ANGEL'S FATED MATE

by Meg Xuemei X

  As my hand added weight on her bare back, emotion wheeled back into her eyes.

  “What do you mean exactly by letting me go?” she asked.

  “You’ll be free,” I said. “I won’t allow anyone, not even my lord father, to slay my lamb.”

  She shivered. “Speak no riddles, Prince.”

  “Meet me at the Spring Hall after the dance,” I whispered in her ear.

  She shuddered again, this time from the pleasure caused by my intentional breath on her earlobe. The rigidity left her soft, warm body; the enmity in her eyes also vanished.

  I had to take great pain not to crush her against my chest and wrap her inside the walls of my wings to keep her safe. My male instinct had been roaring and rebelled against my lord father’s stern orders and I’d finally listened.

  What kind of male was I if I couldn’t even protect the only female I desired? A male who couldn’t keep his female safe had no right to exist.

  Rose relaxed in my arms. “Seth,” she whispered.

  “Yes?”

  “I thought—”

  “You thought what?” I whispered back.

  The music shifted, a cue that it was another male’s turn to dance with her, but I had no intention of letting her out of my arms. I didn’t care how it looked. I only wanted to hold her. Any caution and discretion be damned. I had a notorious reputation anyway, and I could use it for the dance with her tonight.

  “You won’t dance with anyone again,” I said. “I don’t want any male’s dirty claws on your bare skin.”

  She sent me an uncertain look before it warmed to something else—a relief, a challenge, and a tinge of happiness.

  We rocked to slow moves. Starlight sparked in her eyes. Under the moon, she brightened the hall and my heart. If only everyone would disappear and let Rose and I have the whole place to ourselves under the night sky, dancing to eternity.

  Agro strode toward us, looking darkly crossed.

  “Hands off, Seth,” he yelled. “You forever want what I have but you can’t have.” He pushed me aside rudely and took Rose into his arms.

  I could stomp him like a bug, but if I killed him now, my lord father would come. And Rose might get hurt right there and then if I picked a fight with Agro over her.

  Snuffing out the lightning sizzling in my fingertips, I walked away.

  Then I heard Rose say, “I feel ill, Your Majesty. It must be the drink and all this excitement. I can dance no longer tonight.”

  I would wait for her at our designated place.

  Chapter 14

  PRINCESS ROSE

  Souline insisted on accompanying me to the Spring Hall.

  Not tonight, I said. I’ll meet with Prince Seth alone. There might be a change of plan later.

  She didn’t question me again.

  Souline, my guards, and my courtiers had all known that the High Prince of All Angels had saved me on several occasions and covered my trail in Babylon. They didn’t trust him but, for the first time, my guards didn’t insist on being with me in the Spring Hall when the prince came.

  Hector and two of my guards settled for posting themselves outside the door. With just one alarmed word through our telepathic link, they would charge in and go for the prince’s throat.

  Still in my blue gown, I lounged on a bench near the fountain, waiting for him.

  When it passed midnight, Seth was still nowhere in sight.

  I had come to meet him because he had promised to reveal his lord father’s sinister plan for me. Just when I decided he could be relatively trusted again, the prick stood me up.

  I was sick and tired of his stupid games.

  I rose to my feet in a black mood, but before I reached for the door, the wind blew down with the familiar scent of pine, wine, and leather.

  I looked up as the skylight closed after the Prince of Angels. His splendid wings spread out and blocked the night sky. The angel slowed his descent.

  “Never one for patience,” he said, his hungry gaze roaming over me.

  Suddenly, I found my face burning and my pulse spiking, and I tried hard to dim the light in my eyes at the sight of him. After suffering his cold treatments these last few days, I thought the heat between us would have been no more than the residue of the last burning coal, but my treacherous body still reacted to him hotly.

  “You’re late,” I said.

  “I had to take measures to block my father’s sight,” he said.

  Then he was in front of me. I would never get used to how fast he could move. Before I stepped back or made a snide comment, he grabbed me and took me to the air.

  “What are you doing?” I demanded, though I’d gotten over the fright of flying with him long ago.

  “Relax, eroma,” he said. “I’ll never hurt you.”

  “I’m not so sure—” But then I was busy throwing my arms around his neck. “You can’t just take me into the high sky or to the mountains again!” I said, yet I pressed my face against his hard chest to inhale him and feel him again.

  He chuckled as if pleased with my need of him. “You can see the sky and stars better from here.” He placed me on a wooden beam near the skylight and sat beside me, his heated thigh against mine and his strong arm around my shoulder possessively.

  Star light sifted through the glass overhead, and an illusion of peace filled my mind with the angel holding me.

  “Did you come here just to sit by me?” I asked, removing his arm from my shoulder, though I wanted to crawl onto his lap. “You said it was important.”

  He sighed, his face turning grim. “My father has moved your wedding date to the end of the week. Agro will inform you only on the day before the wedding.”

  “What?” I almost fell from the high beam, but Seth wrapped his strong arm around my waist to steady me.

  “You’ve got three days to leave Atlantis,” he said.

  Three days. It was impossible to find the Sky Power in three days. We wouldn’t even have time to blow up the angels’ vault. And I needed more time for my courtiers’ retreat. They had sacrificed too much for me and our people.

  “You came to claim me,” I drawled.

  He’d brought me here to force me to fulfill my end of the bargain—our deal was that he had the right to fuck me a week before the wedding.

  “No, Rose,” he said. “I won’t do that to you. I’m setting you free. Let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll get you out of the city. I have a hideout on Earth, but the best way to keep you safe is to ship you to my secret planet in another galaxy.”

  “What? No!” I said. “I won’t leave my land and my people behind.”

  “You can come back when things cool off.”

  “Things will never cool off while you angels occupy my planet.” I gazed up at him. “But why?”

  He frowned. “Why what?”

  “Our deal is that I’ll let you have me no later than a week before the wedding in exchange for my safety.”

  “I no longer hold you to your end of the bargain, Rose,” he said, “and I’ll still keep you safe.”

  His dismissal only made me feel hurt and disappointed rather than relieved, and I was shocked by my unreasonable reaction. “But—” I inhaled. “Don’t you—don’t you want me anymore?” And I waited, in dread of the truth.

  “You think I don’t want you anymore?” he asked incredulously.

  I studied his face. “Do you?”

  “Every day I want you more than yesterday, eroma,” he said. “It drives me out of my mind.” He stopped, catching me stealing a glance at his groin.

  He flashed me a roguish grin and flapped open the corner of his trench coat.

  His huge bulge pressed against the front of his trousers and distorted its shape.

  “Oh.” I breathed out, feeling dazed and giddy.

  “Ever since I met you it swells like this whenever you’re around.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “But you had a flock of female companions when you were busy avoiding me.”
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  He grunted. “Will you hold a grudge forever? I told you I had to use them to throw my father off my track. I never touched any of them. Other than you, other females’ scents are repulsive to me.” He gave me a long, appraising look. “I still can’t figure out why you’re the bane of my existence.”

  I felt a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips.

  He tightened his arm around me and pulled me closer, his nose nudging my neck to breathe in my scent.

  If he sat me on his lap, I wouldn’t fight him. I would throw my arms around him.

  “Will you truly let me go with no strings attached?” I asked.

  “Things have changed,” he said. “I’ve changed. You’re more to me than you thought. So I nullified your part of the agreement.”

  Was this another attempt to get into my pants?

  Then he cursed. “My lord father—he’s turning toward us.”

  He leapt down from the beam with me in his arms. While a scream caught in my throat we landed beside the streambed.

  He gazed down at me, lust and hunger remaining in his silver eyes. His knuckles grazed over my cheek. “Set the date and I’ll come for you.”

  He lowered his head. I thought he was about to kiss me, so I stood on my tiptoes and pouted my lips for his convenience, but he only inhaled my scent before shooting back into the air.

  The skylight opened and closed.

  The Prince of Angels was gone.

  Chapter 15

  PRINCE SETH

  The safest way to hide Rose was to ship her to my secret planet Valhalla.

  My spaceship would be waiting on the other side of the Earth portal.

  I’d considered taking the Forbidden Glory, but the Lord of All Angels could also command the Glory. I hadn’t found a way to turn it against him. And if I stole the Glory, he would hunt Rose and me to the end of the universe.

  I wouldn’t want that kind of life for her—forever on the run and always looking over her shoulder.

  Without taking possession of the Forbidden Glory, my running away with Rose would piss off my father and make him go after me for a while, but the hunt would eventually stop.

  Now was good for Rose to take off. Agro wasn’t in town. The pompous king had left for Babylon to end its free governing. He also joined his army to smother the sparks of the Dragonian rebels to show his mighty force and make sure they wouldn’t come to harass his wedding ceremony, which was three days away.

  The rulers of the conquered nations had all gathered in Atlantis. All sorts of Earth species milled around in the city in a hedonistic mood. Earthling mortals had short lifespans and shorter memories. They’d forgotten how we had conquered them and that they were forever second class beings in the city of the angels.

  But the chaos of their presence and activities would provide good cover for Rose to depart Atlantis.

  She had sent two-thirds of her courtiers back to Mysth, using her charm to convince Agro that they would accompany her emperor father to Atlantis for their wedding. Agro had no idea that his ‘bride’ was executing a retreat. He was pondering when to inform her of the change of date for their wedding.

  It wouldn’t come to that. I would have gotten Rose far away from him by then.

  I would talk to Rose after a nap. I hadn’t slept much lately, worried as I was for my lamb and busy planning our escape.

  At high noon I returned to my quarters in the golden tower.

  Then I scented her—jasmine of the night sublimely weaving into her natural pheromones.

  My nostrils flared and my heart leapt. I strode into my bedchamber.

  Rose leaned in bed, reading a book.

  She wore black lingerie that stressed her generous breasts. Its hem barely reached her enticing golden thighs, and she wasn’t wearing any panties.

  She glanced up at me through her thick lashes, a sensual smile ghosting over her pink lips. She returned to her reading, pretending to be oblivious to the provokingly erotic view she presented.

  The blood roared in my veins. My dick sprang to full size inside my trousers and pushed against the fabric, seeking a way out.

  I was at the bedside in an instant. Then I put her on my lap.

  She didn’t protest or resist, like she’d usually done, but threw her arms around my neck. Tossing her elegant head back a little, she gazed up at me, heat ablaze in her whiskey-colored eyes.

  For the first time her face was open as all inhibition had departed from her.

  Her unfaltering desire for me made my blood boil, and I wouldn’t ask the stupid question, “Are you sure?” I wouldn’t give her time to think it over.

  I, the High Prince of All Angels, who had never yielded to any female, was ready to hand over my control to her, mostly because I’d been burning in the hell of lust.

  I threaded my fingers into her lustrous hair and crushed her against me. My mouth came down on hers, raw and hard and hungry.

  Rose widened her eyes at my roughness.

  She had only herself to blame for starving me too long.

  But I was an angel, not a total beast. So I pulled back a little to prevent my teeth from crashing onto her soft lips.

  My mouth slanted over hers. I tried to be gentle, but I couldn’t get enough of her. My male instinct urged me to brand her. I kissed her harder and deeper.

  I didn’t want to scare her with this degree of intensity, but Skies, I couldn’t slow down. I couldn’t tone it down.

  I wanted her. I wanted all of her now.

  Rose gasped at my ferocity, then kissed me back with equal fierceness.

  She didn’t mind this savage part of me!

  She grabbed my hair to hold me in place and opened her mouth in invitation. As my tongue charged inside, hers was quick to meet mine. She matched my fire with hers, which was no less hot.

  That pleased me to no end. My Rose had awoken as well.

  She tasted as sweet as honeysuckle, her scent haunted me like my long-forgotten home, and her desire for me was the wild singing wind.

  My type of girl.

  A moan escaping from the back of her throat sent me to a new fever pitch.

  I grabbed her breast.

  I needed to rip her clothes off. I wanted nothing between us, and my cock wanted to be inside her now.

  Angles were both a savage and refined species. The refined side warned me to be civilized with her. If I acted too roughly, I might turn her off, even though she welcomed my savage self for the moment. But being tender and patient proved to be a hell of a task when the dam had opened, when all I wanted was a quick fuck first.

  My hand kneaded her tit as my tongue fucked hers wildly. I moved my hand from her breast to her plump pussy.

  She was wet, her scent unbearably erotic. I needed to kiss her down there and twirl my tongue inside to taste her thoroughly and solicit her sweet juice.

  I broke from the kiss, and Rose tried to pull me back, not gently.

  I let out a low chuckle. My Rose was no longer ice, but the wildest fire burning through all.

  My fingers stroked her soft, shivering folds as my thumb rubbed her clitoris in circles. She let out a cry of pleasure and spread her legs wider.

  Before I went further with her, I had to make sure. “Has anyone seen you coming here?” And I was amazed that I had the presence of mind to remember to ask her that, but her safety was more important than my pleasure.

  She tried to slow her breathing. “Femi put glamour on me, so whoever saw me would think I was someone else.” She added with a sly smile. “You’ve been entertaining females lately. It wouldn’t be a shock if anyone saw another female enter your suite.”

  “But you look just like you,” I said. “If I can see through your glamour, others might as well.”

  “The glamour fell off right before you came in,” she said. “When I’m ready to leave, it’ll come back up. Femi will take care of that.”

  I was still worried. “What if the king’s guards find out you aren’t in your chamber?”r />
  “My double is taking a nap in my suite right now. The guards were ordered not to disturb Her Highness.”

  “In that case, I wish Her Highness a good, long nap.”

  I laid my Rose in bed, ready to fuck her.

  The princess stared up at me, her lips parted, her breath uneven, and her eyes bright.

  My trembling hands fell on her lingerie. I meant to remove it gently, yet it came off in two pieces in my hands. The fabric was just too damn frail. The good thing was that Rose didn’t mind my being too eager.

  I threw the torn lingerie on the floor on top of the white gown she’d shed earlier and swiftly shoved off my weapons, belt, shirts, and trousers.

  Staring at my naked form, the princess inhaled sharply. The weight of her gaze made my blood race and my cock twitch above her face. Her eyes roamed over my torso, then fixed on my male member. I watched her lick her full lips.

  I wanted them to suck it before I shoved my aching cock into her moist heat. I wanted to do so many things to her, all at once.

  I decided to taste her first to quench my eon of thirst. I lifted her hips up. The next, my mouth fell on the plump lids of her sex. Her scent became the thickest, filling my nostrils and making me abandon all reason.

  I was planning to kiss her tenderly and savor her slowly, at least at first, but now that the hunger had taken over and spurred me, I had no mind or will to be civilized.

  I kissed her lovely pussy savagely.

  Rose moaned louder. Her thighs jerked at my attack, then she leaned up to grab my hair.

  I slid my tongue inside her satin flesh and thrust as far as I could go through her small, pinkish opening. As my tongue twirled inside her tightness, she cried my name and propelled her hips forward.

  I pinned her and withdrew my tongue.

  “No, Seth, no!” she protested vehemently and commanded, “Do more.”

  “I’m going to give you more, female!” I said as I stared at the pyramid peak of her flower. It sat there, inviting and waiting to be suckled.

  “Seth,” she whimpered again.