Mark of the Sylph (Demons of Infernum, #2)

by Rosalie Lario

  She slid her hands up his chest, then around to his backside. Lord, he was delicious. And right now he was all hers. “You have a little stress you need to work out?”

  “Mm-hm,” he murmured against her ears, sending a shiver through her. “Working it out was exactly what I had in mind.”

  Her too.

  “I have an idea.” She undid his jeans and slid them down his thighs, along with his boxers. Dropping to her knees, she guided his erection to her mouth. She spent the next several moments simply enjoying him, alternating teasing licks with deep swallows, where she worked as much of him into her mouth as possible. Finally he emitted a low groan and wound his hands around the back of her head, pumping hard into her mouth. This what was she wanted. What she needed.

  “Yes.” His back arched as his release overtook him.

  She swallowed his salty essence, squeezing her legs together. He tasted so good she was on the verge of her own orgasm.

  “Come here.” He pulled her up and stepped out of his jeans, sliding off his shirt before leading her to the bed. “Turn around.”

  Heart pounding, she did as he asked. He moved behind her, sliding her shirt up until it rested over her breasts, and tugging the cups down so he could palm her nipples. She gasped when he pressed against her. He was already hard again, the thick length of his erection nudging the small of her back.

  Lord, she’d never been so turned on before. How did he manage to do that to her every time?

  His nimble fingers undid her jeans and he slid them down to her thighs before bringing one hand up to knead first one breast, then the other. His free hand slid down between her thighs, expertly parting the slick folds of her sex before he buried two fingers deep inside her.

  “You’re driving me crazy,” she panted.

  He let out a hoarse laugh. His thumb flicked against her clit. “That’s the goal.”

  After a few more minutes of mind-numbing pleasure, he stepped back to pull her jeans all the way off. “Get on the bed. On your hands and knees.”

  Why did he always want her at her most vulnerable? And why did she find that so hot? Legs trembling, she climbed onto the bed.

  “Spread your legs,” he ordered in a hoarse voice.

  Desire warred with the primitive instinct to flee. Biting her lip, she did as he asked.

  He let out a groan. “You are so fucking beautiful.”

  His fingers ran along her parted folds before he slipped them inside her once again, sliding them in and out. She moaned and bucked beneath him. The feel of his fingers inside her threatened to drive her over the edge.

  “No,” she whimpered when he withdrew his fingers. She had almost been there.

  “Patience.” He grinned at her before lowering to the floor and lifting his hands to the globes of her ass. Parting them, he rewarded her with a long, thorough lick along her center.

  She let out a soft cry.

  His tongue was magic, flicking along her sensitized clit, working its way inside her. When he thrust two fingers into her again, it was enough to push her over the edge. She shoved her face against the mattress to muffle her yell as her hips jerked up to meet him. Tides of pleasure washed over her, sending electric waves throughout her body. It was amazing. She felt sated... but not complete. She still wanted him inside her.

  “Maya,” he whispered behind her. “You are so incredibly delicious. Do you know how much I want you?”

  “Yes,” she confessed. “I want you just the same.”

  “Do you?”

  She was dimly aware of him standing, then kneeling behind her on the bed. His hand grabbed onto the backs of her thighs, pushing her ass higher in the air.

  “I wonder how far you’ll let me go, little slayer?”

  “What do you mean?” She moaned when he pressed forward, sliding his thick, long erection along her wet folds without seeking entrance.

  “Do you want to know what I really want right now?”

  “Ah... yes.”

  “This.” His moistened cock slid along her folds again before he lifted it, pressing it against the rim of her backside.

  She automatically tensed and looked behind her. “You want to—?”

  “What do you say, slayer? Are you willing to try it?” His face could have been made of stone, he seemed so in control of himself. But she recognized the fire in his eyes. He wanted this.

  “I... ” She didn’t know how it would be possible to enjoy what he wanted, but if there was anything she now knew, it was that she trusted him. He wouldn’t hurt her, no matter what. “Okay.”

  He made a low growling sound in his throat. On instinct, she tensed again.

  “So apprehensive,” he said on a laugh. His hand slid down the front of her body until he’d thrust one, two, then three fingers between her slick folds, moving them in a soft, slow rhythm. Little by little she relaxed, until he’d once again worked her into a frenzy. Only then did he press behind her, keeping his fingers working all the while.

  “Oh...” A hint of pain mixed with the stirrings of pleasure. “I don’t know about this.”

  “I promise, little slayer, you’ll like it,” he whispered.

  When he slowly inched past the entrance of her rear, she ceased hearing or seeing, or doing anything besides feeling. The sensation of him inside her was almost overwhelming, but he kept his movements slow, building up a steady cadence that he punctuated with the dance of his fingers inside her body. Amazingly, she found herself adjusting and relaxing into his touch, until at last she began to arch into him with every pump.

  “Ah, just like that.” He moaned and pushed harder, focusing all his attention on her throbbing clit. The stroke of his fingers was so intense that in the end she found herself pushing back to meet every thrust, urging him to go harder. Faster. Deeper. Until at last her vision fractured with the blinding force of her climax.

  When she could finally think once more, she managed one simple thought: He’d been right. She had liked it.

  §

  The sound of snoring woke him. Taeg smiled and turned his head toward Maya. She lay on her side, her hair still damp from the shower they’d taken. Every few breaths a little snort would escape her. It seemed he’d exhausted her.

  Devil, but she was freaking gorgeous. He couldn’t help but wonder how he got so lucky to have her in his bed.

  You lied to her, remember? You told her you were searching for her family’s killers when in reality you’ve done squat about it.

  He groaned. Fuck you, conscience. Go back to sleep.

  But it was right. He couldn’t let this go on any further. She needed to know the truth.

  He reached his hand out to nudge her awake when he heard a soft scratching at the door. That’s when he felt it. Dread pushing against the back of his throat, threatening to choke him. Something was wrong.

  Sliding out of the bed, he tugged on his jeans and picked up his shirt before walking to the door. He glanced back at Maya, who was still dead asleep, before opening the door.

  Keegan stood on the other side, and his expression was foreboding. Taeg stepped out and closed the door behind him. “What happened? Is something wrong with Brynn?”

  “No.”

  “Oh thank the devil.” Taeg relaxed. “For a second I thought—“

  “I got a call from Bull.”

  Bull was a security guard who worked for the Council at its headquarters. There was only one thing there that was of importance to them.

  Apprehension clawed its way up his throat once again. “What is it?”

  “The Book of the Dead.” Anger flashed in Keegan’s eyes, along with a glimmer of fear. “It’s been stolen.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Taeg sat with Ronin in Keegan’s office, waiting for their big brother to rejoin them. Dagan leaned against the wall, looking worn and bleary-eyed. For the first time he noticed Keegan had redecorated. Whereas before the room had been nondescript, with nothing more than an antique cherry desk and bookcases, now
a collection of swords and other weapons lined the walls. Not real antiques but replicas, though of the finest kind. Brynn’s doing, no doubt.

  Crazy how he could notice something so trivial at a time like this.

  Just when he thought he was going to explode with anxiety, Keegan walked in.

  Taeg cut straight to it. “How is it possible that the Book was stolen right from under the Council’s nose?”

  Keegan sighed and sat in his chair. “It was kept in a locked room at the Council headquarters. They discovered it missing when they did their daily inventory of dangerous artifacts. But there’s no sign of Leviathos or anyone suspicious entering.”

  “What does that mean?” Dagan asked on a yawn.

  That really burnt Taeg’s ass. “Oh, I’m sorry. Are we keeping you awake, princess?”

  “Cut me some slack,” Dagan complained. “It’s four o’clock in the morning.”

  He was right. Taeg forced down his misplaced anger. If only he had Leviathos in front of him right now.

  “Bull says the only way Leviathos could have gotten it is if he bribed someone to steal it, which isn’t likely given that the only recent visitors have been Council members,” Keegan continued. “If not that, he must have managed to get into the headquarters without the use of a Council portal.”

  “Well, that’s not possible. Is it?” Ronin asked.

  “Headquarters is between planes,” Taeg pointed out. “There’s no other way to get to there besides using a portal.”

  “Yeah, but was it a Council portal?” Keegan asked.

  “What do you mean?” Taeg said.

  Keegan pursed his lips. “I’ve heard a rumor of an undocumented portal in New York.”

  “What?” Taeg asked. “When?”

  “And why are you only telling us now?” Ronin added.

  Dagan scoffed. “What difference does it make? It’s not possible.”

  “But what if it is?” Keegan leaned forward over his desk. “Listen, we know that the portals were created by Council scientists millennia ago. That means that those scientists knew how to make more.”

  “Whoa.” Ronin hopped up and started pacing the room. “It’s theoretically possible that scientists might have created more portals. Ones that the Council wasn’t aware of. Hell, there could be thousands. Millions.”

  Taeg blinked at him, then at Keegan. “Okay, yeah. Theoretically. But we’re talking the real world now. Who would be crazy enough to do something like that, and why?”

  Keegan shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. But there are rumors that such a portal exists.”

  “Where’d you hear these rumors?” Dagan asked him.

  “Heard whispers about it at Eros and Opiate. And I didn’t mention it because I didn’t think it was true. But now... ” Keegan let out a loud, weary sigh. “I don’t know. Maybe we’re totally off track. All we know for sure is that the Book has been stolen.”

  “Leviathos has it,” Taeg said. There was no doubt in his mind. He nodded toward Dagan. “Hope you’re ready to travel. Looks like we’re going to Wales.”

  Dagan nodded. “I’ll be ready.”

  Keegan swallowed, looking sick to his stomach. “I’ll stay here with Brynn. Until he’s found, we’ll have to keep her here. For her own protection.”

  It was obvious how distasteful Keegan found that thought. “At least she’ll have you here with her.”

  “Yeah, but she’s still not going to like it. Not at all.”

  §

  “Wales?” Leviathos spoke into his phone. “Are you certain?”

  “Positive,” Garin replied. “They boarded a flight to Dublin about ten minutes ago. Him, the girl, and one of his brothers. I overheard the attendant confirm they were continuing on to Wales.”

  What business could they possibly have there?

  A warning bell sounded in his head. There was something off about this, and no doubt it involved him. Why else would they be flying to a foreign country right after he’d stolen the Book of the Dead out from under those stupid Council members?

  “You want me to fly out after ’em?” Garin’s voice asked nervously over the phone line. “Because if so, that’s gonna double my fee. You know wolves and airplanes don’t mix. It ain’t natural, sitting in a metal box thirty thousand feet in the air.”

  “No. Stand by. I’ll let you know once I need you again.”

  Leviathos hung up and set his phone down on his small living room table. The window ahead provided a view of the southeast corner of Gramercy Park. He blindly took in the scenery while he considered his options. What he should do was find a way to get Brynn, his key to raising the undead. Now that he had the Book, nothing was stopping him from using her to command the army. To rule the world.

  Yes, that was what he should do. But his gut told him to keep an eye on Taeg and his oh-so-interesting human. They were up to something. And now that he knew who had murdered her family so many years ago, she might be more than willing to come to his side. Revenge was such a useful negotiation tool.

  And wouldn’t he know?

  Funny, he barely thought about Ana anymore, the woman who’d caused him to sever his friendship with Taeg. But he never stopped thinking about the man who used to be his friend. Although Ana’s betrayal had cut him deep, Taeg’s had nearly killed him, had driven him to where he was today.

  After so many years, perhaps he’d finally get his revenge.

  Leviathos stared at the Book, lying unobtrusively on the table. It looked like nothing more than a book, albeit one of unusual construction, with its gold- and silver-toned metal and intricate scrolling. But in truth it was so much more.

  He slid his hand over the cool metal. Taeg no doubt knew it was him who’d taken the Book. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise him if Taeg had men trying to track him down at this very moment.

  He would have to keep the Book with him at all times. It wouldn’t do to have it stolen now that he’d finally gotten his hands on it. Once he knew what Taeg was up to, he would be able to formulate a plan for Taeg’s destruction. And for his rule of Earth.

  “Have patience,” he whispered. “Soon.”

  Very soon.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “I can’t believe I’m in Wales,” Maya said to no one in particular.

  With the stop in Dublin, it had taken over a day to get here. Since that meant there was no way she’d be showing up to work, she had called in sick for the first time ever. To say that her boss had been shocked had been an understatement. She clearly hadn’t bought the sick excuse, but what was Maya going to tell her—the truth? That would’ve earned her a one-way ticket to the insane asylum.

  Lush greenery bounded them on both sides as they drove out of Cardiff and headed toward Gwynedd, the location given to them by the Vivi sisters. It was so different here from New York City. Green rolling hills and rocky mountains replaced skyscrapers of steel and glass. The sweet scent of fresh air instead of car fumes.

  Taeg grabbed her hand from his spot in the driver’s seat, rubbing a slow circle along her palm that made her shiver. He seemed relieved to be back on land. Earlier, he’d admitted that given his ability to flash, he’d never flown in a plane before. And he hadn’t seemed to like it very much.

  “First time here, I’m guessing,” he said to her.

  “First time anywhere,” she admitted, “other than Mexico and New York City. Thankfully, Helen insisted I renew my passport in case I ever decided to go back to Mexico for a visit.”

  He turned to her, the corners of his mouth ticking up. “When this is over, we’ll take a nice, long vacation. Travel the world.”

  Her breath gave an inadvertent catch in her throat. This was the first time he’d made mention of the two of them with regard to the future. And she had to admit, it sounded nice. “You mean after we find my family’s killers, right?”

  The red glow of his eyes flattened a bit. “Right.”

  If she didn’t know any better, she’d say the expression
on his face was one of guilt. But that couldn’t be the case. If there was anything she’d learned about Taeg in the past few days, it was that he was a straightforward guy. Trustworthy. “Have your contacts found anything yet?”

  He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything Dagan yelled from the backseat. “Eyes on the road!”

  She swallowed a squeal as Taeg braked and yanked hard on the wheel to avoid going off the road.

  “Son of a bitch.” Taeg cleared his throat. “Sorry. Guess I need to get used to driving on the left.”

  There was a moment of silence before Dagan spoke up again, his tone biting. “Considering you just started driving a couple days ago, I’d say you’re doing pretty damn good.”

  “How long until we get there?” Her voice came out as a squeak.

  “Four hours or so.” Taeg gave her hair an affectionate tousle. “Get some sleep if you can.”

  Easier said than done. But eventually she found herself relaxing into her seat. She preoccupied herself with looking over at Taeg. He was so handsome, now that she allowed herself to see him for who he truly was. The angelic glow of his skin was like a beacon of light, drawing her to him. She wriggled her hand out of his and lightly ran her fingers across his palm, much like he’d earlier done to her. Then up his wrist, marveling at the silky heat of his flesh. His long fingers splayed out, and she couldn’t help remember what they’d done to her. How they’d memorized every curve of her body. Brought her to ecstasy countless times. She was beginning to realize she would never get enough of him.

  He noticed her staring and gave her a look so heated she felt an answering pulse between her thighs. “Stop that,” he said hoarsely. “You’re far too distracting.”

  “Yeah, stop it,” Dagan said. “If you two keep up like that, I’m gonna need a cold shower.”

  Maya pressed her lips together to hold back the embarrassed laugh that longed to tumble out. “Sorry.”

  When they finally arrived in Gwynedd, Dagan had fallen asleep but she was still wide awake, mostly thanks to Dagan’s loud snoring from the backseat. With its mountains covered in lush greenery, Gwynedd was easily the most spectacular sight she’d ever seen. Cottages and pretty stone houses dotted the landscape, though the area was close to deserted. It was a far cry from back home.