Lilith's Awakening (4 page)

For three days Lilith and
Jetrel had explored, eating the fruits and drinking deeply of the
water. All to no avail. Even the superficial disguise of adventure
could not hide the fact that they were waiting. Jetrel waited for
the
event
,
convinced his source had not misled him, and Lilith waited for
Jetrel to continue their courtship.

Jetrel stood beside her, his arms crossed
over his chest. He made no effort to hide from the human standing
alone in the clearing.

Can Adam see you?
She used her mind rather than her voice to pose
the question.

No. And he can’t see you either. I’ve
shielded you from view.

A tingle swirled down her spine and made her
clit pulse. Jetrel’s abilities thrilled her far more than she cared
to admit. One of the few remaining members of the notorious Shadow
Clan, the full scope of his powers was as much a mystery as his
true allegiance.

Jetrel wore snug black breeches. His tunic
covered her from neck to the knees, while the human—Adam—was naked.
The setting sun displayed his golden body in glorious detail as he
gathered fruit from the surrounding trees.

I thought he had undressed me, when he
pulled me from the river. But I don’t think he realizes he’s
naked.

Before Jetrel could respond, a movement drew
their attention to the other side of the clearing.

“There you are. Come. I’ve gathered food for
us.”

Confused by Adam’s words, Lilith glanced at
Jetrel. He’d said Adam couldn’t see her, so why had the human
invited her to… Jetrel’s gaze was fixed on the trees beyond Adam.
Lilith followed the direction of his stare.

A female stepped into the clearing. Sunlight
gleamed in her long blonde hair. She moved gracefully, relaxed, at
home with her surroundings and…her mate! There could be no denying
that this was Adam’s mate. She was his perfect counterpart, his
other half. Lilith’s gaze narrowed on the female’s face. Her
features were delicate and rosy, disgustingly…pure.

Jetrel stepped in front of
her, blocking her view of the humans.
Calm
down. Your jealousy is making it impossible for me to shield your
presence.

I am NOT jealous!

Uh-huh. Whatever you say.

He pivoted and she could see the clearing
again. Adam and his mate sat facing each other. Her legs wrapped
loosely around his waist, her hands rested on his golden shoulders,
and he fed her from his fingertips.

Fury, spiteful and
violent, tore through Lilith. Jetrel’s arm banded her waist,
keeping her from rushing across the clearing and tearing the golden
bitch limb from limb.
He was mine! I was
not finished defiling him!

Well, apparently he’s ready to do some
defiling of his own. Look where he’s touching her. Oh, look at his
cock. He’s definitely ready to practice what you taught him.

She twisted out of his grasp and rushed
deeper into the trees. Was this the event? Had Jetrel kept her in
the Light to humiliate her? Sammael had promised to remain
faithful. Adam had touched her as if she were special, unique.
Would she never find a male capable of sharing the Dark Splendor
with her alone?

Jetrel materialized in front of her and she
collided with his chest. His arms encircled her, one hand cupping
her bare behind under the edge of the tunic.

“Why does seeing Adam with his mate
humiliate you?”

“Stay out of my mind!”

“Surely you know he was never meant for you.
You’re a demon, Lilith. You cannot change what you are!”

Shoving against his broad chest, she dug her
feet into the grassy ground, determined to escape him. “Get away
from me. I hate the Light. I hate the humans and I hate you!”

“Really?” He didn’t let her go, but his hold
gentled. His fingers lightly caressed her skin. “Why do you hate
me? Because I won’t let you lie to yourself?”

“Because you wanted me to
see this. You knew God was making him a mate and you
wanted
me to
see.”

With one quick tug, he rid
her of his tunic. She reached for it frantically. He held it out of
reach. “Look at yourself. You are one of the most beautiful demons
I have ever seen. But you
are
a demon!”

Breasts heaving, long hair fluttering in the
balmy evening breeze, Lilith glared at him. “Give me back the
tunic.”

“No. I want to look at you. I want to watch
your nipples harden and your skin flush. I want to woo you.”

Exasperated, she spun, intentionally
whipping his chest with her hair. “Go to heaven!”

“Were you left wanting by our last
wooing?”

His softly spoken taunt
brought her up short.
Damn him!
“Not now, Jetrel. I’m too angry.”

“You’re not angry. You’re jealous.”

He was still behind her, yet she knew he
didn’t need to see her expression to understand her mood. Far more
than just her body was exposed to him! “Fine. I’m jealous. That
doesn’t change the fact that I’m not in the mood for wooing.”

“Then we’ll compromise.”

She groaned. His
compromise
in the grotto
had been more devastating than anything she’d exchanged with
Sammael in all her years as his mate. “What do you want from
me?”

“I want a demonstration of your willingness
to allow me to woo you once your mood improves.”

Slowly she turned to face him. His
expression was perfectly calm. Only the glow of his wide blue eyes
gave away his desire. “And if my mood never improves?”

“Then we’ll both regret your stubbornness.”
His grin held just a hint of challenge. “Some things are worth
waiting for.”

He pulled her into his arms and sat on the
leaf-strewn ground. Arranging her legs around his waist, he guided
her hands to his shoulders. An image of Adam and his mate flashed
through her mind and Lilith pushed against him. He’d chosen the
pose intentionally, forcing her to face her irrational
jealousy.

“Let go.” She squirmed and arched until she
noticed how each wiggle intensified his gaze.

He cupped the side of her face, his
expression pained. “Don’t you know how long I’ve wanted—”

“How long you’ve
wanted
what
? You
held me down while your brother mounted me for the first time!” She
twisted her face away.

“It was his right. You left your talisman at
his door, giving him permission to court you.”

She shook her head, torn between laughter
and tears. It was ancient history. Why correct his misconception
now? The tension in her chest demanded release and the words
tumbled out before she could stop them. “What do you remember about
that winter?”

“Other than my brother claiming you?” The
naked longing in his tone sent frustration crashing over her. If
he’d wanted her so badly, why hadn’t he spoken up? He hadn’t
indicated by word or deed that he… That wasn’t fair. Jetrel had
been as powerless as she to stop the events once Sammael had taken
control of the situation.

“Why were you staying with your brother?
That’s unusual for a full-grown male.”

His brows drew together, his confusion
obvious. “I was recovering from the plague that took out half of
hell. Most didn’t believe I’d recover.”

“I was one of them. I honestly thought you’d
die and it made certain things extremely clear to me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Once I was sure you would recover, I knew I
couldn’t waste another day.” She paused, still hesitant to reveal
the secret she’d harbored all these years. “I left the talisman for
you, Jetrel. Sammael already had a mate. I was offering myself to
you.”

He stared at her in
stunned disbelief. “But you’re first born of a clan leader. Your
mate must also lead a clan or at least be positioned to take over
the role. Why would you… Why didn’t you tell him? Why didn’t you
tell
me
?”

“How? When did I have the opportunity? He
claimed me the next morning.”

Jetrel’s arms tightened, drawing her closer
to his warmth.

“They dragged me from my
bed and brought me to the ceremonial chamber. I was
surprised
you’d
acted so quickly, but I wasn’t afraid. The four elders waited
to witness the claiming and then you and the Prime Leader strode
in.”

“But instead of claiming you for myself, I
held you for my brother.” His voice sounded hollow and distant. His
gaze avoided her face.

“We’re taught to struggle during the
ceremonial mating. Only a coward submits without a fight. But my
cries were genuine. I didn’t want him. I never wanted him!”

He framed her face with his hands and
covered her mouth with his. For a long moment he just shared her
breath and caressed her lips.

Lilith closed her eyes. Jetrel’s tenderness
couldn’t erase the wasted years, but it felt so good, so right to
finally have his arms around her.

The wavering image of countless candles
flickered to life within her mind. She could feel the heat and
smell the rich aroma of scented wax and incense. High, arched
ceiling and obsidian walls…the ceremonial chamber.

She tried to speak, to sever his mental
transmission. He cradled the back of her head in the bend of his
elbow and slid his tongue slowly into her mouth.

Open to me, Lilith. Accept this.

The elders filed in, deep hoods concealing
everything but the soft, red glow of their eyes.

Why would he want her to relive this? Why
would…

Her mother and sisters hurried her into the
room, stripping her naked before the stone altar. She could feel
their hands brush her skin and the rasp of fabric as they pulled
each garment aside.

How was he doing this? She could feel
everything as if she were there.

Three men entered, pausing just inside the
archway. Jetrel stood in front of the other two, naked, his body
gleaming in the candlelight. Balam, the Prime Leader, and Sammael
awaited, a step behind him. Their lustful gazes moved over Lilith
without reservation or apology.

This was not how it had happened.

Sammael had been in front.

Lilith trembled, understanding. She wrapped
her arms around Jetrel’s back and surrendered to his sensual
spell.

A violent shiver shook her as her bare
bottom touched the stone altar. Her sisters urged her to lie back,
but she didn’t move fast enough. Sammael and Balam stepped forward.
Each grabbing one arm, they stretched her out across the altar,
holding her arms above her head.

Jetrel moved to the foot of the altar,
muscles rippling, gaze boring into hers. Taking his cock in his
hand, he proudly displayed it for all to see. Thick and long, his
shaft jutted prominently from his body, the head so engorged it was
nearly purple. His large balls promised virility.

She felt his warm palm cover her breast, but
in the image they had yet to touch. Her nipple tightened and she
pushed into the caress. Reality melded with fantasy, confusing yet
stimulating.

In her mind, he slipped his hands under her
knees and drew her toward him. She kicked and twisted, arching her
back, only because it was expected. Her pussy ached for the
fullness of his cock and her clit begged for his attention.

He bent her knees, spreading her thighs.
Lilith waited for the blissful thrust of his shaft, but he left her
open and empty while he turned his attention to her breasts. He
cupped them firmly in his palms, massaging them, stroking them.
Plucking her nipples until they tingled and burned.

Sammael’s hand supported her left breast
while Jetrel sucked her firmly. When he moved to the right, Balam’s
warm fingers joined in.

Lilith moaned. No one else had touched her
intimately when Sammael claimed her body, although it was a common
occurrence for the attendants to assist. She had always thought the
practice would humiliate the female, yet her skin tingled and her
nipples pulsed with welcome as Balam’s mouth replaced Jetrel’s.

The attendants caressed her breasts, her
shoulders, her torso. Their lips and teeth teased her nipples.
Jetrel descended along her body, stopping to explore her hipbones
and the silken plane of her belly.

Her clit throbbed madly, anticipating the
gentle swirl of his warm tongue. He straightened and pushed her
legs wide. Guiding the plush head of his cock to her cleft, he
stroked up and down, intentionally avoiding her sensitive clit. Her
folds surrounded him, slick and swollen.

The attendants sucked her
nipples deeply into their mouths, keeping her arms above her head.
She cried out. Holding her legs open, Jetrel refused to fill her.
He teased her, built the burning ache. She needed to move, to
writhe and buck, to do
anything
to bring his cock inside her.

He slid his hands down the inside of her
thighs and slipped them under her body. Firmly cupping her ass, he
lifted her and thrust to the hilt in one forceful drive. Lilith
screamed. The wet walls of her cunt rippled with a staggering
orgasm.

Jetrel threw back his head and roared. The
attendants laughed, their breaths hot against her wet nipples.
Jetrel’s cock stretched her pussy, throbbing in time with her
thundering heartbeat. He pulled back slowly, letting her feel every
thick inch. When only the head remained inside her, he paused.

Pulling his hands out from
under her, he gently traced her wet folds, accentuating how tightly
she stretched to take him. She shifted restlessly, needing him to
move, needing him deep…needing
him.

His fingertip brushed her clit. She
whimpered. He circled her, matching the rhythm to the throbbing of
her inner muscles. Bracing her heels against the sculpted rim of
the altar, Lilith offered herself to Jetrel. She squeezed him and
arched, trying to bring him deeper.