He Loves Me, He Loves Me Hot

by Stephanie Rowe

  Nick put his arms around her and rested his chin on her head while he assessed the situation, and the void lessened slightly, though not as much as it had when he was intentionally pouring his emotions into her. “I see it. What is it?”

  “It’s an acid pit that serves as a conduit to hell.” She couldn’t believe how good it felt to be in his arms. To have his body wrapped around hers as he tried to protect her. She didn’t need protection, adored her independence…but damn. This was some kind of addicting feeling. It was…incredible. She’d had no idea what she’d really been missing, but now…

  “The acid pit is small,” he said. “That’s good, right?”

  “It’ll keep growing, filling the area around your sister until the spot she’s on is an oasis in the middle of it. When the timer goes off, the last bit will be consumed, and she’ll be on her way to hell in an acid pit.”

  He was quiet for a moment, and she nestled into his body, getting warmer by the minute as his worry about his sister continued to escalate.

  “And if we kill the life force supporting the…bubble?”

  She smiled at his word choice. Calling it a bubble instead of a pus blister from hell wasn’t going to save his sister, but it was sort of cute that he’d tried it. “If we kill the life force it’s linked to, Dani’s home free.” She laid her arms over his where they were wrapped around her waist, trying to suck in even more of his light. “Do you know when the timer’s set for?”

  “Sunday at midnight.”

  She wiggled her bottom against him, trying to get even closer, drinking the feeling of being alive. She could feel his worry, his love, his determination, and it made her feel almost giddy and lightheaded. “So, that gives us almost four days to find out who it’s linked to and who set it up.”

  “Satan didn’t set it up?”

  “He has a little machine that does this. Anyone with hell in their blood could use it. You or I could do it.” She sighed and pushed harder against him, trying to nestle her bum into the curve of his body that seemed to be built for it.

  If he felt this good holding her with all their clothes on, how intense would it be if there was full skin-to-skin contact? Or if he was inside her, making love to her, exposing her to her most vulnerable core?

  Crap. Where had that thought come from? Get a grip, Becca. “I gave you info,” she said briskly. “Time for a trade. Why do you have all these emotions if you’re Markku? I’ve never heard of that trait.” Where had that question come from? What did that have to do with getting herself free of Satan?

  “I’m half healer. The touchy-feely side comes from my mother. It’s a pain in the ass.”

  “Yeah, it seems like it would be.” Yeah, right. Okay, time to focus on the more important questions, the ones that should actually matter to her. “Were the Markku supported by Satan’s life force when they were in hell, or were they independent life forms?”

  “Both. They were supported by Satan when they were in hell, but when they left hell, they were on their own. They stored up his life force for their forays out of hell, and had to return to be replenished before they depleted their stores.” His hands tightened around her waist, and she caught the faint hint of lust coming from him. “So, can you tell who set it up?”

  She reached back and grasped his butt, tugging his hips against her as she closed her eyes and let her head rest against his chest, nearly giggling at the tingling in her body. “If it really is linked to Satan’s life force, then he obviously wouldn’t have set it up. Even Satan’s not that stupid.” She sighed and dug her fingers into the hard curves of his butt, willing his energy into her body. “So, you support yourself now, right? You don’t need to get a Satan hit every so often?” She giggled. “A Satan hit. He’d love that.” Weird. She was having trouble articulating her words. Tongue felt a little clumsy.

  “No Satan hits needed.” He paused. “Are you getting drunk off my emotions?” There was a hint of masculine satisfaction in his voice, an awareness that a woman was nearly swooning because of his touch.

  She tried to straighten up. But all she did was bump his chin and elicit a curse from him. “No, that would be dumb. I’m not dumb. I’m smart. Shut up and let me finish our plan.” She relaxed against him again, letting the tingle grow into something else. A thrumming. A humming. No, a sizzling. Yes, she was starting to sizzle with life. And passion. Was this was it was like to be human? God, it was amazing…delicious…scrumptiously mouth-watering…Damn him for showing her what she was missing.

  “Becca?”

  “Shh. I’m concentrating.”

  “On what? Turning me on by rubbing your sexy little bottom against my crotch until I throw you down and rip your clothes off and offer to do anything you want?” His breath was hot against the side her neck. “Forget it, woman. I’m not backing off. I need your help with Dani, and you’re not getting info from me until she’s taken care of.” He inhaled deeply. “You smell like roses. I’d have guessed smoke or ash. But it’s flowers.”

  Becca froze at the husky tone in his voice. Oh, God. What was she doing? She shook her head and tried to clear it, yanking her hands off his butt. “You’re the one trying to seduce me with all these emotions,” she snapped. “Tone it down, big guy.” The protest came out as more of a moan than she’s intended. Get yourself together, Becca.

  “You’re the one sucking the emotions out of me. I don’t know what talent you’ve got, but this little moment is all you,” he growled, his fingers moving slowly along her waist as his lust began to trickle through her body. “Cut it out.”

  She caught her breath as a jolt of electricity sparked through her while his fingers brushed against her bare skin. She slapped her hands over his wrists, aware of the pounding of his heart against her back where she was still pressed against him. She could feel his lust and could sense that he was responding to her, not pushing her toward it. This was her fault. Who the hell knew that emotions were a turn-on for her? A turn-on that she apparently passed right back to Nick.

  She peeled herself off him and stepped away, until their only contact was her fingers around his wrist. The buzzing eased off and her mind cleared. The familiar void blanketed her, only now it didn’t feel comfortable. It felt not enough, which was exactly what she’d known would happen. “Sorry about that whole thing.”

  He nodded, his own eyes beginning to clear. “It was a moment. We move on.” His voice was a little strained, and she felt his discomfort with the fact that he’d gotten caught up in her when he should have been worrying about his bubbled sister. “So, what next on the bubble?”

  She nodded, cleared her throat, and tried to focus. “Okay, so we need to find out who this is linked to.”

  He adjusted the front of his jeans. “They said it was Satan. How do we confirm it?”

  She averted her eyes from his crotch and turned to stare at the bubble. Must regain cold, detached mindset. “Find the machine that set it up.”

  “And then? Is there any way to shut this dome down other than killing the being whose life force is supporting it?”

  She stalled for time by scratching her chin.

  “Becca.”

  “I’m sure there’s a back door. Isn’t there always?”

  He grabbed her wrist and turned her toward him, his eyes searching hers with a desperation that had her wanting to wrap herself around him and absorb everything that made his soul thrum with life. “Are you just saying that to protect Satan?” he asked. “If it’s between his life and my sister’s, I’m picking Dani.”

  “Gee, thanks. Nothing like coming right out and telling me you’ll murder me to make a girl feel good.”

  He frowned, and she felt his frustration and regret as he realized what he’d said.

  “Omigod! Here you guys are!” Paige hopped into the room. “This place is like a maze. Your sister must be loaded.” She stopped suddenly and looked at the death blister. “Oh, wow. What is this?” She reached for it, and Becca lunged for her just as Paige’s
hand went through the filmy surface.

  “No!” She hauled Paige back and the girl flew into the desk and sent papers flying.

  Then the devastating emptiness slammed into Becca, and she gasped and dropped to her knees. Nick was there instantly, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her to her feet, easing the howling wasteland with his touch. He started to pull her against him, but she shook her head, not willing to trust herself with that much life force. “No. Just hold my wrist.”

  “Will that be enough?”

  “It has to be.” She swayed slightly from the barrenness inside her, but Nick’s touch was enough to keep it from completely consuming her. She’d just have to manage the rest on her own until she could get out of there. She turned toward Paige, who was climbing to her feet. “Don’t touch that dome. It was set up to trap Nick’s sister, but any innocent who goes into it will be stuck, as well.”

  Paige threw her hands on her hips. “I’m not an innocent! How many times do I need to say that?”

  “Only an innocent can penetrate.” Becca backed up and threw herself against it to prove her point. It rebounded twice as hard, flinging her against Nick. His body was hard where she slammed into it, unyielding, and his arms snapped around her to keep her from rebounding into the wall. She quickly untangled herself from him as heat flared inside her. Do not get hooked on how this man makes you feel, Becca. “See? I can’t get past it. You can.”

  “No way. You’re wrong.” Paige marched over to the bubble and thrust her hand right through it. “Damn.” She pulled it out, looked at it, then did it again. “Double damn. You’re sure that’s why I can get through?”

  “Yeah,” she said. Nick was playing with her hair, the tips of his fingers brushing against her scalp. She eyed him. “Cut it out.”

  His fingers stilled. “Sorry. Didn’t realize I was doing it.”

  Paige watched them. “So, what now?”

  Becca cleared her throat, wanting to melt into Nick at the same time she wanted to rip out of his grasp and reclaim her independence. “We need to get out of here so I can think.”

  “I agree.” His voice was slightly strained, and she could feel his lust pulsing at her, trying to break free of his control. “New location.” He paused. “Is Dani going to be okay if we leave her?”

  Worry leaked in with the lust, and she felt his struggle. “She’s safe for the moment. Nothing’s going to happen to her.”

  “Dani? Did you just say Dani?” Paige grabbed Nick’s wrist. “What’s her last name?”

  Nick stilled. “Rawlings.”

  “No way!” Paige spun toward the bubble. “Dani! It’s me! Can you hear me? Dani!” Her voice got more shrill. “Dani! You wake up right now and get out here or I will come in there and drag you out!” She shrugged off Becca’s leather jacket and tossed it aside. “I’m coming in after you and—”

  “Paige!” Becca lunged for her apprentice as she dove at the bubble, grabbing the girl’s waist as the vesicle parted for the innocent, sucking Becca into the bubble right along with her. Becca tried to stop them, but she couldn’t fight their momentum.

  “Becca!” She heard Nick’s outraged roar, and then she felt his fingers dig into the waistband of her jeans. She was sucked into the bubble and the world became black.

  Ten

  Heavy blackness embraced Nick as he was pulled into the death blister, and he couldn’t see anything. It felt like the air was compressing down around them, crushing his body. He tightened his grip on Becca, pulling her toward him as he tried to halt their catapult into the bubble.

  “Stop us!” Becca shouted. “Nick! Stop us!”

  Her body tensed under his, and his adrenaline shot up at the fierce command in Becca’s voice. He dug his heels into the floor and threw all his weight backward, gripping Becca’s waist and hauling her back toward him while Paige yelled Dani’s name.

  Becca leaned back into him, her body straining against his. He felt another body bump hers, and he realized she was still holding on to Paige. He threw his other arm forward, grabbing Paige, as well.

  Then the blackness vanished and they were inside the vesicle, being dragged toward the acid pit in the corner, which was now a good two feet in diameter, and bubbling ferociously. Jesus.

  Adrenaline kicked in again and he hauled them back. The pressure suddenly broke and they all flew backward, landing with a crash against the wall of the blob in a mixture of arms and legs. He grunted as his hand hit a breast. God help me if that belongs to Paige. But he heard Becca suck in her breath, and his own body answered as he muttered an apology. “Everyone okay?”

  “Let go of me!” Paige twisted out of the mess and ran over to the bed and kneeled on it, huddled over Dani. She patted Dani’s cheeks. “Hey, Dani, can you hear me? This is all my fault. I’m so sorry. Dani? Come on, wake up, girlfriend.”

  Nick climbed to his feet as Becca scrambled up. “Paige? How do you know Dani?”

  “Why is this your fault?” Nick asked at the same time.

  The apprentice ignored them both as she hovered over Dani, getting louder and louder as she realized Dani wasn’t going to wake up.

  “What do you know about this?” Nick lunged for Paige, grabbed her shoulders, and whirled her to face him. “Who set up the bubble? Who hurt my sister? What do you know?”

  Becca was suddenly between them, her hands on his chest. “Back off, Nick.” Her voice was quiet and calm, devoid of emotion. “You’re going to bring down the building.”

  He was suddenly aware of the creaking of the walls and some plaster falling from the ceiling onto the bubble, and he cursed and released Paige, letting Becca’s touch on his chest draw out some of the destructive energy. He took a deep breath as Paige turned back to his sister. “Get the information from her,” he ordered Becca.

  “I will. You back under control?”

  He grunted, and she studied him for a moment, set his hand on her shoulder, and then spun the apprentice back around by her ponytail. “What’s going on, Paige?”

  Paige stared up at them, tear-streaked mascara cascading down her cheeks. “I didn’t even look at her when I was outside the blister. Does that make me a bad friend? It does, doesn’t it?”

  A look of pity crossed Becca’s face as she laid her hand on the apprentice’s shoulder. “Oh, Paige, you care about her, don’t you?” she asked softly.

  “Of course I do! She’s my only friend…besides you, of course.”

  Becca pressed her lips together, and Nick thought she looked suddenly exhausted. “Does Satan know you’re friends with her?” Becca asked.

  “Satan hasn’t been around,” Paige said. “Why would he care, anyway? She’s just a human.” Paige leaned forward and patted Dani’s cheeks. “Dani? Wake up, please?”

  “What does that have to do with who put her in the bubble?” Nick growled.

  Becca glanced at Nick, and he was startled by the sadness in her eyes. “Fine. You talk to her. Go ahead and wring her neck. Put her out of her misery before she realizes what she’s done to herself by caring about your sister.” She turned and looked out the window, keeping one hand on Nick’s waist for grounding. “Just kill her already. Please.”

  Paige stopped babbling to stare at them. “What? He’s going to kill me? Why? What did I do?” She scrambled back across the bed as he approached. “Go away or I’ll fireball you.”

  Nick stopped next to the bed and leaned on it with his fists. “Paige.” He managed to keep his voice gentle. “Tell me what you know about what’s going on with Dani.”

  At his soft tone, Paige relaxed and sat back down on the bed. She picked up Dani’s hand. “On my first day of Rivka training, she sneaked up to me outside the beheading dungeon and offered me almost a hundred grand to kill Satan.”

  Nick couldn’t keep the look of surprise off his face. “Dani was in hell? Hiring an assassin to kill Satan? Are you sure? How’d she get there?”

  “Apparently there’s some sort of express-elevator type thing in the Counc
il offices. Did you know that?”

  He looked at Becca, who nodded. “It’s highly restricted, though,” she said. “I can’t imagine how she got in there.” She gestured at Paige. “Continue.”

  Paige snuggled next to Dani and stroked the hair off her friend’s forehead. “So, I took the money and then didn’t kill him. Then a few days later, she came after me to kick my ass and I told her that she was crazy and I’d kill her before I’d let anything happen to the big kahuna and she should know better than to trust a Rivka’s word and then she told me that she’d done it to piss off her ex-boyfriend and then we started guy-bashing and we became total best friends, of course.” She blinked hard several times. “I had no idea she was in danger, though, or I wouldn’t have let her go that last time when she seemed all worried but wouldn’t tell me what was wrong. A true best friend would have tortured her to force her to confide, right?” Big, fat tears trickled down her cheeks. “I’m so not a best friend, am I?”

  Becca cleared her throat, and Nick felt a weird humming from her. Some emotion that was trying to get out, but she had such a tight grip on it he couldn’t even identify it. “Paige, look at me.”

  The kid ignored him, instead lifting her tearstained face to Becca. “You should kill me, I think.”

  “A true best friend doesn’t torture her friends. You did okay,” Becca said, her voice strained.

  Nick caught a flash of pain shot from Becca where her hand was still on his waist, and he was shocked by its intensity. He looked at Becca, wondering what in her past had created that kind of emotional devastation.

  She didn’t seem aware of his perusal. “Paige, we need to know who told Dani to hire you to kill Satan.”

  “Her boyfriend.” Paige sighed. “He convinced her he was going to be the new leader of hell even though I told her Satan would always rule. She totally thought that if she helped him take over then he’d propose to her. She was so excited because her brother always made her feel like a total underachiever and he never treated her like an adult and she was finally going to prove to him that she was capable of handling her life on her own…” She faded to a stop and looked at Nick. “Oh. You’re that Nick.” Her eyes got hostile. “Would it have killed you to treat her like an adult?”