See You in Hell (Mel Goes to Hell Series Book 2) (10 page)

Patrick laughed. "If we don't catch anything, there's nothing for lunch. This one will probably be all we need for the whole boat. Besides, we have to pull him up to release him from the hook. I could just cut the line, but then he'd be hurting with a barbed hook in his mouth. No, he's coming here to give you a big kiss, I'll take a picture of you and your new boyfriend, then you can decide if you want to keep him or let him go." His lips touched the base of her neck. "Have you ever had fresh wahoo, Mel?"

Mel snorted. "It sounds like something done with no clothes in the privacy of a hotel room, not on a boat full of people. I'm not answering that."

"I was going to wait until after dinner to offer my services in the privacy of your hotel room, but now works, too. Or it would if…" Two crewmen rushed forward to the port side, gaffs in hand, as Patrick slowed his reeling. "Here he comes. You caught a real monster, Mel!"

The men hauled the fish aboard and Mel let out a shocked gasp. It looked like it was longer than she was tall – and perhaps weighed more, too.

One of them knelt on the desperately fighting fish while another cut its throat. All the fight left with its spirit and tears sprang to Mel's eyes. "I take it we're not releasing him now," she said.

"No," Patrick replied. "But he'll be lunch and dinner, easy. Right – get in there with him. We need a picture of the lady who slayed the monster!" He gave her a push toward the floppy fish and pulled out his camera.

Despite her protests, the fish was lifted and arranged on the deck, so she could pull his tail up to her chest, displaying the length of him.

"Smile, Mel," Patrick coaxed and she did. The fish's spirit was in a better place now and it would be a shame to waste his sacrifice or the body he'd left behind.

"Now, the boys want photos with your monster fish, too. I think it's a record size for them and they want proof to show the other guys in the pub when they get home. Wash up and grab a drink from the cooler while I do the honours. They'll gut, fillet and cook him fresh for you – all part of the service." Patrick stared at her. "There's really nothing you can't do, is there? Charming the Indian Ocean mermaids, hooking the catch of the year, never missing a conference and…are you seriously hunting down Lucifer? He'd best watch out – he doesn't know what he's in for if you find him. Have you and Raphael…?"

Mel laughed. "Raphael and I will never fly. I think his heart's set on someone else entirely and I hope they're happy together." Patrick's face lit up and Mel impulsively kissed his cheek. "I'll go wash up," she said.

Mel used the head and started washing her hands in the tiny sink. Glancing at the even tinier mirror, she noticed a streak of blood on her shirt from the fish. She scrubbed at it but eventually gave up and returned to the deck, grateful that she'd chosen to wear her bikini under her shirt. At least the transparent cotton didn't show her underwear.

"Raphael's crazy," Patrick choked out. He couldn't seem to pull his eyes from her.

"No, Raphael's gay and in love with my brother," Mel replied gently. Her eyes searched his face. "Will you spend the evening with me? Dinner, drinks and…later, too?"

Patrick beamed. "Your wish is my command. For as long as you like."

Mel sighed inwardly even as she smiled. Patrick might have been the perfect partner if their relationship could ever be equal. As it was, though… "We have until my flight leaves tomorrow."

Mel admired the way the water cascaded over his hard body in the shower. Was it his well-muscled chest, the sculpted way the whole package was put together, or simply how well he put it to use for her pleasure? Patrick had certainly perfected both his skills and his assets over time. She could still remember the first time and how nervous he'd been…

Mel took a mouthful of water, swished it around her mouth and spat into the sink, running the tap to send the toothpaste residue down the drain.

"Say the word, Mel, and I'll transfer to Australia or wherever you're working next. All this is yours for the asking, any time you want." He gestured at his well-built body.

"You're terrified of snakes. Do you know how many reptiles we have in Australia – the really deadly kind, as well as just the cuddly ones? The closest snakeless island would be Tasmania or New Zealand. And what will happen to politics in the UK without you, Patrick? You're not just in Ireland because it's one of the few places in the world without snakes. Any time you're away, I swear violence at least doubles in the north. It seems a bit selfish to let people die just so that I can share a shower with you more than once every year or two." Mel splashed water on her face and dried it with the handtowel.

He sounded wistful. "You could move back to the UK. I'd treat you like a queen – you know that. And we'd love to have you. Politics in Europe isn't the same with this latest global financial crisis, or whatever they're calling this fit of hiccups…"

"And let Lucifer run rampant over Australia in the meantime? I'm where I need to be, as are you. I've been working in the Indo-Pacific region for a long time now and I can't just up and leave." Mel paused to take a deep breath. She hadn't meant to sound so sharp. She exhaled, long and slow, before saying, "We have responsibilities, Patrick – and personal relationships always come second to those. We're angels – this world must come first. No matter how irresistible you are in the shower." Her cheeks heated with a faint blush that she couldn't blame on the steam in the hotel bathroom.

"I think you should come first and let the rest of the world handle itself for just a day." His grin was dirty as he rubbed soap down his thighs. He straightened and threw the bar into the dish, reaching for the shampoo instead. "I've never seen you so worried without a world war or major disaster to deal with. If you spread your spirit too thin, doing too much, you'll need to heal in Heaven until you regain your strength. Does Raphael know how stressed you are? This Lucifer thing is really getting to you, isn't it?"

Mel watched as Patrick leaned back to rinse his hair, his hips thrust forward to maintain his balance. He certainly beat any image search on her office computer and he didn't make her think of socks.

"Mel?"

She shook her head to clear it a little, wondering if it was possible for the steam to leak into her brain through her ears. Her head certainly felt misty enough. "Raphael's worried, too, and he's trying to get more angels into Western Australia, but there are so few of us there. I mean, it's so far from anywhere, which is probably why Luce chose it. That and the resources he'll control. And if it's as close to Hell as you say, that only makes the situation more serious, because he'll have as many demon reinforcements as he needs to take his corporation global. Lucifer's the key to this – I know he is – but if I tell Raphael that he'll panic and pull out. Try to pull me out. I don't know that we'll get another chance at this and it looks like it's going to have to be me." Mel looked up to meet Patrick's sympathetic eyes. "Demons. I've never dealt with demons before. I feel if I understood them, I'd have a better idea of what's going on."

"Hey, I'm not a demon expert, but if I can help…" Patrick held out his hands in an unmistakeable invitation. Mel wished she could take his offer more seriously, but his lack of clothing was decidedly distracting. "Call me – or get Raphael to call me, if you're too busy. I downloaded all yesterday's photos onto your little laptop, so you'll even have those to remind you to call me if you need me. You know I'd do anything for you."

Mel smiled and nodded. She did know – but that didn't help. "I don't want to think about Lucifer or demons again until I'm home. That'll be tonight or the early hours of tomorrow morning and plenty soon enough. Thank you for the offer and if I need you, I will call. Right now…" She sighed deeply.

Patrick's reflection winked at her in the mirror. "You know, we still have a couple of hours before I have to leave for the airport. If you want to do more than just look, there's room in this shower for two of us and there's always the bed…"

She laughed, lifting her dress over her head before dropping it on the side of the bathtub. "We shouldn't use the shower. Wouldn't want to waste all that water…"

"The water's not wasted if I'm with you," Patrick replied, pulling her into the hot water with him. "Every drop and every second is precious with you,
Mel meum
." His hands and kisses helped her forget everything but him.

"Mmm, I miss Latin. So sweet to hear it from you…" Mel closed her eyes as she let her fingers roam.

"
Quid ego faciam tibi, Mel meum
?"

(What will I do for thee, O my honey?)

All too soon Mel found herself back at her HELL Corporation desk. Even as she returned to the task at hand, Patrick remained a warm, if receding, memory. She took one look at her long list of emails and decided to send the few pictures Patrick had taken to those she knew in the office who might care. She plugged in the memory stick with her photos and heaved a big sigh as she started on the boring backlog.

"Jez has just come through with the final pictures. Can you take a look, Mel?" Lili's voice roused Mel from trying to decipher her emails. She wasn't the only one who'd been playing with fish and photos: someone had taken their fetish for 007 a little too far – to the point where they'd stuck a fish in a suit and called the poor thing 'James Pond'.

Lili's head popped over the partition. "Oh, good, you're already reading it. Can you print some colour copies and take it up to Luce to see what he thinks?"

Mel looked at the silly picture. "Of what?"

Lili sounded impatient. "The fish in the suit. That one!" She pointed at the screen.

Surely she couldn't be serious – it looked too silly, Mel thought, but she printed the pages anyway. She brought the papers to Lili. "You want me to take these to Luce?"

"Yes," Lili snapped. "They're the graphics for his presentation on our new Water Unit in the Environment Division. The state government wanted more money to fund the politicians' pay rise so they sold all water, fishing and boating services to us. Luce needs the pictures for our end-of-year staff talk this afternoon. Take them to him right now so we have time to get back to Jez with any changes."

Mel reminded herself for the millionth time that her job was to execute orders. "Sure," she replied, and took the photos upstairs to Luce.

Luce's personal assistant sat perkily at the desk outside his office, guarding it like a lair once again. "Can I help you?" Mephi asked sweetly.

"Hi, Lili sent me with the Water Unit pictures?" Mel let the statement become a question.

"Go on in – he's expecting you." Mephi gave Mel a professional smile before dismissing her with disinterest.

Mel stepped hesitantly into the office, glancing at the bright paintings she itched to get a closer look at.

Luce raised his eyebrows as she entered and watched her without saying a word.

Mel found his scrutiny sleazy as Hell, but she resisted the urge to pull her skirt down so that she showed as little flesh as possible. He made her feel like a million spiders were scuttling across her skin.

There had to be something about the man that was good, she told herself. The pride he took in his appearance, perhaps. His restraint in managing not to proposition her the second she walked in, despite his obvious desire to do so. The fact that he didn't smell of sulphur and brimstone. Mel took a deep breath, appreciating whatever aftershave he used to fend off the whiff of Hell.

"I brought you the pictures for your presentation," Mel began, proffering the pages. "I…hope you like them." And let me leave quickly, she added in her head.