She blinked. Two months off? Like, a vacation?
"In addition, the fact that Ms. Bennett orchestrated the melting of her own brother to save Mona shows that her light side trumps her dark side loyalties. Therefore, I declare the Qualifying Incident met and both she and her mother will be spared hell unless they do something else to earn it."
Satan screeched and jumped to his feet in protest, and Iris let out a whoop of triumph.
It was over. They were all safe. Her. Derek. Her mom. All of them.
Exhausted and overwhelmed, Justine pressed her face to her hands, unable to keep the tears at bay. It was over. Everything was going to be okay.
"Iris's future in heaven is, of course, subject to Satan's request for her political relocation," Isabella added. "His petition will be remanded to committee for discussion. Decision due in three hundred years. The Council is in charge of updating the Treatise, subject to the expert advice of current and past Guardians. Although Iris Bennett failed in her duties, she is nevertheless the best writer who has ever served as Guardian, so I regretfully give her the position of writing it. But she'll have to do an unbelievable job to have even a remote chance at benefits." She rapped her gavel on the podium. "Dismissed."
"Three hundred years?" Satan howled. "What about my son? You steal my woman and my son?"
"Oh, right." Isabella turned the microphone on again. "Satan Jr. will stay frozen until someone gives us a good enough reason to defrost him. Thank you again."
Justine lifted her head, staring at Isabella in stunned disbelief. They'd gotten everything they wanted? Even her mom getting to write the Treatise? How was it possible?
Then she saw Isabella wink at Derek as she walked out of the room.
She spun to Derek as he walked up, beaming at her. "What did you do?"
He grinned. "A lifetime supply of Vic's pretzels. You didn't think Theresa was the only supernatural being with a pretzel addiction, did you? Afterlife judges can be fans."
"You bribed her? I'm completely outraged by your lack of faith in Jerome's ability to sway her and by your utter lack of morals." Then she threw her arms around him and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist. "You're too awesome."
He caught her against him, his hands wrapped around her bottom. "I told her I'd be too distraught to keep Vic's going if you were facing unspeakable horrors or if I was worrying about your mom." He kissed her nose. "I also said that if you were excused, then you and I would be visiting my mother-in-law in the Afterlife a lot, and that I would always bring pretzels when I visited. Lots and lots of pretzels, with plenty of extras for Isabella." He grinned. "There are serious advantages to being a pretzel mogul."
Justine stared at him. "Mother-in-law? Did you really tell her we were getting married? I mean, it's not like we've even talked about it." Or even had time to think about it. But she was thinking now. Oh, yes, she was definitely thinking about it.
"I had to tell her we were getting married to ensure it didn't sound like a bribe." He trailed his fingers along her collarbone. "You don't have to do it, though."
She clasped her hands behind his neck, unable to keep the grin off her face. "So you don't want to marry me?"
He lifted a brow. "I'm not cursed anymore. I'll take the first woman who says yes."
Her smile got wider. "What makes you think I would say yes?"
"Because no other man would be crazy enough to marry Satan's daughter."
"So, I'm desperate?"
"Yep. And so am I."
"You are? Why?"
"Because no other woman stirs my soul like you do." He kissed her softly. "I'm a goner for a Guardian with a gun and an espresso machine. Especially a Guardian who loves me enough to save my life even at the risk of her eternal soul."
"I saved your life because I needed your help to end the Curse," she teased.
"But in the end, when it was all over, you didn't kill me." He pressed her palm to his lips. "That's when I knew you had it bad for me, Guardian."
"And you didn't kill me either."
"Exactly. True love all around." He framed her face between his hands. "I love you, and I'm going to use our two-month suspension to make love to you in so many different ways that only our immortality will keep us surviving all the orgasms. I figure we can get married today, and then take off on a honeymoon."
She hugged him fiercely, nearly overwhelmed by the love vibrating in her body.
He crushed her against him in a tight embrace. "I hope you don't mind the vacation. Isabella needed to punish you, so I made the suggestion, she liked it." He pulled back far enough so see her face. His eyes were bright, his smile brilliant. "I can't have my true love burning herself out. I insist on a vacation at least every two centuries. Let Theresa and Quincy earn their titles."
"I've never had a vacation. It's a great wedding gift." She grinned. "I love you, too, and I will marry you." It was the most amazing feeling to embrace her love for Derek. Nothing to hold them back anymore.
Oh, sure, Satan Jr. would eventually be unfrozen, Satan wasn't going to give up on seducing Iris, Theresa was still stuck in dragon form pining for Zeke, Derek's CEO was Satan's servant, and she seriously doubted they were going to be able to convince Quincy to accept his new assignment and drink from Mona, but how dull would her life be without all of that?
True love, great sex, and lots of threats coming from all directions. Her life was perfect.
What happens with Theresa and Zeke when they finally meet? Get Curse of the Dragon
now and find out!
* * *
Get it now!
Want more Order of the Blade? Want to read the book that inspired Darkness Awakened: Reimagined? Get the original Darkness Awakened here!
Acknowledgments
No one’s getting anywhere good in this world without a team of badasses at their back, and I’m no different.
My family, especially Joe, AER, and my mom are freaking fantastic. A book like this requires stepping into your soul and ripping off all the restraints, and those three made it possible. They believe in me, make me believe in myself even when I think I suck, and they love me no matter what. I love you guys so much!
There are cover artists, and then there are people like Kelli Ann Morgan, who create an entire brand. My covers, all my graphics, all my merchandise, my logo…all of it comes from the beautiful and talented soul of Kelli Ann. Thank you, Kelli Ann, for being in on the ground floor of creating the SAB brand and making it blossom into something so incredible!
My beta readers are rock-this-world amazeballs! Without you guys, there would be so many typos and errors in this book! Thank you so much to Malinda Davis Diehl, Alencia Bates Salters, Alyssa Bird, Donna Bossert, Jean Bowden, Shell Bryce, Denise Fluhr, Valerie Glass, Heidi Hoffman, Jeanne Stone, Deb Julienne, Bridget Koan, Helen Loyal, Felicia Low Mikoll, Suzanne Mayer, Jodi Moore, Ashlee Murphy, Judi Pflughoeft, Kasey Richardson, Caryn Santee, Amber Ellison Shriver, Summer Steelman, Regina Thomas, and Linda Watson.
For Heidi Hoffman. Thank you for EVERYTHING!
Sneak Peek: Hunt the Darkness
2018 RITA® Award Winner for Best Paranormal Romance
One warrior driven by an oath he will give his life to fulfill. Another tormented by his love for the woman he failed.
Haunted by loss, each warrior is consumed by his relentless quest for redemption. Alone, each will fail. But when Calydon warrior Gabe Watson and mage Vladimir Hawkings team up to cross over into the demon realm to hunt down those who matter most, they finally have a chance to change the past …until they encounter two bold, sensual women who hold the key to everything that matters to them…brave, independent women who want nothing to do with them.
Gabe awoke from his healing sleep in an instant, going from total submersion to complete readiness in a split second. The first thing he noticed was that there was a woman in his arms, and the second thing he noticed was that he had no idea where the hell he was.
His eyes snapped open, a
nd he scanned the room, assessing every last detail with rapid speed. They were deep underground, and the walls were volcanic rock laced with magic and metal. There were nor doors or windows, just rock on all sides, and there were only a few pieces of furniture scattered about the room.
He sat up, too fast, and the room began to spin violently. Swearing, he gripped the mattress while he fought against the vertigo. Memories came flashing back of the demon attack after Vlad had brought him into the demon realm. He recalled instantly the woman who had rushed into the room, warning him off her brother.
Brother?
He looked down at the woman still unconscious beside him, noting her red bodice, black pants, and badass boots. Same woman. Her brother was a demon? The room kept spinning, and he lay back down beside her, fighting against the spinning in his brain. He did a quick scan through his body and found remnants of the poison that the demon had thrust into him. It was mostly gone, wiped away by a healing energy...a female energy...hers.
His attention snapped to the woman beside him once again. She had saved him? And she'd invaded his body with her energy? Who was she? His gaze swept over her high cheekbones, the curve of her mouth, and her breasts that were pushing up out of her bodies. Her hips had the soft angles of a woman, and for a split second, he had a sudden urge to run his hand over her hip, to feel the curves beneath his palm. His hand actually started to move, but he jerked it back by his side, shocked by how strong the temptation to touch her was.
He was immune to woman, and he had been for centuries. Celibacy had been always been a part of his life, because even when he was a kid, he'd known that he'd wanted to be part of the Order of the Blade. Even if a Calydon could avoid the sheva destiny, which he doubted, no warrior could give a hundred percent to his mission if his time was split with a woman. It simply wasn't possible.
With the Order crumbling since Dante's death, Gabe knew he was the last chance the Order had to survive. He had to find Dante and bring him back, because no one else was doing it.
Which meant he had no time for women, and he never had. He didn't even notice them as women, and he never wanted them. It had never been an issue...until now, until her.
He could still feel her presence inside him, like a silken seduction that had caressed every cell in his body while he'd been unconscious. It was a feminine energy, soft, seductive and tempting, utterly unlike anything he had every experienced in his life.
Slowly, reluctantly, he leaned forward and inhaled. She smelled like untouched beauty, dark and sensual, with a hint of something lighter and more feminine, like some sort of flower. It was intriguing as hell, and he wanted more of it.
Her hair was dark and thick where it tumbled over her shoulders and across his upper arm. He moved his fingers slightly, rubbing the strands. Soft. Like silk. He hadn't even realized that anything that soft existed, not that he'd ever thought about it. He was always working, always focused on the mission of the Order, always alert for threats. Yeah, he'd seen his team members fall for women, but he'd never noticed or cared about it, other than to assess whether the situation adversely affected the ability of the Order to discharge their duties. He'd never even been curious.
But now, with this woman lying so still in his arms, he was riveted by her, and he wanted to know why. Was she his sheva? The thought made his blood run cold, but he didn't shy away from the possibility. He had to know what he was facing, why she had managed to get him to notice her.
He studied her again, systematically going over her, trying to figure out why he was reacting to her. A dozen weapons were strapped to her body, and those were just the ones he could see. A warrior, then. He recalled how she's strode right into the middle of battle, utterly without fear. Not just a warrior. A brave, fearless one who would risk anything to save her brother.
Frowning, he brushed his finger over her cheek. She was cool to the touch, a fact which deepened his frown. Her skin was pale, almost ashen, and her breathing was much too shallow. He moved his hand to her chest, letting his palm hover over her heart while he sent his energy into her, assessing her injuries.
No broken bones or injuries that he could find. Just a fading spirit, and a body that was full of darkness and taint. He closed his eyes, reaching more deeply inside her, retracing connections that she'd built between them when she'd healed him. He could feel his own presence inside her, and he realized that when she'd healed him, she'd brought his energy into her own body, along with the poison that had been killing him. She'd healed him by taking the poison into her own body, and now it was trying to kill her.
Shit. He owed her, and he needed her, which meant he had to save her…but how? Could he heal her the way he could heal other Calydons, with his energy?
Frowning, he put his hand on her hip. She was on her side, with her back toward him, so it seemed like the most logical place to touch, but it felt awfully damned invasive to touch her like that. The leather of her pants was smooth and sleek beneath his palm, an assault to his senses, but it was blocking his ability to sense her. With a groan of resignation, he slipped his hand beneath the waistband of her pants and spread his hand across her bare hip, so he had skin-to-skin contact with her.
Her skin was incredibly soft, but it was cold. Too cold. She was fading quickly. He closed his eyes, summoning all his healing energy to his hand. His hand began to heat up, and he offered it to her, but she didn't let him in. He moved his hand lower, trying to find a place where her barriers were less strong, and then he tried again…and again, she didn't let him in.
Shit.
He withdrew his hand, irritated by the fact that his cock was starting to get hard. He needed to focus. Getting a hard-on was a ridiculous lack of discipline that hadn't happened to him in centuries.
He studied her for another moment, trying to decide the best place to touch her. The skin on her face was too soft. Her hip...too dangerous. Her arm or leg? Not connected closely enough to her vital organs. That left her torso. He could try her heart, but with her breast spilling out of the bodies, he'd be getting a handful of flesh that he didn't want to risk.
Her stomach then. The belly was a powerful source of energy for the soul and the physical being. With another groan of resignation, he tugged her bodice up and shoved her high-waisted pants lower on her belly. Her stomach was flat and muscled, but there was a softness that was pure woman.
Jesus.
Gritting his teeth, he flattened his palm over her stomach. Her body was soft and womanly beneath his touch, not the hard, steel of his own flesh. She was strong and muscular, but her body was so different than his. His palm burned with heat, but again, she didn't accept his help.
He tried three more times, and got nothing, except a bigger hard-on.
Swearing, he untangled himself from her and got off the bed. It took a moment to get his balance, but he walked across the room and sat down on the floor, draping his hands over his knees while he took some space from her. "What do I do with you?" he asked her. His voice was low, bouncing off the walls, echoing his question back at him.
He had to get out of the room. He had to find Dante. And he needed her help to do it.
Her breath stuttered in her chest, and he narrowed his eyes. Did she look even more pale than she had before? Was her breathing shallower? He jumped up and strode back over to her. He crouched in front of her and touched her cheek. Her skin was definitely colder now. Son of a bitch. What was going on?
Her eyelids suddenly fluttered, and then opened. He found himself instantly staring into the most vibrant blue eyes he'd ever seen in his life. They were icy blue, like a glacier that was ruthlessly tearing apart everything it its way. But at the same time, there was such pain and fear in her eyes, vulnerability that violated everything that a warrior should be. "I can't die," she whispered. "They need me."
Her voice was soft, so soft he could barely hear her, but it was laced with fierce determination. She was vulnerable and powerful, both at the same time, a combination he wasn't accustome
d to. Male warriors were only hard. Never vulnerable. But this woman was both, which intrigued him. He leaned forward, his hand still on her cheeks. "What can I do?"
"Kiss me." Her gaze was steady and unyielding, but her breath was becoming more shallow.
He blinked. "Kiss you?" Instinctively, he dropped his hand
The moment he released her, fear ran starkly across her face, and she cried out in protest. "Don't let go!"
He immediately put his hand on her cheek again, and this time, he saw her body shudder in response. "My touching helps you," he said. "Why?"
Her gaze met his, and he saw a hint of something in there. Embarrassment? Vulnerability? "I'm a lust demon," she whispered. "I get my energy from sex. I need you."
"Oh...shit." His cock got hard instantly, and he jerked backward, away from her. "I don't do that."
"Don't let go of me!" She snapped the command at him.
For a long moment, he didn't move, every instinct screaming at him to back off and not get involved. But when her eyes lids fluttered shut and her body went limp, fury tore through him. "No." He crouched in front of her again and framed her face with both hands. "I need you."
For a moment, she didn't respond, but then her eyes opened again. "Mutual need. Take me, I'm yours."
Again, with the surge of blood to his cock, like he was some animal who couldn't control himself. "My leader is trapped in the demon realm. I need your help to find him."
She studied him. "You'll give me sex only if I assist you?"
He grimaced at the way she'd phrased it. "I don't have sex. How else can I save you?"
She shook her head, and her eyes fluttered shut again. "Lust demon," she murmured. "Only sex." She took a shuddering breath, and then went still.
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