagined her hands exploring his rock hard chest and washboard stomach. The scorching touch of his lips singed on her skin. His concern gave her hope—hope she couldn’t afford to hold on to. Her heart was too fragile to sustain losing him again.
Against her will, Angel forced herself downstairs. She slumped into a stool at the granite island in the kitchen. Her forehead hit the counter with a thud.
“What’s the matter, ma chérie?” Marie asked.
Angel jumped, realizing she wasn’t alone. “Where do I start?”
“At the beginning, little one.” Marie patted the chair next to hers and poured another cup of coffee.
“Grand-mère, how do you know when you love someone?” The words came out before she realized she said them. Love? Was this really what she felt for him?
“Ha. Love is an elusive creature. It has so many faces I cannot give you one answer to the question.”
Angel tore off pieces of a napkin, making a small pile of confetti in front of her. “Can you love someone you hardly know?”
“I think some people have a natural attraction to one another. An attraction too difficult to break. If you couple it with emotional compatibility, the magnetism is undeniable.” Marie reached over and squeezed her hand.
Her head hung low, Angel focused on the grain of the wood table. “I miss him so much. And hearing his voice again almost broke me.”
“Who, chère?”
The thought of him forced a smile to her face. “Jacque.”
“Oh, child. You don’t do anything the easy way, do you? Of all the available men, you fall in love with an Underworld Demon. Lucifer’s nephew, nonetheless.” Marie shook her head, staring into the dark liquid in her cup.
Angel wiped the tears with the remnants of her napkin. It was time for her to toughen up. “I know I can’t have him. It was stupid of me to fall for him. I know he’s probably not thought about me since we.... Anyway, I made a mistake.”
“You’ll find someone who’ll love you the way you deserve.”
“Thanks for listening. I shouldn’t be crying over a man. I have much more important things to think about. I got my first assignment today.”
“Who?”
“Antoine Luison. I heard he’s some badass vampire. Jacque was pissed when I told him.”
Marie cocked her head to one side as she concentrated on Angel. “Was he now? You called Jacque?” Her eyes narrowed as she waited for Angel to answer.
“No. I called Laurent to let him know about Antione. Jacque answered instead. I guess hearing his voice has brought on all the crap about Jacque.” She ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it out of her face.
“When will Laurent be here? I would like to run through a few more practices to make sure you have everything. Conjuring the elements is difficult. You’re only the third person, outside of myself, who inherited the gift. It’s a strong power to possess.”
“I don’t know. Hopefully soon.” Leaning back in her chair, Angel released a deep breath, exasperated.
The dining room was staged as their ritual area. The table served as a makeshift altar filled with statues and candles. Angel chanted the protection spell with Marie. A haze of blue smoke surrounded her as she knelt before the eclectic array of items. She called upon the power of their ancestors to watch over Angel. The spell was supposed to be insurance in case her weapons failed.
Calling the elements required massive amounts of energy. The gift couldn’t be used too often. She needed to learn to control this power. It was the only active gift she possessed. Fire was the easiest for Angel to control. Marie said each of them had a dominant element, which attached to their aura. Fire linked with passion and intensity. Angel examined her strengths. I don’t see those traits as my strong suits, but who am I to argue with fate?
After her session with Marie, she went out to the backyard to practice her hand-to-hand combat, taking all her frustrations out on the punching bag hanging from the large magnolia tree. The neighbors probably thought she was a nutcase or martial arts crazy with all her training equipment out back. She also rented a place outside the city to practice with weapons. Too risky to have them around the house.
Stripping out of her workout gear, she changed and took a swim. The water relaxed her. She held her breath and dove to the bottom of the pool, skimming the smooth tile with her fingertips. The light refracted through the water and bounced off the multi-colored glass. She relished the beautiful serenity as she hovered along the bottom until she was forced to come up for air. When she broke the surface, Angel realized someone stood on the patio, blocking the sun. With her head thrown back, she pushed her hair and the water away from her face for a better view.
A smile broke across her face when Laurent threw a kickboard at her. She blocked the board with her arm and waded to the edge of the pool. As she pushed herself out of the water, another shadow caught her attention. At the sound of Jacque’s voice, she almost fell back into the water.
“Hi, Angel.”
Her stomach fluttered with nervous butterflies. Looking up, she desperately sought his face. The sun radiated behind him, making it difficult to see. “I hope you don’t mind me just dropping by.”
The sight of him stole the words off her tongue and melted her like an ice cream cone on a hot summer day. Penetrating green eyes smiled at her through dark-hooded lashes so thick it any woman would be envious. She sucked in a breath as she took in all six-foot-five inches of his masculinity.
His well-worn jeans hung low on his narrow hips with the bottom of his vibrate green T-shirt tucked just behind the silver buckle of his belt, showing off the tight expanse of muscles underneath. With the sun behind him, his olive toned skin and his dark brown hair glowed in the rays of light, likening him to a Greek god.
She tried to rise, but her legs were limp noodles, shaking beneath her. Laurent put his hand out to help her. Standing, she fought the urge to caress the beautiful face she thought was forever banished to her dreams. Her body failed her by reacting to his presence when her mind decided to block him from her heart, the same fickle heart, which pounded in her chest at the sight of him.
“Hi, Jacque. What brings you Topside?” Electricity tickled her spine when she said his name.
“You...of course.” He stepped closer, filling the air with his spicy musk scent.
The answer caused her heart to sing, but she couldn’t afford to waste energy on romance right now. “Do Lucifer and Isabella know you’re here?”
“I didn’t know I needed permission from them. Would you like me to leave? I don’t want to be anywhere I’m not wanted.” His eyes searched hers, making her burn from wanting.
Marie answered the question before Angel could respond. “You’re always welcomed here, Jacque.” Her graceful glide showed her poise and elegance. She kissed J
acque on both cheeks and greeted Laurent in kind.
Angel folded her arms across her chest in surrender. “Of course, you’re welcome. You have to excuse me. I’ve had a long morning. It’s apparently affected my manners. Grand-mère, will you entertain our guests while I shower and change?” She slid the towel off the back of the chair and wrapped it around her waist.
“Don’t worry, cher. I’ll take care of them. Would you gentlemen like a drink?” Marie took Jacque’s arm and ushered him back into the house.
Angel snatched Laurent’s arm, jerking him backward. “A little heads up would’ve been nice.”
“And miss the look on your face?” A mischievous grin crawled over his face. “A pair of Johnston Murphy shoes—two-hundred fifty dollars. Look on Angel’s face when she saw Jacque—priceless!” Laurent followed her as she stomped into the house, continuing to mock her as Angel picked up her pace.
***
She rummaged through the dresser for something to wear when a knock interrupted her. Jacque opened the door and entered the room, before Angel could answer. She tightened her hold on the towel, pulling it snug around her body, and looked away from him, shielding her from the magnetic attraction of his beauty. She wanted to crush herself against him, feel his lips on her, and lose herself in the headiness of his smell.
God, she missed him.
“You can’t just burst in my room,” she said with her back to him, hiding the longing in her eyes.
“I just wanted to talk to you.” She felt his gaze burn a trail down her back.
“I’m getting dressed. Can’t it wait until I come back down?”
“You act like I haven’t seen what’s under your towel. Believe me, there are no parts of you I’m not familiar with or have you forgotten?” She turned and gave him a sideways glance. “I just wanted to talk to you in private.” He hung his thumbs in his pockets and studied his shoes.
“Because I gave into you once doesn’t give you access to me whenever you feel the need. The first time was a huge mistake. What is it you need from me, Jacque?”
“You....” The word blew her away like a Category Four Hurricane. It sucked Angel into a whirlwind of emotions, ripping at the seams of her logic. She waited days to hear from him with no reward, just to have him show up today, expecting her to fall back into his arms. The unbalanced scales of her life toppled from the burden of his revelation.
In two quick strides, he closed the distance between them. The intensity in his eyes brought out the golden flecks embedded in the jewel-toned green.
She held up her hand to impede his progress. If she gave in again, she would be his completely, ensuring her destruction if he were to ever leave.
“We can’t do this. I’m not going to give it up every time you feel the need be with a human. Don’t get me wrong. The sex was great. Right now, I don’t need distractions. And you? You’re a big distraction.” She repeated the words in her mind, to make sure they stuck. She had to convince herself just as much as him.
“Is that what I am? A distraction?” He granted her full access to the sadness in his eyes as he pushed the dark curls from his face.
“What do you want from me? What do you think we have?” Her harsh tone caused him to flinch, making her want to take those words back.
“I don’t know what we have. All I know is I’ve missed you. I’ve tried to forget you, but it hasn’t worked out for me. When I heard your voice this morning I knew I had to see you again.”
“Did you have fun forgetting me?”
Jacque smiled at the accusation.
“Look, you stay in Hades and I live here. Lucifer will shit a brick if he found out we hooked back up. I don’t have the energy to make this thing work.”
“Okay. Tell me this. Have you thought about me since you left?” His shoulders sagged in defeat as he sat on the bed. It creaked under his weight.
Everything in her screamed “Lie!” Her heart was a traitor, betraying her as her defenses continued to waiver. She turned to evade his irresistible charm. Before she could escape, he reached out and caught her hand, drawing her close to him. His head rested against her stomach, which churned with a roaring inferno brought on by his touch. His long, muscled arms tightened around her waist, providing her the strength and security she lacked on her own. Gazing down at him, she brushed a curl from his forehead and breathed, “Yes.”
Catching Angel’s legs just behind her knees, he swept her into his arms. Cotton-soft lips closed on hers as he persuaded her lips to open to him. She surrendered to the sweetness of his mouth and circled her arms around his neck. Their tongues danced a fiery tango in his mouth. The fury of her yearning radiated through every extremity, causing her to shudder against the rock hard mass of his body.
His kisses felt like electricity, dynamic and stirring, as they trailed down her neck. She leaned back in his arms, exposing her body to him. With one snatch, the towel landed on the floor beside the bed. He ravaged her breast, his mouth hot and wet, while his hand traveled down the length of her taut stomach. Angel grabbed a handful of dark brown curls when his fingers plunged into the dripping heat between her legs. Burying her face into his chest, she stifled her cry.
His lips found hers again as she rolled her hips to the rhythm of his fingers, arching into his palm. Closing her eyes, she savored every beat of his stroke. When she opened her eyes, she found him gazing down at her with burning desire. She ached to have him inside her.
“I need you,” she moaned in his ear. He groaned at her request, and his cock grew harder underneath her.
Tossing her onto the bed, he peeled the clothes from his body, teasing and taunting. Her hand played with her sex as she watched him undress. She stared longingly at his ripped abs, the sculptured hardness of his chest, the firm muscles defining his legs, and the impressive bulk of his manhood, which stood erect in its full glory. The friction of her fingers rubbing small circles against her center made her moan and lick her lips. Her mouth turned up in a smile when his shaft jumped in response to her pleasure.
The sight of her fingers fondling her sex was enough to madden Jacque. He had to have her, feel the warmth of her desire surrounding him. Bringing her ankle to his lips, he kissed it lightly, as he propped it on his shoulder. She trembled under his touch. His hand skimmed the long sleek expanse of her leg and grazed her moist folds. He sank two fingers back into her as she continued to caress her nub. Her leg quivered on his shoulder.
He was so hard he could explode.
“Please....” It came out more a command than a request, her voice thickened with lust.
“What do you want?” Jacque pushed his fingers as far into her as they would go. Her body tensed and her sex clutched his fingers.
“You...inside—” A third finger made her gasp.
She grabbed his arm, trying to pull him closer her. Arching in his hand, he could feel she was close to coming. He removed his fingers, bringing them to his lips, tasting her hot passion on his tongue. Her eyes grew wide as they followed his fingers as they slid in and out his mouth.
“I love the taste of you,” he growled.
He couldn’t wait any longer.
Just as she reached for him, he held her by the hips and thrust the full length of his manhood into her. The tight grip of her folds caressed him with drenched velvet. His body seized as molten liquid flowed through his veins, fueling his frenzied pace. He wanted to slow down for her, to stretch out her pleasure, but he waited too long. When she rolled her hips under him and moaned his name, he threw her other leg on his shoulder and thrust his cock deep into her sex.
His large girth stretched her. She forgot the painful bliss of him filling her womb. She absorbed every stroke of his fervent demand. With both legs across his shoulders, his manhood sank deep into her, setting her core on fire. Her need matched his. Arching up to meet his thrusts, she hung on the verge of orgasmic utopia.
“God, I missed you,” Jacque groaned into her hair.
His movements we
re like lightning striking, fast, fierce and all consuming. As his long, thick shaft stretched her, he caught her nipple with his teeth. With his next thrust, Angel lost herself in the dark abyss of ecstasy. Jacque stroked hard into her again, trembling as the warmth of his seed mixed with her climax. Dropping her legs, he collapsed on top of her drenched in sweat. Her heart pounded in her ears as she tried to catch her breath.
He brushed his lips across her shoulder, up her neck, working his way back to her mouth. Their animalist hunger sated, their kiss lingered leisurely.
She was forever lost to him—irrevocably and undeniably his.
Jacque turned on his side, propping himself on an elbow. “Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?” he joked.
“I never said the sex was bad. If I could bottle it, I’d be a millionaire.” She sighed and played with his hair. “The other stuff is what worries me.”
“I don’t know where this is going. I can’t make you any promises. Let’s just see where this takes us.” He brushed a sweat-soaked strand of hair from her face.
“I think this is a bad idea for both of us. I don’t want to be hurt again and as you said, you can’t make me any promises. Just know if I think for one second I’m going to get hurt, I’ll run like hell. And I’m low on second chances these days. I just got back on my feet from being knocked on my ass. I won’t let it happen again.” What was she getting herself into? Warning bells sounded. Lost in her hopes of love, Angel blocked out the alarms.
“I would never intentionally hurt you.” He drew her hand to his lips, kissing the tips of her fingers.
“Intentionally or unintentionally, I can’t deal with drama. As soon as the shit hits the fan, I’m gone.”
His lips covered hers, ending the discussion. She melted into the passion of his kiss. The promise of happiness found its way to her after what seemed like a lifetime of misery.
Chapter Eleven
Laurent’s voice boomed on the other side of the door. “What the hell’s going on in there?” His relentless banging could wake the dead.
