Read Her Dark Angel Online

Authors: Felicity Heaton

Her Dark Angel (5 page)

BOOK: Her Dark Angel
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Apollyon slid his hands down to her waist from her ribs, and over her hips. She felt too good beneath his touch. Her eyelids slipped to half-mast and her palms pressed against his chest, not on his suit but on his armour. Did she like the feel of his hands on her?

He tightened his grip on her hips and drew her against him, starting to move slowly to the heavy beat. Her hands slid up over his breastplate and then over his collarbones towards his neck. He shivered when she lightly swept her fingers across his shoulders, and stepped into him, her body moving against his. Each time they brushed, each step that had them rubbing against each other, drove him a little farther towards the edge of control.

Serenity slipped her hands around the back of his head, twirled the dark hair of his ponytail around her slender fingers, and then settled them against the nape of his neck. He shifted his hands, easing them around her back, until they met in the small of it, feeling the way her hips moved as she danced with him. Her leg slid between his and his between hers, and her eyes half-closed again when he brushed the apex of her thighs. He groaned and moved closer to her, eager to feel the whole of her body against his, his thoughts diving down routes they hadn’t traversed in a long time. How good would she look naked? He wanted to explore every supple inch of her with his mouth and hands, wanted to worship her body until she cried his name and collapsed into his arms.

Apollyon stepped back a little, unable to bear the torture and needing a moment to breathe. He was too close to letting go.

Serenity stared into his eyes, hers full of invite, asking him to give in to her. He would do so willingly if he could be sure that this wasn’t an act. It was a charade, nothing more than pretend so they would make Edward jealous. That was all it was.

So why did it feel so good to have her in his arms?

She ran her hands down over his biceps, slowly, her gaze following her right hand as it traced the curves of his muscles, and her heart beating faster, as though exploring his body excited her. Her eyes darkened and he could feel the hunger in her, could sense the growing need.

Why did his body burn wherever she touched?

His gaze flickered to her mouth.

And why couldn’t he keep his eyes off her cherry red lips and his mind off how good it would feel to dip his head and kiss her?

It had been a long time since he had desired a woman, but he knew it had never felt like this—so strong and irresistible. He loved how she moved against him, her body brushing his, teasing him into submission, sending shiver after shiver over his skin and sending his temperature soaring. He loved the way she looked into his eyes and smiled at him, so full of honest emotions and desire. It didn’t feel like an act.

It felt so real and he was sure that she would welcome a kiss from him.

It couldn’t be the glamour because it didn’t work on her. She had to be attracted to him.

She smiled up at him, her hands resting lightly by his elbows, burning him with her touch. He wanted to feel her hands on his chest but this time without his armour in the way. He needed her to touch him, to feel what she did to him and how hard she made his heart beat.

He moved against her, satisfying himself as much as he could in public and without overstepping the mark. She didn’t seem to care. Her eyes slipped shut again when he ran his hands down to her backside and he groaned under his breath at the way the twin peachy globes moved beneath his fingers. He slid his hands lower, until he cupped her bottom, and drew her against him, so her hips were close to his.

He wanted her.

Her wide eyes met his, pupils swallowing her irises, and her lips parted.

He wanted to kiss her.

It couldn’t be pretend.

He wanted to wrap her in his arms and his wings and never let her go.

What had she done to him?

What spell had she cast to make him like this?

Her fingertips caressed his arms, working back up to his shoulders, and she traced the line of the leather straps that held his armour in place. She toyed with the buckles, making his body tremble with the thought that he might get his wish and she might remove his breastplate and touch his bare chest.

He wanted that so much.

Her chest rose and fell with her hard breathing, luring his eyes there. Deep hunger bolted through him at the sight of her breasts pressing against her small black dress. He lost track of what they were doing, until they were only holding each other, staring into each other’s eyes, both of their hearts racing.

His gaze drifted back to her mouth and he couldn’t fight the temptation.

Apollyon lowered his head towards hers, wrapped her in his arms, and tilted his head to kiss her.

She giggled.

He pulled back, frowning. She laughed then and wriggled against him. He groaned when her hip pressed against his aching erection.

She was beautiful when she laughed though. She brushed her shoulder and then down her arm, and he realised that it was his wings. He lifted one and swept the black feathers over her shoulder. She laughed in his arms, genuine and full of happiness.

She seemed to have forgotten her heartache.

They both seemed to have forgotten this was make believe.

CHAPTER 4

S
erenity stared up into Apollyon’s dark eyes, seeing the passion and desire that burned deep within her reflected in them. She had to be imagining it. This was all just an act and it was working as far as she could tell, but then she’d lost track of what Edward was doing the moment Apollyon had placed his hands on her.

The past few minutes had felt real.

They couldn’t be.

His wings were a constant reminder of that and she had needed to feel them touch her and bring her back to her senses. It didn’t matter that he’d looked as though he’d been about to kiss her. He was an angel and he was definitely off limits.

Even if he did kiss her, she had to convince herself that it was only acting.

She couldn’t fall for an angel, no matter how sexy the angel in question was. There was no hope of it becoming anything more than a mission to him. She wasn’t naïve enough not to see that.

An angel couldn’t fall in love with a mortal.

The song ended and Serenity looked over in the direction of Edward. He was gone. She looked around, tiptoeing to see over the heads of the crowd, and couldn’t find him anywhere.

“He left.” She took a step back from Apollyon.

He looked disappointed when her hands slipped from him. She turned away so she didn’t see it and could pretend that she had only imagined it.

Apollyon led her from the dance floor and went to sit down again at the table. She caught his hand and headed for the exit. There was no point in staying when Edward was gone. The music was giving her a headache and she had played pretend enough for a lifetime. When she had suggested it as a plan to get revenge on Edward, she hadn’t considered the consequences or how it might affect her.

“We are leaving too?” Apollyon’s deep voice did funny things to her insides and she wanted to be back in his arms, held close to him while he murmured sweet words into her ear.

Serenity nodded and quickly took the stairs up to the exit. The night air was cooling now but was still warm enough without a jacket. She looked up, wishing she could see the stars. The sky was clear but the city lights caused a haze that blocked all but the brightest from view.

“You want to fly?” Those words were temptation, said in a low voice close to her ear. She ached to nod and throw caution to the wind. He moved closer to her, until she could feel his heat and she wanted to turn and kiss him until the fire he’d ignited inside her burned out. His breath tickled her neck and he lightly placed his hands on her shoulders, making her body warm and quake where he touched. “I can fly you home.”

“I’m afraid of falling,” she whispered.

Apollyon moved around her, sensual and like a predator, his gaze boring into hers, as though he wanted to see right down into her heart and know the real meaning behind those words.

She was afraid.

She couldn’t fall for an angel.

“I will not let you go.” He claimed her waist and then stepped into her, sliding his hands around to settle in the arch of her back. His blue eyes held hers, the pale flecks of lightning in them mesmerising her. She could look into his eyes and never be bored. They shifted somehow. Each time the markings were slightly different, as though they were constantly changing. He smiled. “Would you prefer to face me or face away?”

Her pulse raced at the fiery heat in his look. Was she the only one masking the true meaning of their words or was he doing it too?

Serenity chided herself. An angel was hardly going to be asking her about her sexual position preferences. She dragged her courage up from her toes, told herself that it was just a short flight to her apartment in the arms of a gorgeous dark angel, and that it was nothing more than that.

He raised an eyebrow when she looped her arms around his neck.

“I have a better idea.” He scooped her up into his strong arms, cradling her there. A breeze blew up her dress, chilling her bottom, and she raised her backside, grabbed the skirt of her black summer dress and tucked it in between her thighs. She didn’t want to expose her bottom to the entirety of Paris.

Her eyebrows rose. “Will people see us?”

Apollyon shook his head and looked up at the sky, his expression pensive. “They cannot see you now.”

“You’re hiding us?” She looked around and then at him.

He nodded and she grabbed his shoulders when he beat his huge black feathered wings and they glided upwards. Her eyes widened when she looked down, instantly regretting it when her stomach swirled.

Serenity curled up against him, hiding her face against his neck, and thought about telling him to set her back down again. She really didn’t want to fall and she hadn’t thought it through well enough. What if he dropped her? What if she was too heavy?

Her eyes shot wide again and she pulled back, staring into his. “Can you carry both of us?”

He laughed, the timbre of it deep and warm, full of amusement that made her scowl.

“You weigh practically nothing.” He squeezed her side and her knees where he held her. “Now which way?”

It took Serenity a moment to stop staring at the rooftops of Paris and to locate the direction of her apartment. She pointed when she thought she had it and Apollyon swooped that way, his wings beating the cooler air, causing a breeze to tickle her skin.

She looked at the city for a moment, amazed by the sight of it stretching out before her, a myriad of twinkling lights in the darkness, and then at Apollyon. He was incredible. She wished that she could fly like this. His focus stayed in the direction she had pointed, his grip on her sure, giving her comfort and confidence. She trusted him.

It had been a long time since she had trusted someone so openly, so implicitly. She hadn’t even trusted Edward this much. She barely knew Apollyon, but something about him felt right to her, as though they were made for each other. It was ridiculous for her to feel that way.

Apollyon looked at her, his eyes almost black in the low light, and she stilled in his arms, her heart beating steadily and slowly. He was so beautiful and dark.

He looked past her and then changed course with a hard beat of his wings. She curled up in his arms when he gained speed, plummeting towards the city, and was close to screaming until she saw the Eiffel Tower in the distance ahead, beautifully illuminated with white lights. It was incredible, sending a shiver over her skin.

“Are you cold?” Apollyon slowed again, their pace becoming more leisurely.

“I’m fine,” she whispered, taking in the sight of the Eiffel Tower and the world below.

“I should get you home.”

“No.” She grabbed his black and gold breastplate and he looked at her. She smiled shyly. “Just once around the tower?”

His smile was brilliant and her heart fluttered, her body responding to the feel of his hands on her again, growing aware of how close he was to her and the way he was looking at her with intense dark eyes.

“Just one time.” He soared lower, until they were barely metres above the ground when they passed over the river. She looked down at her reflection but couldn’t find one. They really were invisible. She laughed and none of the tourists snapping pictures of the tower noticed her.

They all ducked and grabbed at their clothes when Apollyon beat his wings again, the wind they caused gusting through the crowds. Serenity stared at the tower, taking in a rare chance to see it so close but not from the inside. She would probably never see it like this again. It was incredible to think that Apollyon could do this all he wanted. He could fly around it until he got bored and then he could fly off somewhere else.

Apollyon held her close as they spiralled upwards, towards the bright top of the tower, and she gasped when he landed on the spike, one foot holding both of their weight and not affecting the tower at all.

“It’s beautiful up here.” She nestled in his arms to keep warm. She didn’t want him to leave because she was cold. She wanted to stay here a while with him, pretending.

He wrapped his wings around her, the black feathers warm against her arms and legs, covering her completely.

Serenity looked up and found him staring at her, his head tilted to one side and his eyes full of warmth. What was he thinking? He had looked like that when she’d thought he was going to kiss her. Did he want to kiss her now? She wanted it more than anything and it couldn’t be just an act now because Edward wasn’t around to see them.

It couldn’t be an act.

His eyes dropped to her mouth.

Serenity forced herself to look at the city, away from Apollyon. She didn’t want to get hurt again by getting her hopes up about him.

“You are getting cold,” he said and she heard a different meaning to those words.

They cut her so deep that she felt as though she was bleeding inside. She wanted to tell him that she didn’t mean to be distant, and that she wanted him, but she couldn’t find her voice.

BOOK: Her Dark Angel
9.54Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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