Domiel (12 page)

Pulling back she flicked her tongue over the head. “Love the tat.”

She nearly worked him to orgasm with her tongue, her warm palms cupping his sac. He couldn’t take it any longer. He brought her to her feet, coaxed her to wrap her arms around his neck, then cradled her to his body and moved back into the bedroom. He wasn’t going to lay her on cold tiles when he paid her back in kind. No concrete floor of the armory for her.

Over the soft comforter of the bed, he laid his weight over hers, ran his hands over her body, learning every curve. Her soft moans were answers to every one of his sexual questions concerning her likes and dislikes. She didn’t like his tongue in her naval, but she loved his kisses on her inner thigh. Light touches on her sides made her giggle, nibbling behind her knees prompted her to suck in her breath.

Warm breath blown across her sex and she went ramrod stiff on the bed. Learning what turned her on turned
him
on. There was no question in his mind that he’d not prolong this foreplay. She’d be begging him to take her before he gave in.

He wanted to hear her moan his name.

Chapter Eight

Very few beings were privy to the knowledge that a demon could be controlled with a few simple words and the knowledge of their name.

Alexia was one of those privileged people.

Jade had taught her the incantation concerning demonic control, and she used it now to keep Azazel in line, as she’d done to him before. Only this time her husband found zero amusement in her skill, and she knew it.

She’d commanded him to sit and be quiet, and until she commanded something else from him, he wasn’t moving off the bed, and damned if he couldn’t form a single word. Light green eyes that normally gazed at her lovingly, cut a hole through her heart right now. If looks could kill, her headstone would have been ordered exactly eight hours ago, when she’d used the incantation. Damn was he pissed, but he had nothing on her. She was ready to take down the entire Alliance.

Jade plopped down on the bed next to Azazel, knowing very well he wanted to kill her but couldn’t. “You can start by searching the area around the catacombs, where you found Kels before. I think the person who’s framing her had something to do with her possession.”

“I agree.” Lexie’s earlier connection to Kels had been cut short for some reason, but the good news was that Domiel had agreed to give Kels time to clear her name. Hell, that demon would do just about anything if you threw him a bone flavored with sex. And it was no secret Kels was in a sexual drought. Pair that with a walking erection and you got two people bound to heat up the sheets.

“Can you give us a minute?” she asked, nodding toward Azazel.

Jade smiled knowingly as she slid off the bed. It was tough fighting against the very men who held their hearts, but she and Jade were too strong willed not to help Kels.

“I’ll be primping in the bathroom. Getting all masculine and shit.”

Alexia rolled her eyes and sat on the edge of the bed across from a very aggressive-looking Azazel. Most couples were either alike or complete opposites. She and Azazel were the former. Both born fighters with built-in tempers, they often knew what the other was thinking, and could always calm the storm in each other’s eyes.

Not this time.

When Ambrose held her against her will, Azazel had agreed that it was the best choice given the circumstances involving Kels. Her own husband had allowed the Alliance to put her under lock and key. Part of her figured this was her retribution against that bullshit he’d pulled.

“Listen, I know you’d like nothing more than to see my head on a spike right about now, but damn it, you know me better. We fell in love while I was trying to save Kels, so why would I allow the Alliance to take her down now? I haven’t changed. I’m sorry. This is the only way. If I knew you’d help instead of hinder, I’d let go of the power I have over you.”

He couldn’t talk. She contemplated keeping it that way, but eventually she had to listen to him. She spoke perfectly in the demonic tongue. “Azazel may speak freely, but may not move his arms or legs.”

She might be fearless, but she wasn’t stupid.

The muscle in his jaw worked for a good two minutes before he spoke, and when he did, it came out in a growl. “Do what you must.”

Well, she hadn’t been expecting that, but at least he hadn’t brought up the big D word—divorce. Maybe
You crazy bitch
or something along those lines, but a forced acquiescence? “You know I love you. You don’t want your ring back, do you?”

His sexy light green eyes were slowly giving way to demonic red. Not a good sign. Damn it all to hell, they were still in their honeymoon phase. The stunt she was pulling could have her groveling for months when all was said and done, and she didn’t do kissing-up very well.

With safety in the knowledge that he couldn’t move, she leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips. Even though he was under her control, she didn’t think lingering would be a wise decision.

What she wouldn’t give to have him on her side. He’d saved Kels once, but she couldn’t trust him to have her friend’s back this time. He’d already made it clear whose side he was on, and it wasn’t hers.

Jade emerged from the bathroom, pulling her out of her morose thoughts, looking like Azazel’s twin. Right down to his scowl and leather. Her morphing ability would kick them in the right direction.

Jade winked at Lexie. “Hey, baby. I still love you.”

It was enough to crack a smile on Lexie’s face.

Azazel was less than amused. “Samael will detect your energy within three miles. Didn’t you morph into Ambrose once, and he caught you within seconds?”

“Azazel will remain silent.” Alexia said in the demonic tongue. To Jade, she asked, “You talk to your friend?”

“Yep. She told me exactly how to mix my energy with Azazel’s, but you’re not going to like it.”

She doubted she would. Last time Jade had morphed to gain information from Samael, Samael had known it was her from the get-go, even though she’d looked every inch the leader of the Alliance. “Well?”

“I have to feed from him.”

Alexia ground her teeth. She had no doubt that Jade loved Samael, but taking blood from Azazel was damn near the same thing as sleeping with him, as far as Lexie was concerned. “I’ve had his blood for months, but my energy hasn’t changed to indicate his.”

“There’s a spell to go with it. She says it works like a charm, pun intended.”

Jade wasn’t pushing the idea on her, she was merely relaying the facts. It sat so ill with Lexie, she actually felt sick to her stomach. “And there’s no way Samael will be able to detect it’s you?”

“No.”

Azazel would no doubt get hard in the process. Jade would feel the sexual awareness as well.

As she waited for the right answer to pop up and relieve the stress of making the decision herself, she took a hard look at Azazel. It came down to one thing; she had no choice. She watched Azazel’s eyes turn cold as she made her decision. “A mission is a mission. Take from his wrist.”

“I’ll stay in his form while I do it. That should take the edge off.”

“Until you get a woody.”

Jade’s color drained. “I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.”

Alexia got up and took Jade aside. She took her aside more out of habit than for affect. She knew damn well Azazel could hear her, but she didn’t really care. He was seriously indisposed at the moment. “You’re like a sister to me, but you know I’m taking one for the team right now? A major hit.”

“Yeah.”

“Then you better make damned sure this isn’t for nothing. If you fuck this up, not only will I have basically handed my husband over to you, but Kels will suffer.”

“Have you had a vision?”

She’d waited for a vision for hours. “No.”

“Things will work out, Lexie. They always do.”

It was the first time Alexia didn’t feel the sweet taste of victory before a fight. And the lack of vision made her wonder who else might be in the hot seat.

With her stomach in knots, she muttered, “Do it.”

“Do you want to leave the room?”

She did, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Like it or not, she was part of this equation. “No.”

Vampires took blood. It was in their nature. Still, when Jade settled down next to Azazel, Lexie felt as though the situation was anything but natural. She heard Jade mumble, “Sorry,” and then she lifted Azazel’s arm and sank her fangs into his skin.

While Jade was taking from him, Azazel locked his gaze on Lexie. Of all the things she’d done to him, this was by far the worst … the most personal thing between a vampire and his or her mate was the feeding process, and she was handing that intimacy over to her friend. Without her mate’s agreement.

She wrapped one arm over her stomach, and placed a hand over her mouth. She was doing the best she could with the situation fate had dealt her. This would always be a memory, always with them. Could Azazel ever forgive her?

When his breathing came at short clips, and she could smell his desire, she finally turned away, unable to excuse her and Jade’s actions and at a loss to change them.

* * * *

The catacombs were dank and dark. Ancient energy seeped off the crusted walls, coalescing into an immortal’s warning. The soft crunch of dirt and rock under Kelsey’s tennis shoes was the only sound in the eerie stillness. The city of Paris lay directly above her, silenced by layers of dirt and concrete.

Kelsey’s eyes dilated, her night vision giving everything a bluish tone.

Domiel was going to be pissed that she’d left him behind, but she couldn’t involve him any more than she already had. Lexie hadn’t had another vision, which led Kelsey to believe this last stand against the incubus was going to be just that … her last stand. She might be taking her final breath soon, but she’d take that bastard straight to hell with her.

Amid all thoughts of death and retribution was the undeniable attraction she’d experienced with Domiel. Thoughts of him hung in her mind like an annoying gnat that couldn’t be swatted away no matter how many swipes of her hand she made. He was, and would always remain, a male that no woman could catch. So why even think about him?

Because she couldn’t seem to get him out of her head. The sex had been fantastic, which she’d counted on. But their connection had blossomed under the heat of his touch. They’d started out like animals, and slowly, after they’d both had a few orgasms, the touching had gentled. Both tender and rough …
oh, what the hell
. No reason to dream that impossible dream, nor fantasize about something that would never happen again.

Moving further into the shadows, she searched for the best place to sit. She’d have to find the incubus in the dream realm, take him on, and coax him out into the human realm to fight. He could take on any identity in her subconscious, and so could she. She could manifest any weapon, any skill, with just a thought.

So could he.

But none of that would matter, because somehow he could manifest more than weapons. He’d amazingly made it possible to harm someone in the dream realm. She hadn’t controlled her own actions when she’d been forced to stab herself. She didn’t have the knowledge to manipulate people in the dream realm.

Death didn’t concern her. She’d be reunited with her daughter. What she didn’t care for was the way the bastard had tarnished her reputation.

Settling herself against the wall, she closed her eyes and focused on connecting with him, something she’d tried with no luck in the past. She chose the catacombs because while it was here she might have been subjected to all the horrors of the spiritual demons, it was also here that she was the strongest. She’d survived something most would never have survived. Here in the catacombs her friends had found her. She’d lived.

The physical world faded away as she entered the dream realm and concentrated on the demon’s energy. The only hope she had was that the asshole was sleeping or walking the dream realm. If he was, she’d find him.

Delving into the subconscious wasteland of those who were sleeping, she passed through numerous dreams. Ninety percent of dreams were either scary or sexy, and all were noisy. Some made absolutely no sense.

Skilled in her power, she threaded through the badlands of self-indulgence until a thread of familiar energy surrounded her. Dark and intense, it could be no other than whom she sought. A sense of relief flooded her, and she opened her eyes slowly, ready to face him and end his power play.

She sucked in her breath, not expecting what met her gaze. Her old family’s tapestries hung on the stone castle walls, a huge fire in the hearth casting orange light throughout the space.

She was back home.

The setting was so accurate she could have sworn she’d gone back in time. She hadn’t conjured this image, so why was she surrounded by her past? Was this where the incubus liked to play? Where he could fuck with her mind?

She turned in wonder, taking it all in, feeling as though she’d been sucker-punched. Everything was exactly as she remembered it. When her gaze fell on the stairway that led to the bedchambers, she half expected to see her daughter, Elspeth, sitting on the bottom step, as she’d done so many times while playing with her dolls. The decadent aroma of fresh stew and sweet bread wafted through the ghostly castle. Her father’s soldiers appeared, first as apparitions, then quickly solidifying as if they were really an arm’s length away.

“As sentimental as a Christmas card.”

She pivoted toward the familiar voice, a lump forming in her throat. The demon stood in front of the opened oak double doors that led out to the common grounds. The sunlight at his back cast him in silhouette, though no great mystery to behold. He stood tall, so sure of himself.

Trained to take in a situation within seconds, she braced herself against anything he had in mind. She manifested a sword in each hand, unwilling to remain unarmed, yet knowing the swords could do nothing but calm her fears somewhat. She had to draw him out of the dream realm, because only on the outside could she kill him.