My hand slid away from my face, down to my chest, where the peridot stone had hung. First I drummed my fingers over my breastbone, enjoying the gentle tap tap tap sound they made. Then I brushed my fingertips along my collarbone, tracing the outline, entranced by how my flesh softened my frame. Mortals had such beautiful forms. Bones were so hard, yet the body had so much padding, so many curves and crevices. Like secret passageways of the skin. I wondered if my birthmarks, Caitlin's birthmarks, were really a code that showed travelers where those hidden doorways were.
Someone knocked at the door. "Love, how're you doing in there?"
"Fine," I called, my voice sounding strange, tinny. Maybe my ears were clogged from the shower. "Clean. Less headachy."
The door swung open, revealing Roman in his mafia-wannabe outfit of black shirt and black slacks and flashy pinky rings. "Look at you, pretty as a picture."
"You really should knock," I said, fascinated by how his rings caught the bathroom's light.
"Please, love. Look at where you work. You show more flesh to our customers. Even your doctor doesn't see you so naked. Speaking of which, you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?"
"I'm good. Thanks."
"That's what I thought. Love, come into the main suite here. Let's discuss your options."
Options. I wondered what that meant. Then I realized I didn't care. I was floating, drifting. That was all that mattered.
As I padded into the large living room, I gnawed my lip, worrying it between my teeth. My mouth felt swollen, my tongue too large and too fuzzy, as if it were wearing a sweater. A wool sweater. Did that make me a woolhead?
"Looks like the medicine's doing the trick." Roman pressed a glass into my hand, ushered me to one of the sofas. "Good, good. No throbbing head for my Jezebel. Well, not that kind, anyway."
I sank onto the cushioned seat and sniffed my drink. My eyes immediately watered. "What is this?"
"Scotch. Thought you could use one. The good stuff, too. Eighteen year."
Usually, I preferred a little Scotch wearing a kilt and no knickers. But I'd take the liquid variety today. I knocked it back, relishing the way it scorched my throat and immediately set fire to my belly. Sniffing deeply, I handed the empty glass to Roman. Bless me, the stuff was strong. My head was spinning. Whoo. Whoever invented alcohol should be one of Hell's elite; this stuff was potent. Such clever beings, mortals were. No wonder I wanted to be one. Was one.
What was I?
"So." Roman sat heavily next to me, his own drink between his thick-knuckled fingers. "You said the asshole what did this to you, he stole everything. Meaning what, exactly?"
I ran my hand through the tangles of my black curls as I tried to focus on his words. "Meaning my purse, my suitcase, my jewelry. Everything." My hair was smooth, silky in my fingers. Bless me, how could there be so much texture in strands of hair?
"Suitcase?"
Something about the tone in his voice pulled my attention away from my hair. Roman's eyes gleamed, and for a moment I thought they looked red. He asked, "You going somewhere?"
"I was looking for an apartment," I said, trying to shrug, except my shoulders didn't want to move.
"With a suitcase in tow?"
I hid a yawn behind my left hand, my right one still playing with my hair. "I travel light." My tongue blended the double L sound, turning it into one word: travelight. "Was looking for something in move-in condition."
Roman pursed his lips, thinking. "Ah. And your previous place of residence?"
My fingers untangled themselves from my locks and trailed over the back of the leather sofa. Ummm, the material was deliciously soft. Everything was soft. I snuggled in my seat, drawing my robe close around my body. It was like being swathed in a cloud. Yummy. Maybe the angels had the right idea, hanging out in Heaven with all the fluffy clouds.
Roman's voice, right by my ear: "Jezebel?"
I started, blinking. Had I fallen asleep? "Sorry, what?"
My right sleeve was bunched up by my elbow. Roman's hand was stroking my forearm, his fingers pressing into my flesh. Ooh, that felt good. He asked me, "What happened to the place you were staying?"
Being comfortable must have loosened my tongue, because I said, "The hotel had this thing. You know, about credit cards that don't work. They didn't like it."
"Stolen?" This with an amused grin.
"More like borrowed."
He leaned back in the seat, looking at me, his hand still stroking my bare arm. His dark eyes darted back and forth, as if he could read something on my face. "And the robber? You know him?"
"No," I said, yawning again. Between the shower, the medicine, and the Scotch, my body was all warm and fuzzy. Sleepy. Nice. "Saw him yesterday, gave him some cash."
"Guess that'll teach you. No good deed goes unpunished."
It didn't seem like he asked me a question, so I didn't bother answering. I was too busy stroking the soft, soft couch again. It made the pads of my fingers tingle.
"So you need money and a place to live."
"Hmmm? Oh. Right." His words sounded thick, like syrup. If I closed my eyes, maybe I could hear him better.
"Jezebel, love? You been giving any thought to what we discussed yesterday?"
"Mmmm. Yeah."
"And? Do you think it's a good idea?"
Agreeing with him felt like the right thing to do. My mouth didn't want to form the words, so all I said was, "Uh-huh."
"That's my girl. I'll make sure that customers with special needs come see you. VIP room only."
"'Kay."
Hands pressed down on my shoulders, kneading. I leaned my head back, enjoying the way my muscles responded. Those hands slid down inside my robe and fondled my breasts. It felt nice.
"Now that you're relaxed," Roman breathed on my neck, "let's have us a little fun."
"Mmmm."
"You're mine."
His fingers rubbed my nipples, pinching them. It sort of hurt, but I didn't really mind. The pain was far away. My body was far away, and I was floating…
"Now this isn't right," a deep voice said. Hands cradled my face, lifted my chin. "Babes, can you hear me?"
Funny. That sounded like Daun.
"Doping you up is cheating. And after you got your head bashed, too. This guy's such a rucking loser, I can't wait until he burns. Come on, babes. Time to wake up."
I tried to open my mouth, but it didn't work.
Daun's voice let out a sigh. "Well, I owe you one anyway for accidentally setting the queen bitch on your trail. Glad she's waylaid for a bit. Man, is she pissed off at you. Okay, let's see, what've we got here?"
My body tingled, and I let out a contented sigh.
"Hmmm. Valium mixed with some booze, all muffling a nasty concussion. Could have been much worse."
I wanted to ask Daun what he was talking about, but that would have required way too much effort. So I just floated.
"Heads up, babes. This is going to hurt."
A finger brushed my forehead… and I gasped as heat seared my body, scorching every muscle. I bucked beneath that touch, my gasp stretching into hitched, sharp inhalations. Every nerve ending flared, and I shrieked with all the strength in me. Thrashing, my limbs flailed in all directions, but my head remained still, melded to that fingertip touching my forehead. Sweat and seared meat stung my nostrils, and I screeched all the harder knowing that the foul stench emanated from my jittering body. The flames shooting through me burst into wildfire, cooking my heart. My tongue blackened; my eyeballs popped. Just as the agony was too much to bear, it abruptly ended.
I was alive. I—oh, shit! OW! OW, OW, OW!!!
I sat up and leaned over, cradling my head in my hands as steam wafted from my flesh. Oh, fuck me raw, that hurt! Between my hands, my head throbbed so hard that I debated the possibility of decapitation.
A deep voice chuckled. "Clean and sober, I see."
My cooling body shivered, bathed in a sheen of perspiration. Teeth chattering, I g
lanced over at Roman, who looked smug and as content as a mosquito at a nude beach. A red gleam danced in his dark eyes. Faintly, beneath my own sweat and the lingering odor of frying burgers, I smelled rotten eggs. Brimstone.
"Heya, Daun," I said, my voice sounding pitifully weak. But even that bare whisper was enough to send fresh waves of pain through my head. Biting my lip, I groaned as I buried my head between my knees.
"Sorry I couldn't do anything about the concussion," Daun said. "I burned away the drugs, but I can't make your body heal."
"Drugs?" Blinking, I tried to make sense out of what he said. "What're you talking about?" Every word I spoke made colors creep along the edge of my vision.
"Your boss is a real peach, babes. He likes his ladies dopey. He was going to rape you thoroughly, and you wouldn't have remembered a blessed thing."
"Dickhead," I muttered, closing my eyes. Better. The colors went away if I stared at the insides of my eyelids. "If he would've just made a pass, I probably would've let him fuck me."
"Nah, that's not his style. He does all the overtures, acts like he's the real gigolo. Bangs whoever he can, when they're willing. But the ones he really wants to possess, he drugs. He gets off on it." Daun paused. "Want me to kill him for you? Get his soul down to Hell ASAP?"
Aw. For a demon, Duan was downright considerate. "Thanks, sweetie. But no."
"You sure, babes?"
"I may be mortal," I said slowly, for the benefit of my aching head, "but I still know about how much paperwork's involved when a demon kills a human without preapproval."
"Things are changing, babes." Something about Daun's voice made me look up, momentarily ignoring my pounding skull. Behind Roman's eyes, Daun looked… nervous. "He's not a big believer in the old rules. He blasted them right off of Abaddon."
You are too soft.
I swallowed thickly, a bitter taste coating my throat. "So now it's okay to just go and slaughter humans?"
Roman's eyes narrowed. "You left the fold, babes. You want to come back, I'm happy to escort you to Abaddon, get your marching orders from Him directly. But until that time, you're mortal. And demons don't talk shop with flesh puppets." A grin bloomed on his face, and he leaned over until we were eye to eye. "A demon influences flesh puppets. And an incubus… well. You know what an incubus does."
His hand brushed up my inner thigh, and I gasped from the sudden touch. His fingers curled, lightly drumming just beneath my groin.
Commanding my heartbeat to slow down, I said, "Look at that. I'm naked. What happened to my robe?"
One finger slid over my sex, sending ripples of heat through my body. Daun said, "Burned away when I cleaned your system of the drugs. Poof, all gone. Occupational hazard."
My breathing quickened as Roman's finger probed between my legs. "Sweetie, this isn't a good idea."
"No? Why not?"
"I think I'm in love with a human."
Inside me, the finger paused. "Well, well," Daun said, staring at my face. "The fellow with the big shoulders, right?"
"Right."
Roman shimmered, and when I blinked, Paul leaned over me, his sea-green eyes wicked, his kissable mouth set in a smirk. "Better?"
Visually? No comparison. But… "Daun, don't."
"Why not, babes?" The finger crooked inside of me, nearly blinding me with pleasure. "A little bit of sex'll do you good. Help you take your mind away from your poor little head and your various worries."
He stopped talking to suck my nipple. Moaning, I tangled my hands in his hair, my hips moving beneath his as his tongue and lips worked magic. Yes, my mind going on a brief vacation sounded like just what the doctor ordered. Forcing myself to think clearly, I stammered, "What do you get out of it?"
He broke suction with a parting kiss and looked into my eyes. "I get to see if I can make you call my name."
My hands still wrapped in his hair, I yanked his head down to mine and kissed him hard.
Three orgasms later, the only name I'd called was Paul's.
Daunuan said he didn't mind. He liked a challenge.
Chapter 23
Belles (II)
"Here," Faith said, handing me a bundle of clothing. "Try these on."
Blinking over the variety and the amount of garments, I said, "You sure?"
"See, now I know you got hit on the head. I know you're not questioning whether I'm this generous in real life. Right?"
"You bet. Thanks." I started pawing through the material, separating the street clothes from the intimate stage costumes. Silks and satins mixed with flannel and denim. Something for every occasion.
"You're actually doing me a favor," Faith said, returning to applying her makeup. "I had most of that shit cluttering my closet for years, not getting touched. My closet appreciates the breathing room."
I pressed a bright green long-sleeved shirt against my torso: V-necked and form-fitting. Yummy. "This is really, really terrific. I'll give it all back after I get settled and back on my feet."
Faith rolled her eyes. "You really got yourself some brain damage there. No backsies, chickie. Got it?"
"You're the best," I said, blowing her a kiss.
"Girl, you're still dumb for not going to the hospital, getting yourself checked out." Candy eyed me suspiciously, then continued pumping up her lashes with mascara. "I don't like the docs any more than you do, but someone starts fucking with my head in the nonpsychological sense, I'd get myself checked."
"No," I said, rummaging through the pile of clothing and selecting a white sequined bra. "I'm not spending the money on some intern sticking a light in my eye and telling me I bumped my head. And by the way, thanks for the loan."
"Don't mention it. You know, between Jemma getting all psycho on your ass yesterday and now you getting mugged in broad daylight today, I think you got yourself some shit-ass luck."
I found the matching G-string and set it and the stage bra aside. Faith and I were going to try out the mirror-image thing. We both thought that there was major tippage potential; guys liked the idea of a girl-girl scene, and we liked the idea of guys being dazzled by our moves. "Yeah, I read something like that in my horoscope this morning."
Candy grinned. "At least you still got yourself a sense of humor."
I rubbed the back of my head, feeling the swell of the knot where the mugger had slammed me. "I think some of it leaked out."
"Tell us true," Circe said as she jiggled into her scarlet stage bra. "Did Dickhead really treat you like a gentleman?"
"Yep." After Daun possessed the fuck out of him. Literally.
Circe shook her head. "I can't believe it. Our Dickhead, not taking advantage of you."
"Our Dickhead calling us, asking if we could help you out with clothing," added Faith. She shrugged. "Maybe he got himself some religion. It is the Christian thing to do."
"Oh yeah," Candy chortled. "That's our man. Father Dickhead, strip club owner and poster boy for charitable causes."
The ladies shared a chuckle. Me, I smiled tightly as I held up another outfit, thinking about how Father Dickhead would burn, baby, burn. The major reason why I'd stopped Daun from killing Roman after our fabulous afternoon of sex and sweat was because I knew what lay in store for the man after he died. Just thinking about his shrieks riding the wind over the Lake of Fire brought a smile to my lips.
Yes, some things were definitely worth the wait.
The short-term good news was that I didn't have to worry about Roman getting any more ideas over what he could do to me. Daun, still feeling responsible for leading Lillith to me in the first place, said he'd make it up to me by stowing away in Roman for the time being. Close to the surface, he promised—just enough to keep the man off his game and distracted, but not enough to make his eyes flash red. My fingers drummed against my collarbone, still missing the shieldstone. Without my protection against all things Evil, having Daun at my back (and watching my backside) was a relief.
Not enough for me to relax completely, though. I didn't
think I'd completely relax until I was long gone from New York City. The new plan was for me to work all shifts tonight, score as much cash as I could, then head directly to Penn Station after my shift and catch the first possible train to Anytown, USA. Daun thought I was being stupid.
"You should pack up and go now, babes," he said after two hours of rampant animal sex that would've made bunnies look like prudes. "Don't wait until tonight. If this is about money, I'll have Roman here give you whatever you need. Say the word, I'll have him sign over his house to you. Screw that, I'll have him buy you a new one."
"Thanks, sweetie. I really do appreciate the thought. But no."
"Why?"
I shrugged, trying to understand and explain the nagging feeling that had eaten at me when I'd wanted to take money from Caitlin's bank account. "Because it's not right. If Roman wants to give it to me, that's one thing. But to force him to do it against his will, that's just…"
"Evil?"
"Spot on."
"Babes," he purred, nuzzling my ear, "I am Evil. It's what I do."
Sighing, I snuggled deeper into his arms. "I know. But it's not what I do anymore. I've… changed."
"You know, I figured that out once you hightailed it onto the mortal coil."
I frowned, even with Daun's fingers dusting my nipples. "It's more than my form. It's… bless me, Daun, I think I have a conscience."
"Fuck. Is it contagious?"
I shrugged away from his touch, all sorts of pissed off that he wasn't taking me seriously. "Don't you see? I don't know what I am anymore. Not a demon, but not really human. Mortal, but without a soul. What does that make me?"
"Incredibly conflicted."
"Thanks."
"If I may suggest, babes, that you play the soul-searching game after you've relocated? You don't have the luxury of self-discovery at the moment." He traced patterns on my stomach, and I closed my eyes, enjoying his touch. "Maybe because you're a human, you're coming to grips with morals and ethics and bullshit like that. But I'm still a creature of Lust. And I smell the truth on you, babes. You've got it bad for your mortal man. You don't want to leave without seeing him again."
"Busted." I was banking on Paul keeping his word and stopping by tonight before Belles closed. The slip of paper with Paul's number was inside my wallet, which did me a fat lot of good now that the beggar had it (along with all my other possessions). If Paul didn't show up tonight, I'd never see him again.
Hell on Earth 1 - Hell's Belles Page 21
