by Celia Aaron
Anne watched with wonder as I cleaned Lilah. “I’ve never seen you like this.”
“You’ve seen me naked in the tub plenty of times,” I deflected, knowing full well that’s not what she meant.
“No. You’re naked in the tub with a beautiful woman and you haven’t gone incubus. He’s in there, but he’s working with you instead of against you.”
“She’s clean,” I said gruffly. I didn’t know what it meant either and didn’t feel like discussing it. “Grab a towel. I’ll lift her and you’ll dry her.”
She dropped the conversation and did as I’d said, drying Lilah off and wrapping a towel around her hair. I carried her to my bed, snugging her between my sheets before drying and dressing myself. Thankfully, my erection had gone down enough so I could tuck it into the waistband of my pajama bottoms.
I dropped a quick kiss on Anne’s forehead. “Thank you for that.”
“Of course.” With one last glance at me, Anne took her leave.
I lay down next to Lilah, though I was careful to stay on top of the covers. I couldn’t risk being so close to her bare body, couldn’t trust the incubus to stay under control.
Her breathing was steady and even, and the pallor was gone from her skin. The incubus relaxed inside me, curling up like a watchdog to guard Lilah for the rest of the night. I didn’t recognize its actions, had never felt this sensation before. It was as if the incubus and I wanted the same thing. But perhaps this was nothing new—the incubus craved the chase, and Lilah had been giving it the toughest of its life. She seemed utterly immune to my charm, which both irked and excited me. I’d seduced every woman I’d ever touched—many with no more than simply giving them a look or crooking my finger at them. But Lilah… She was something different. She was give and take instead of all give as I’d come to expect from females.
The thought of her standing against a fury with nothing more than a paltry dagger made my lips curl into a smile. She was much tougher than she appeared. I traced the runes on her neck, though I still couldn’t discern which god’s service she’d been in. The fact that she’d been in service at all spoke of her mettle—gods warred against each other almost constantly. No doubt she’d been to battle more than a few times in her life. I imagined her on the battlefield, her dark hair flowing out behind her as immortals clashed for supremacy. My gaze strayed even lower, to the swell of her breasts beneath the sheets, my heart quickening at the sight and the incubus purring with approval.
I sighed deeply and wrenched my gaze back to her face, peaceful in sleep. It was foolish to think Lilah could ever return my affections. She’d been disgusted by my vulnerability in the catacombs. In answer, I’d sought to distance myself from her by lying about the kiss, but even now I could taste her on my tongue, a sultry sweet flavor that left me wanting more. I feared I would always want more.
She stirred toward me in her sleep, seemingly seeking the rays of the moon that filtered through the window. Or perhaps seeking me? Her hair had come loose from the towel and curled around her face and shoulders in ebon waves. Her dark lashes were like lace lightly touching her lower lids. Had she not been injured, I would have been unable to resist her. My shaft ached and I again took in her gorgeous form. To lick the buds of her nipples and taste the sweetness between her thighs. I stopped myself from thinking about it before I was too far gone. The incubus grumbled in my chest but didn’t push it any further. I placed my hand on hers and settled in to watch her, having to satisfy myself with just that touch and nothing more.
My wounds had taken a toll, as drowsiness overcame me fairly quickly. Even an immortal as powerful as I was couldn’t cheat death forever, and the close calls required rest to regenerate.
I closed my eyes and remembered the feel of her yielding to me in the club, opening her lips so my tongue could penetrate. The incubus and I fell asleep and dreamed of her, only her.
26
Lilah
I snuggled even deeper into bed, relishing the scent that filled my nose and made me feel warm and safe. Elena must have crept into my bed again. The witch had always had nightmares that caused her to wake shrieking into the dark, but cuddling up with me seemed to keep the dreams at bay.
But, no, this smell was different. It wasn’t the earthy scent of Elena. I wanted to wrap myself in this new smell, whatever it was. I inhaled deeply and ran my hand down…someone’s chest? My eyelids flew open, and I found myself lying curled up next to Roth, his arm draped protectively around my bare shoulders. The delicious scent in the air was him. The last time I’d woken up like this—with a man in my bed—I’d jumped three feet in the air and backed away. But instead of jumping from Roth’s bed, I lay just as I was, head resting on his chest as I listened to the steady rhythm of his breathing.
He was so warm, not the cold demon I’d come to expect from him. Though his temperature seemed to change based on his emotions, just like his eyes did.
My mind told me to bolt, but my instincts told me to stay right where I was, safe and warm in a powerful male’s arms. And I wanted to, enjoying the feeling of Roth against me.
His head was turned slightly toward me, the five-o’clock shadow tickling the sharp angles of his face. He looked almost boyish in his sleep, how he must have looked when he was a young centurion. He must have been a heartbreaker even back then. His dark hair fell across his face, and I reached up gently to smooth it away from his eyes. Though he was still asleep, my touch made him wrap me even tighter into him, my breasts pressing into his muscled side through the sheet. A thrill went through me, and I had the almost-irresistible urge to dot kisses up his chest. Was I losing my mind?
Just the thought of my mouth on him had my core slickening. I glanced back up to make sure he was still asleep. My gaze wandered to the goodie trail below his navel, and I thought about tarrying there for a while, teasing him with my mouth as he begged me to go lower. The idea of him begging for my mouth made me lick my lips.
As if he sensed my arousal, Roth turned toward me and pulled the sheet from between us, pressing my naked body into his. A throaty groan escaped his lips though his eyes were still closed. I bit my cheek to keep from crying out at the sensation of his strong body rubbing against my now throbbing nipples. My breasts felt heavy and oh so sensitive against him. Roth’s hard length pressed into my thigh, and I imagined how good it would feel deep inside me. I shuddered at the thought and the pleasure it evoked. This was wrong, maybe even some sort of madness on my part, but it felt so good that I couldn’t deny it.
His hand strayed to my breast. I sucked in my breath sharply as he cupped it, brushing his thumb over the hardened tip. Another low groan escaped him as he teased the tight bud. I wanted to let myself go, to wake him and let him take me.
But then I realized I was only being fooled again. Something I swore I would never do. Roth was just doing what he did with all the women who got into this bed. Seducing me. I was about to push him away when he whispered “Lilah” in his sleep and nuzzled into my hair. The husky tone of his voice made my body erupt in heat and sensation. He’s thinking of me, not some other woman. Despite all the females he’d had and could have, he’d said my name. Had I misjudged him?
“Gods,” I whispered as he continued stroking my nipple.
I rubbed my thighs together, the heat blossoming at my center. Chancing a glance at his face, I found he was still asleep, his dark locks falling lazily across his brow. If only I could rid myself of this destructive desire. Just the thought of his lips on me, his body entwined with mine made me go up in flames. I couldn’t stop myself. I moved my hand around the front of my hips, delving into the wetness that he had created between my thighs. My sensitive bud ached as I brushed my fingertips against it, sending a jolt through me.
Roth growled low in his throat, as if partaking in my pleasure. The sound spurred me on, my fingers circling and stroking. My thoughts lingered on him, as his hands lingered on me. The tension increased in my hips, and my rhythm quickened. I imagined him bet
ween my thighs—not my fingers but his tongue causing the deep need that threatened to overcome me. I couldn’t cut back the soft moan that left my lips.
The sound roused him somewhat. As his eyes began to flutter open, I balked at the idea of him knowing what I’d been up to in his sleep.
With all the willpower I possessed, I pushed myself away from him and rolled onto my back, pulling the sheet up to my chin. The friction on my stiffened nipples was almost too much to bear, and my body cried out for Roth’s touch, but I ignored it. I couldn’t risk getting any closer to him. Not now. He was no good, and I was going to offer him to Ares. And that was that. He’s a good man. He saved you from the crash. I swatted the thoughts away like a troublesome gnat.
Despite myself, my gaze wandered back to his hard body and the erection setting up shop beneath the sheet. I bit my lip. He could be between my thighs whenever I said the word, and I desperately wanted to say the word. Ah, gods.
“Good morning, carissima.” His smooth voice washed over me. I’d been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. He sported a wicked grin as he watched me drag my gaze from his prodigious erection to his face.
27
Roth
I WAS RELIEVED to wake with her next to me, her arm completely healed and a heated look in her eyes as she stared at my body. I sensed her desire, like a flame burning bright within her that only I could see.
I longed to sate her needs but could tell she was bent on refusing me. That determined set to her precious little jaw told me everything. It didn’t stop me from wanting her moving beneath me, and I let my body say as much, not bothering to hide my arousal.
“I need to go to my room.” She made an effort to stare at the far wall instead of me.
I stretched and put my hands behind my head, wanting her eyes on me. Her gaze drew back to my body, and I could tell she liked what she saw, her bright eyes darkened by hooded lids.
“I’m not stopping you.” I watched her lick her lips. The sight of her nimble tongue made my shaft harder. It was an exquisite torture to have her in my bed but not under me or on top of me, where she belonged. The incubus agreed, rattling around inside me, going mad with desire for her.
She huffed slightly and fidgeted under the sheet so I got a better look at the outline of her stiffened nipples pressing against the silk. It almost sent the incubus over the edge, but I kept it at bay. Barely. It didn’t help that I, too, wanted to rip the blanket off her and give her what she wanted and needed from me, even if she wouldn’t admit it. But, it wouldn’t happen that way.
I wanted Lilah to come to me, wanted her desperate for me. The incubus stopped trying to claw its way out and quieted, seemingly in agreement with me for once. I would have been amazed by its actions if I weren’t too busy watching Lilah. She subconsciously rubbed her thighs together, making my shaft pulse against the fabric. Her gaze had been riveted to it before she closed her eyes tightly and turned away, though it seemed to take a Herculean effort—which pleased me to no end.
“I can’t get up if you’re going to watch. And, wait a minute, how did I get here and naked anyway?” Suspicion filled her tone.
“The fury poisoned you, and I brought you here and saved your life. Anne helped me get you cleaned up and into bed.” I shrugged.
“How’d you get the fury venom out?”
My jaw clenched. “That was regrettable, but I had to call in a favor from a certain sort of fanged Underworlder. Let’s just say he had a fury venom cocktail and you got to live.”
Lilah’s hands flew to her throat. “You let a vamp drink me?”
“Believe me. It was the only way.” I seethed with the memory. The thought of Paris at her neck, his mouth on her body, enraged me, and I knew my eyes had flickered to embers. I would flay Paris as soon as possible. Trying to smooth my tone, I added, “I wouldn’t have let him harm you. It couldn’t be helped.”
“Him? Him who?” She drew her fingertips along her throat, feeling for puncture wounds that had already healed.
I wanted to take her hands in mine to comfort her, but realized she’d likely bolt if I made a move toward her. She was definitely not my usual prey. And that was an understatement. The incubus gave me a certain power over females. I couldn’t go so far as to enthrall them like the vampires could, but I certainly had no trouble getting them where I wanted them. But Lilah seemed immune to my incubus—its charms weren’t enough to romance her into bed. A first.
“Hey.” Her sharp tone cut through my thoughts. “Who bit me?”
“Paris,” I said as nonchalantly as possible.
Her hands stopped abruptly, and she turned back to me, the tips of her hair tickling my bare chest. “You mean to tell me you let the most dangerous vampire in the Underworld drink my blood?”
I slowly reached out, as if attempting to pet a skittish fawn, before running my fingers down a lock of her silken hair. “It had to be done, carissima. It was that or let you die, which I will never do.”
I meant every word. I’d been so worried about her, I would have called in all the favors I was owed—which meant practically half the Underworld would show up at my mansion in the heart of Paris—to make sure she was all right. She’d bewitched me, and the thought of living without her caused misery untold.
Her color heightened, and she looked deep into my eyes for a moment, as if trying to measure my soul and fearful she would find it lacking. I shared that fear.
After a moment she relaxed somewhat, taking her hands from her neck and smoothing the blanket over her stomach. “What about how I got naked? No funny business?”
“Not unless you count groping me in my sleep as funny business.” I was unable to keep the smile from my lips.
She gaped at me. “You were awake?”
“No, but I was having an exceedingly pleasant dream and woke up with your delicious scent all over me. Wild guess.” I leaned closer to her. “If you’d like to continue now that I’m awake, I suppose I could work you in.”
“I’m leaving.” Her hands gripped the sheet like she wanted to throw it off and run but couldn’t. “Just be a gentleman and watch the wall until you hear the door close, okay?”
“You wouldn’t let me have a little peek since I saved your life?” I enjoyed teasing her. Like me, she always rose to the occasion.
She arched an eyebrow at me. “I think you’ve seen enough of me, wouldn’t you agree?”
Never. “Fine. I’ll avert my eyes.” I reluctantly turned toward the wall. The bed moved slightly, and she padded across the rug’s thick pile. Of course, I also saw her reflection in the window and wanted to get up and drag her tight little package back into my bed, which the incubus fully supported. But I let her go…for now.
28
Lilah
I DARTED DOWN the hallway and into my bedroom, thankful no one was around to see my walk of semi-shame. My room had been tidied while I was out, no doubt by Bart, and I spied a shiny set of daggers on my bureau.
Surprised, I stared at them, not entirely comprehending. They were handmade with intricately carved handles. A gift? There was no note, but I could only assume they were for me. They were a thoughtful present, and I couldn’t imagine the price for such filigreed and honed blades. I knew of only one who could afford such fine weapons – Roth. I picked one up and flipped it into the air. It came down smoothly, the grip fitting my palm as the length of the blade was perfectly balanced. These would come in handy. I replaced the dagger and padded over to my closet.
As I dressed I noticed I’d slept through the day, the sun barely making an appearance through my window. I didn’t mind. There was always better hunting to be had at night, and, of course, the moon called me. That silvery orb was my one link back to Artemis. Well, it had been until I’d found Roth. But I didn’t want to think about that right now. Couldn’t picture handing Roth over to Ares for only the gods knew what sorts of tortures. I pushed the dark thoughts aside and finished dressing, pulling on a fresh tee and some jeans and stashing
one of my new blades in the side of my boot.
I was famished and headed downstairs to investigate the kitchen.
I passed Anne’s door, then had a thought, and turned around and knocked.
“Come in,” Anne called in a high, clear voice.
I nudged the door open and found the girliest room I’d ever seen in my life. Everything was pink—the bed, the curtains, the furniture—even the carpet was a shade of fuchsia. “Holy Hades. Is this blush or bashful?”
“I kinda have a thing for pink,” Anne said sheepishly, coming over to the door.
“I can see that.” My eyes rebelled against the monochromatic color palette. “I just wanted to stop by and say thank you for helping get me cleaned up. Roth said you helped. Though that may have all been a lie to make me not feel so squicked at being naked in his bed.”
“It was nothing, and Roth was a complete gentleman, by the way.” She gave me a cherubic smile, though the effect was stifled somewhat by the black pleather corset and thong Anne was wearing. Her mocha breasts were high and bare, her dark nipples standing at attention. I did my best to avert my eyes, focusing on Anne’s face, and breathed a sigh of relief when I realized Anne had said “Roth” and “gentleman” in answer to my question. I knew Roth hadn’t done anything too forward with me or I would have sensed it. But it was good to know he’d been telling the truth about the “no funny business.” Well, except for the funny business I had committed with him.
“He really seems taken with you.” Anne twirled a lock of auburn hair around her finger.
I shrugged. “I think he just wants to hit it and quit it. That’s his MO after all, isn’t it?”
“Hit it and quit it?” Her finger stopped mid-twirl.
