Guardian of the Hellmouth (17 page)

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Authors: A.C. Greenlee

BOOK: Guardian of the Hellmouth
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hands so he couldn’t look at her. She didn’t want him to see her

 

like this. Weak and pathetic. “Have I hurt you?” She quickly

 

shook her head and he placed a hand on her wrist to try and pry
her hands away from her face but they wouldn’t budge. “Your

 

thoughts are such a mess I can’t untangle them. I can smell your

 

tears yet I do not know what caused them. Speak to me.” He

 

ordered and she sniffled, feeling every bit the idiot.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“For what?” He finally managed to pull her hands away,

 

frowning at the trails her tears left behind. Leviathan kissed the

 

apples of her cheeks. “I am such a bastard.”

 

“No. You’ve done nothing wrong.” She told him as he wiped

 

away the last of her tears, leaning his forehead against hers as he

 

whispered quietly to her.

 

“I have. I’ve let this go too far. I told you Kailani; I can’t give

 

you what you deserve. I am not the man for you.” He said and

 

she shook her head, her hand going to his neck as she rubbed her

 

thumb against his stubble.
“But why?” Her voice was so meek, so tiny it sounded frail and

 

he hated himself for it.

 

“Because my time here is limited. Don’t you see that? Once

 

you’re safe I’ll be returning to Hell. There is no place for me in

 

this world as much as I wish otherwise.” He spoke the truth. She

 

knew that but she didn’t want to believe it. But why? What had

 

come over her? She didn’t know Leviathan but it felt right to be

 

with him. It felt right to touch him and confide in him all her

 

secrets, all her fears. She wanted him to stay. Her heart knew it,

 

her body knew it but her brain couldn’t help but protest.

 

Leviathan was wrong for her, no matter how good he felt. “You

 

should listen to your brain. It’s the most logical part of your

 

body.” He said, trailing a hand over her hip to squeeze her thigh,

 

“Beautiful body that it is.” Kailani chuckled, tears leaking down

 

the sides of her face as she kissed his cheeks and nose, finally

 

allowing her lips to rest on his. “What you’re feeling is common

 

Kai. I want you to know that. It is not unique; it is not love or
even infatuation you are feeling. It is the power you hold that

 

wants me to claim it. Nothing more.”

 

“You shouldn’t tell me how I feel Leviathan. It’s not fair.” She

 

said and he growled.

 

“I say it because I know it to be true. You’re not the first

 

Hellmouth—!”

 

“I don’t want to hear about the others!” She cut him off, rolling

 

away from him again but he stopped her, pinning her struggling

 

arms above her head as she fought him. He kissed her then,

 

stilling her movements and pouring everything he had into that

 

one kiss. Wanting her to know she wasn’t alone, that she wasn’t

 

the only one to feel what pulsed through her veins at that

 

moment. For the life of him he couldn’t explain what he was

 

feeling, but it hurt to lie to her. It hurt to say she wasn’t different

 

when he knew in his empty soul she was. And then he was gone,

 

ripping himself away from her as he climbed off the bed and

 

charged into the bathroom. Kailani heard the sound of running
water and she sat up to watch his shadow dance across the carpet.

 

“What…Are you doing?” She was almost afraid to ask, watching

 

him poke his head out and frown at her.

 

“Get in here.” He growled, retreating back into the bathroom only

 

to poke his head back out and add, “Now.” Cautiously, she slid

 

off the bed, wrapping a sheet around her body as she followed the

 

sound of water and the echo of his voice. The second she set foot

 

on the cool tile he grabbed her, peeling the cloth away from her

 

body and tossing her under the chilly spray of the shower head.

 

She shrieked with surprise as the cold water sent a jolt down her

 

spine. Her lips formed a sigh of pleasure and relief as Leviathan

 

joined her, his hot body shielding her from the makeshift

 

waterfall.

 

“I want to be inside of you Kailani. I crave you like a dying man

 

clinging to life.” He whispered against her ear and she shook with

 

the power it took to hold back the tears that suddenly reformed in

 

her eyes.
“Please.” Was her answer, her cry of happiness rising above the

 

sound of the shower and afternoon traffic as he slowly eased

 

himself inside of her. Her wrists were pinned above her head

 

against the tile as he loved her with deliberate slowness. His body

 

pressed against hers, her breasts flattened against his chest as his

 

lips teased her neck and ear. The tears had returned but for a

 

different reason, mixing with the water and rolling down her

 

cheeks only to be kissed away by the man in and around her. Like

 

a peaceful tide breaking upon a beach, the gentle rocking motion

 

of their lovemaking seemed more erotic than anything she’d ever

 

felt. Every inch of her felt ready to melt beneath his touch and

 

when she came it was as if the world had exploded around them

 

and slowly knitted itself back together. Leviathan was next to

 

join her in bliss, her name falling from his lips as he growled,

 

spilling himself inside her still trembling frame. He felt her

 

crumple in his arms as he pulled her closer in an attempt to keep

 

her on her feet. Turning off the shower he hauled her out of the

 

tub and into the bedroom, tossing her onto the bed and collapsing

 

next to her. Their breathing ragged they fell into a comfortable
silence, neither of them needing to speak to convey the emotions

 

that were now apparent between them. Seconds stretched into

 

ages as he listened to her breathing slow, her eyes firmly shut.

 

“What made you cry?” He heard himself asking, even though he

 

knew she was already asleep.

 

“Are you sure they’re in there?” Leviathan’s eyes opened

 

at the woman’s question. Still half asleep he vaguely recognized

 

her small voice as it filtered through the sliding balcony doors.

 

Cursing he slipped from behind the sleeping Kailani and pulled

 

his pants on. They were barely around his hips when the doors

 

were pulled open and Naomi stepped inside.

 

“What in the hell are you doing here?” He growled and her eyes

 

widened first at Kailani then up at him, noting their state of

 

undress. He snarled something and moved to block her view of

 

Kai.

 

“Look, we come in peace. We only want to speak to Kailani and

 

then we’ll leave.” She hastened to explain, making placating
gestures with her hands in an attempt to calm him. It wasn’t

 

working.

 

“We? Don’t tell me you—” He started but a second voice cut him

 

off.

 

“Yes. I’m here as well.” Pierre dropped from his perch on the

 

balcony railing, folding his wings against his back as he moved

 

into the room. His eyes stayed glued to Leviathan, knowing that

 

if they strayed anywhere towards Kailani a fight would ensue.

 

“What business do you have with her?” He asked and Naomi

 

motioned for Pierre to come forward. The angel pulled a black

 

bag from behind his back and tossed it to Leviathan who caught it

 

against his chest. He turned it over in his hands and cocked a

 

brow.

 

“Her things? How did you get this?”

 

“The teenagers who stole your jeep ditched it a few miles into the

 

desert. Once they discovered the bloodstains on the vehicle they
fled, not wanting to be suspected of murder seeing as the police

 

found the half eaten remains of the humans you killed. We

 

tracked it down and recovered it for the Hellmouth.” Pierre said,

 

making it clear that they weren’t doing anything to help him but

 

Kailani instead. Leviathan smirked.

 

“I’d say thank you but you’re a few hours too late.”

 

“Yes, we heard about the bank robbery. We would have stopped

 

you but the chaos you caused was quite entertaining. It was a

 

good plan using the girl as a getaway driver, unfortunately that

 

temporary passport she has wouldn’t have gotten you to the states

 

let alone Germany. The Australian police are watching the airport

 

and because of her mad dash to pick you up she is now wanted

 

for questioning. She’ll be arrested the moment she shows her face

 

in public.” Pierre explained and Leviathan’s features darkened.

 

“No, she won’t because we’re going to help her escape. She’s

 

innocent in this and it’s the least we can do.” Naomi said, moving

 

around the growling demon to rouse Kailani, much to his dismay.
“Naomi?” She asked groggily and the woman gave her a

 

sympathetic look as she sat up, hastening to tighten the sheets

 

around her body. “What are you doing here? Leviathan?” She

 

asked and he stepped closer to her.

 

“I’m here. You have nothing to worry about.”

 

“Look I’m sorry about the tents. I told him not to do it.” She

 

explained and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Naomi just

 

smiled, taking her bag from Leviathan and handing it to her.

 

“That’s not why we’re here. Come, get dressed, we have much to

 

discuss.” She took her hand, pulling her from the bed and leading

 

her towards the bathroom. Leviathan watched as they went

 

through the door, trailing sheets behind them.

 

“You have some nerve.” Pierre said the moment they were out of

 

earshot. Leviathan turned to glare over at him, watching as he

 

folded his hands in front of him and cocked his head. “The

 

Hellmouth is not yours to keep.” His eyes narrowed towards the

 

bed. “Just what were you thinking?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I highly recommend

 

keeping your beak shut.” Leviathan growled, moving to gather

 

the rest of his discarded clothing but Pierre stepped into his path.

 

“As Naomi said she is an innocent. How dare you take advantage

 

of her?!”

 

“I haven’t taken advantage of anything, she wanted this!” He

 

snarled and Pierre seethed, lowering his head in preparation of an

 

attack. Leviathan didn’t give him what he wanted, calming

 

himself instead as he searched for the right words to use. He

 

knew the angels; they wanted nothing more than a justified

 

reason to murder his kind. There was nothing sanctified or holy

 

about them. They were just as cruel and manipulating as the

 

demons, if not more so. The only way they could justify their

 

misdeeds was by claiming they were for the greater good. What a

 

load of bullshit. “I would never force her to do anything against

 

her will.”
“Wouldn’t you demon? I know of your sins, raping and pillaging

 

means nothing to your kind, but especially not you,
Leviathan
.”

 

He spat his name as if it were an oath. “You like to think you’re

 

better than the others, that you are a higher being but I know the

 

truth.”

 

“You know nothing!” He barked and the angel’s feathers ruffled,

 

sensing the rage that coursed through the entity in front of him.

 

“Don’t speak as if you know me angel. I was ripping the wings

 

off your kind long before your eldest ancestor was even

 

relevant.”

 

“Something I bet you are no doubt proud of. But the question is,

 

why are you here now? Why are you plaguing this young woman

 

and sullying her with your presence?”

 

“As if I have a choice!” Leviathan watched the angels eyes

 

widen, knowing his own had taken on a formidable color. “You

 

know that once summoned I have no choice but to obey my

 

summoner until I am returned. It is the law of my species!”
“And the girl? You were not summoned to endanger her soul.”

 

Leviathan took a menacing step towards him at the mention of

 

Kailani.

 

“She is none of your concern.”

 

“She is an innocent being tortured by a demonic entity, she is too

 

my concern!”

 

“Lower your voice.” He growled, taking another step towards the

 

angel who glared. “I know I can’t keep her. I know I’m no good

 

for her. Your arguments are wasted on me angel.”

 

“If you know this why are you taking this there? Why are you

 

insistent on destroying that poor girls soul? She won’t want to

 

release you when the time comes, you’re making this

 

unnecessarily hard on her.”

 

“I’m doing nothing of the sort. I’ve given her what she wanted,

 

when the time comes for us to split I’ll return to hell and she’ll be

 

happy. It’s why I’m taking her to Ophanuel.” Leviathan looked
away from Pierre, every fiber of his being rebelling against his

 

words. He knew he didn’t want to let her go but he had to. What

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