by A. J. Norris
CHAPTER
FIFTY-THREE
Aza’zel
Okay, so he was an idiot. Aba always called him that. Now, he knew it to be true. Aza’zel paced in front of the portal to Earth. He should be doing something more important, or at least worthwhile, like carving up condemned souls. He enjoyed his work. Liked to pick his victims from the Void.
Instead, the goat was cutting a rut into the stone on the Netherworld side of the doorway to…
Heaven. Well, as close as he’d ever come. Not that he ever dreamed of the place until now. He blamed Elliott the Redeemer. Prior to meeting the angel, he’d been content to stay on the Netherworld side. The white haired freak hadn’t done what he’d promised—take him to Earth. However, the angel gave him the desire to overcome his fear of the unknown. Wanting to see and feel grass and trees won out. The only problem now, he wouldn’t be completely satisfied unless he found cold water.
He paused to stare at the fuzzy edges of the portal. Several years would have passed on Earth. It was too difficult to know the exact number though. His sense of time was for shit. Continuing on with the pacing, he contemplated the pros and cons of what he knew in his blackened heart he would do.
He needed cold water.
***
Aza’zel trotted through the woods. He sensed a water source, but didn’t know where it was coming from. Panting and sweating, he zipped over the terrain. The disk above him had gone away again. In the moonlight, he saw something up ahead. A building without walls? What kind of shelter was this?
He inhaled deeply. Water was near. Using the trees as cover, he ran between them, moving closer to the strange structure. When he was only thirty or so feet away, he discovered the wall-less building wasn’t a house at all, but a roof supported by wooden pillars. Inside were tables, maybe? He crept around the building. Keeping his eyes peeled for signs of human activity, he whipped his head side to side and nearly tripped over a metal contraption sticking out of the ground. He sniffed the air. Water. But where was it?
A twig snapped.
He spun around to see a female human running toward him, but she wasn’t looking at him, and was therefore unaware of the beast in front of her. He pawed the dirt with a cloven hoof. Flared his nostrils. Cocked his head to the side.
The female brought her head forward only when he growled. He pushed back on his haunches then sprang forward. Her eyes widened as she came to a sudden standstill, turned, then ran. There was no screaming for help, only a slight whimper.
She ran faster than he thought she’d be able, but not fast enough. He chased her into the woods, allowing her to put some distance between them. She lost her breath and slowed. He toyed with her by staying far enough back for her to believe she could still get away. Stopping to catch her breath, she squinted. Aza’zel had ducked behind a stand of bushes, waiting. His eyesight did well in the dim lighting. If she didn’t move soon he would get bored.
Leaves rustled behind him then he heard voices. Males. One of them said, “We can hear you breathing.”
Deep chuckling on his right snapped his head around. He listened. Someone whose scent made his eyes watery panted.
“Ju-lie,” another of the males taunted. They were after the same female as Aza’zel.
The demon glanced back to her, but she was gone.
“Hey! She’s over here!” Stinky Male and his companions made their presence known. Heavy breathing, their collective stench, and the sounds of tree branches thwapping against clothing gave up their locations.
“Ju-lie…you can’t run forever!”
“Yeah, we’ll find you.”
A chorus of cackling followed.
All Aza’zel wanted was a drink of cold water, however, this was much more fun. A chubby male brought up the rear and breathed the heaviest. He would be the first to die. The goat made a wide turn then headed back in toward the fatso. “Found you,” the demon murmured, coming up behind him.
The male stopped abruptly. “Davis? Is that you?” He spun. “Ahhhh—”
Aza’zel cuffed a palm over the guy’s face, placed his other clawed hand on the back of his head and twisted. Crunch. The demon kicked the headless human aside as he slumped to the ground.
He found his next victim while the man was coming to check on his friend. Goat-legged demons could jump high on the vertical. Springing up, Aza’zel reached for an overhead branch and waited for his prey. He leapt down onto the man’s back, tackling him, grinding his face into the thick mud. Helpless to escape his fate, he suffocated. The demon rejoiced by jumping up and down on the man’s back, beating him into the ground. His hooves broke the man’s ribs.
“Noooo!” the female screamed. Aza’zel turned an ear toward the sound for a second to orient himself and then rushed off. He thundered over the ground in long strides, hooves kicking up clumps of earth with each determined step.
The clearing where he’d encountered his first human in the Earth realm came into view. The female knelt in the tall grass. He could see only the top of her blonde head bobbing. The last man alive stood over her with his back to Aza’zel.
The fur on his legs muffled his way through the grass. He carefully placed each hoof for minimal noise.
Schklikt, klikt.
The female protected her head with her hands. “No…please…” she begged.
“Where is it?” the human male asked though clenched teeth. He lowered the black something in his hand a smidge, clearly a weapon based on her reaction.
“I told you, I don’t have it. Please!”
The demon smelled her salty tears. He stood directly behind the man now.
“Maurice thinks you do…and so do—awk.”
Claws wrapped around his neck, piercing the skin, crushing the larynx. The man gasped for his last breath and collapsed. Aza’zel tore at the man’s clothing and shredded the fat and muscles of his torso, blood splattering Aza’zel’s chest and furry legs.
The female, Julie, stood gaping, her face ashen. He turned to her with a roar. A warning. Although she backed up cringing, she didn’t flee. “Pan?” she whispered.
“Why are you not running?” He beat a fist on his chest, confused by her bravery.
Backing up, she tripped over a rock and landed on the ground in a crab-walk position with her ass planted. He started toward her. She swallowed hard, reached inside her shirt, and pulled out a leather cord. An amulet dangled from her hand. “Y-you g-gave me this…”
Abruptly, the demon halted. Furrowing his brow at her, he swiped the pendant from her hand and held it up to his face. Then stared at her. Julia…
“You are the little human female?” His voice sounded like he’d swallowed a handful of tiny stones.
“Yes, I’m Julia,” she breathed and rubbed at the scratches on the back of her hand.
“How are you so big?”
She recoiled. “I was only eight the first time we met. What’dya mean, how am I so big? I grew.”
“How much time has passed?” He knew he’d spent some time mulling over his decision to find cold water, but how long?
“You don’t know?”
“I have no real concept of time.” Even to him this sounded idiotic. He found he couldn’t look her in the eye anymore. He was a stupid goat, and well aware she no longer viewed him as a threat. Why would she?
“Haven’t you heard of a clock…or a calendar? I’m eighteen.” She stood and brushed grass and dirt off her pants.
Two days? He’d spent two days pacing.
He paced the area around her. When he realized what he was doing, he stopped and cursed. “How come you are not afraid of me? I am not human.”
“I know, but you just saved my life.”
“I was looking for cold water. That’s what I was doing.”
“What?” she snorted out a laugh. “Cold water? Why?”
“Do you know what I am?”
“Satyr?” she said with a hopeful look on her face.
Chuckling, he said, “I don�
�t know what that is.”
“Then what are you?”
“Tell me why you’re not afraid first.”
“I was. Earlier, I didn’t know what you were at first in the dark. I thought maybe you were a bear. Then you—you killed all three of them, didn’t you?”
“Yes. I enjoyed their fear. It is strongest right before death.”
“Jesus,” her eyes widened. “You’re a…a demon, aren’t you?”
“Careful, Julia, I could still kill you.”
“But you won’t. I don’t know why, but you won’t,” she said shaking her head.
She didn’t know why, but he did. Even demons had weaknesses.
CHAPTER
FIFTY-FOUR
Amalya
At nightfall, Elliott removed the splint from her wing. He said the soreness would go away in a day or two. Amalya paced the bedroom waiting for him to emerge from the shower. When he had slipped behind the bathroom door, she saw his back wounds had not healed yet. This had to be a good sign.
Impatient, she knocked on the door. “Elliott?”
“I’ll be out in a minute.”
“I have to pee, come on…open up.” She didn’t have to pee, only needed an excuse to see him naked. She’d grown to appreciate the work of art he referred to simply as his body. Even though he’d rejected her, she still found the bastard attractive. She barged in just as he was about to wrap a towel around his waist.
Her eyes found his maleness. She really was messed up. Oh, and she was also mostly naked, having refused to continue wearing the tunic any longer. She did have on a new pair of panties though.
He crossed his eyes when he saw her. “You couldn’t wait could ya? I thought you had to pee?” He brushed past her into the bedroom.
Following him out, she knelt on the bed, palms on her knees. The position squeezed her cleavage together. When he turned around, he gasped.
“Amalya…oh, you’re killing me.” Something was muttered under his breath and he looked up at the ceiling. “This wasn’t what you meant, was it, Deus?”
“Talking to yourself are you?” She smirked. “Hey, you’re the one who rejected me, remember?”
He groaned. “You wouldn’t let me explain.”
“Well, explain it now. I had a really bad night and your rejection was—”
“I wasn’t rejecting you. Can you stop using that word?” Ambling over to her, he sat on the end of the bed.
She sighed sarcastically. “Fine. Your blow off sucked. Is that better?”
He flopped back on the mattress. “No. It’s not better. I want you. I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you.”
“Then what is your problem?” She inched closer to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. He quivered from the touch.
“Nothing. My head wasn’t right. I went to see the Healer.”
Her brows knitted together. “The what?”
“Never mind. Tell me about your night. Starting with Eternity.”
“I don’t wanna talk about that. I got the name of Aba’s soul—”
“What?” He bolted from the bed, the towel peeling off his hips. “You went to see him?”
She scooted to the edge of the bed. “Yes, but—”
“Are you crazy?”
Her eyes widened. “No. It’s just…I couldn’t deal with the other soul.”
“Why? Deus isn’t going to give you something you can’t handle,” he said slapping his hands on his bare thighs. Naturally, her eyes were drawn to his cock.
“Well, he did.”
“And you think the soul the lord of the flies picked out would be a better choice? Come on, you have to be smarter than this, Amalya!”
“Why don’t you just tell me how you really feel. That I’m a huge fucking idiot!” She got off the bed like she had somewhere to go. There were no other places, she was stuck. And wasn’t this just fantastic? Nearly naked with black wings and an angel who wanted her, but couldn’t bring himself to be with her on account of how stupid he thought she was.
He threw his hands up again and sighed. “You’re not an idiot. I didn’t say you were.”
“No, I just have an infectious disease.”
They stood staring at each other. Onyx eyes searched her face. The intensity of his gaze made Amalya look away first. She walked to the dresser and placed her hands on the top, all the while knowing Elliott watched her.
“I need some clothes,” she said quietly. She hoped talking nice to the piece of furniture would produce a pair of jeans or a bra. The free range tit routine was getting old.
Elliott had become so quiet she wondered if she turned around he would still be there. A soft caress of her feathers startled her. Instinctively she pulled her wings in tight. The gentle petting stopped. She felt colder for having made it end and shivered.
“I’ll get you some clothes.” The air changed when he started to pull away.
“No. I mean, not right now,” she sighed. “Will you let me tell you what hap—?”
His hand smoothed over the back of hers, spreading the fingers. The comfort was astounding. The angel murmured her name. “Later.” He whispered taking her hand. “I’m sorry I yelled.”
“You yelled?”
“Yeah, and asked if you were crazy and called you stupid.” He gave her a sheepish grin as he stepped backward, giving her some space.
“Oh, so you admit it?” Parting her wings, she sat on the bed with her feet on the floor. He knelt in front of her, slipping his hands along her thighs and up to the waistband of her cotton panties.
“May I take these off, please?” He looked up at her, his lids heavy.
“You want to have sex now? I thought you said I was full of Taint. Aren’t you afraid I’m catchy?”
He chuckled. “You’re not contagious. It doesn’t work like that. Pure Taint is only from the source. He has to kiss you. It’s like venom.”
Oh great. How lovely.
“Um…”
“What is it?”
“Nothing.” Guilt strings knotted around her heart. Telling him about the recent kiss was decidedly a poor idea. And she even bit him. Drew blood. What was that going to do?
Elliott was an angel, therefore he must have good Taint in him, right? Was there such a thing? Maybe it would counteract…oh God…first wings, now shit…who knew? Elliott kissed each thigh and slipped her underwear down. She lifted her bottom to make it easier for him to get them off.
“Is there good Taint?”
“What?” he snorted. “No. Lie back.”
Oh. Ohhh.
“Nothing like that?” she asked as she scooted up the bed.
“Shhh…”
The mattress depressed between her legs where he positioned himself. He loomed over her, his arousal teasing her opening.
“Nothing?”
“You’re starting to ruin the mood,” he joked. “I have light,” he said as he joined them together.
“Can you give me some…ahhhh.” He thrust into her. She wrapped her arms around the back of his head and pulled him down to her lips. He didn’t hesitate when he kissed her—on the mouth, this time. His tongue glided past her lips.
He moaned. “You feel so good.” She’d heard this line hundreds of times from many men but never had she believed the words until now.
Her back arched, begging for him to pay attention to her swells. He took the hint and licked her breast, claiming a nipple and sucking, then switching to the other side. Kissing up to her neck, he nipped sweet love bites.
Easing his hips back, he pulled out to the tip.
Noooo.
“Where are you go—?”
He thrust back inside all the way to the hilt. Over and over he did this until she was screaming and grabbing his ass. A hand snaked under her and squeezed one of her bottom cheeks. He slammed into her on a smooth stroke.
“Elliott! Oh God!”
His dark eyes flashed brightly for a brief moment.
What…was that?
<
br /> Her expression must have asked the question.
“My light. It happens sometimes.” He closed his eyes and continued to pump inside of her. They panted in the same rhythm. Give. Take. Give. Take. In. Out. In. Out. Before long they were covered in a sheen of sweat. He rose up and pressed his fists into the bed, letting his powerful hips swing freely. Veins in his neck, across his strong shoulders, and down his biceps were popping out. She gripped his arms. The kind of grip that would cause bruises. If he noticed, he didn’t care. She screamed as a burst of pleasure racked her body. He rode out the waves of her climax. Her body went lax, but he didn’t stop.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m gonna come.” He pounded into her with a frenzy, sucking in air through his teeth. “Oh,” he grunted. Then cursing, he released into her. After he was spent, he carefully pulled out and laid next to her, his breathing still rapid and catching in the back of his throat.
Amalya blew out a breath. She felt like she needed to say something. “Um…”
He rolled to his side and raised his eyebrows in question. When she didn’t say anything he smirked and eased onto his back again.
She plucked one of her under feathers. Her intent was to use the downy quill to tickle him. He tightened his six-pack as she ran it down the middle, starting at the top of his sternum. When she circled his navel he laughed. She reveled in his joy with a wide grin. So, of course, she had to try and destroy their bliss.
Folding her legs under her, she sat up. “Aba kissed me when I went to him about the soul.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Argh!”
“I’m sorry, I was trying…well, I bit him,” she said leaning over him.
The chuckle which left his mouth surprised her. “You bit him?”
“He broke my wing and used that mind-control thing on me. I was pissed.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Is it worse than his Taint? He bled a little. Will I grow a tail?”
Please don’t let me sprout a tail.
He laughed again. “I don’t think so. Oh wait, uh…I think I see…” His expression was serious.
“Nooo!” Fear panged her gut. She turned her head around like a dog would chase their tail and felt the base of her spine. The skin was smooth.
