The Demon and the Succubus (7 page)

“You know what I think?” Semiazas countered. “I think it’s because you’re frustrated. Frustrated because you don’t have the mojo to keep your woman happy. Is that why she left you for a woman?”

The resulting “oooh” from the crowd ratcheted the tense atmosphere, and Uriel sighed at the senseless violence he knew was coming regardless of what he did in the next few minutes. Semiazas wanted nothing less than a bloody, violent bar fight.

“Is that what forced you to come here and let a skinny-assed geek like T-Bone bend you over a desk to get off?”

The jeers from the crowd reached a full-scale frenzy until Semiazas held up his hand to quiet his growing group of supporters.

“This is between you and me. Leave everyone else out of it.” Uriel meant the humans who stood to be hurt from the coming conflict, but he knew to the crowd it sounded like he was defending himself against Semiazas’s accusations.

“But they’re very much a part of this, Uriel. Lilith has had to resort to fucking Gabriel full-time, you know. In fact, they’re together right now. Two beautiful women.” He grabbed his crotch and rubbed his hard cock through the tight leathers. “I can just picture all those ripe, lush curves pressed together as they both wished you had balls enough to wade in and fuck them both properly.”

The taunt hit home, and without thinking Uriel tossed back, “At least I’d be welcome between either of their thighs if I chose. Didn’t Gabriel ban you from her bed long ago? And Lilith has never even offered.”

Semiazas’s form wavered as actual fire flashed from his eyes. Uriel had definitely pressed the right button to throw the fallen off his game.

The crowd of humans took a collective step back as an aura of pure evil crackled through the bar. Even those with no sensitivity probably felt the neck ruffling sensation that was hardwired inside every human to recognize evil.

Semiazas’s form solidified as he gained control of his temper. “That was because Gabriel still doesn’t see the truth, but she will. All of you soon will. But right now it’s down to you and me . . . brother.”

Uriel’s temper flared. “Don’t ever call me that. You’ve no right,” he bit out.

“You can’t choose your family, or deny them, Uriel. No matter how much our Father wishes it so.”

“Enough.” Uriel made a slashing gesture in the air in front of him. “I’m done with this, Semiazas. This fight is between you and me. Leave everyone else out of it.”

“You don’t make these rules
.
I do . . . brother
,
”
Semiazas said inside Uriel’s mind. Out loud he said, “Free will is a wondrous thing.” He grinned, his gaze locked onto Uriel’s face. “To every person here who brings me a piece of Uriel, I’ll give a thousand dollars.”

There was a split second of shock as the crowd digested the meaning behind Semiazas’s offer before they began to close in on Uriel from all sides, separating him from Semiazas with a sea of humanity.

Uriel cursed under his breath as he materialized his twin daggers. The same daggers that had meted out the justice his Father had decreed since well before the very first human had walked the planet.

His anger flared and he let loose his power that he usually dampened so he blended in better walking among the humans.

Energy crackled the air so thick every person in the room now knew he was something more than he’d first appeared, but that did little to thin the surrounding crowd. “Think about what you do and make your choice. No mercy will be given if you choose this path freely.” As soon as his words died away, he anchored his left foot and kicked out in a wide arc with his right driving back the crowd while he slashed out with his daggers, slicing a path around him and felling several humans in the process. Those left standing lunged back just out of his reach as the injured crawled or were pulled back away from the battle.

The crowd around him thinned only a little now that he’d proved himself capable of fighting back. Although the biggest and strongest found their way to the front, the others hoping to take advantage of any injuries those in front of them could inflict on him.

Uriel resisted the urge to glare at Semiazas. The effort would be wasted and he had enough to keep him busy right here. Someone jumped him from behind, knocking him forward into those unlucky enough to try and attack from the front.

Uriel let his anger flow and began to fight in earnest. Reaching back, careful to keep his grip on his dagger, he grabbed the man still clinging to his back. He yanked the man forward, over his head and tossed him into the crowd in front of him, knocking them back. Others closed in, but Uriel let his instincts take over, kicking, punching, dodging, slashing in a fluid motion that only millennia of fighting could bring.

It took less than a minute to scatter the sea of human bodies around him and make his way to where Semiazas had stood, but not surprisingly, the fallen had disappeared.

Uriel sensed movement behind him and whirled to find Sidney grabbing his would-be assailant by the back of the jacket and delivering a hard knee to the gut. The man’s air whooshed out and Diesel dropped him to the ground.

Uriel met Sidney’s gaze. “Thank you.”

Sidney stepped close and held out his hand. “You’re the first person to ever say I didn’t do that robbery all those years ago. I hadn’t realized how much it would mean to me to have someone . . . anyone say that. I’m in your debt.”

Uriel shook Sidney’s hand. “Let’s call it even.” He nodded toward the man Sidney had just downed.

“You could’ve handled him yourself. Just call it a token gesture of thanks, man.”

Uriel nodded his agreement and walked out of the bar, stepping over injured humans who still cluttered the path. Outside, everyone gave him a wide berth and he strode across the street back to where he’d started.

He had the journal, now he needed to shut himself away and study its entries. He should go straight home and get to work.

But something else vied for his attention besides the weight of the leather journal in the breast pocket of his suit coat.

Memories of Semiazas’s taunting words about Lilith and Gabriel rang in his ears churning acid through his gut. Which was exactly what the fallen had hoped to do—distract Uriel.

“Damn it. It’s fucking working.”

The
Archangel Gabriel materialized just outside Lilith’s quarters and knocked lightly, anticipation jangling inside her belly. She hadn’t seen Lilith in nearly twelve hours, and the Queen of the Succubi and Incubi had become something of an obsession for her over the past few days.

With all the odd happenings lately, Armageddon might be coming sooner rather than later, so Gabriel vowed to take what happiness she could before the end of the human realm came.

The door in front of her opened to reveal a stunning succubus with long chestnut hair that fell in waves past her well-shaped ass. Her eyes were the color of rich milk chocolate and her skin held the ethereal perfection all the succubi shared.

“Jezebeth.” Gabriel nodded in greeting. The succubus before her had been the first of the four sisters to make it back safely to Lilith’s lair with her protector, Noah.

Jezebeth nodded and dropped her gaze—a sign of respect. “Gabriel. Please, come in.” She held the door wide and stepped back so Gabriel could enter.

Lilith sat in an overstuffed chair near the fire, her feet tucked up under her, her black hair pinned on top of her head as if she soon planned a dip in the swirling hot springs that graced the back corner of her quarters. Sexy, long tendrils of hair had escaped the clip to wisp around Lilith’s heart-shaped face, and Gabriel tightened her hands into fists to keep from plunging her fingers into the silky mass while Jezebeth was still in the room.

Gabriel’s recent time spent in Lilith’s quarters had to be a well-known “secret” among the denizens of Lilith’s lair, but Gabriel wouldn’t tarnish Lilith’s authority by flaunting it in front of anyone, especially since Lilith had been through enough already during her long existence.

The Archangel Uriel had interceded for Lilith back at the Garden of Eden and vowed before God that he would keep her supplied with sustenance so she could survive. To further complicate matters, relations between the Archangels and any other nonhumans, including each other, were forbidden. It had been difficult for Uriel to reconcile his two sets of vows until he’d found a loophole. He facilitated sexual sessions between Lilith and others, including humans, demons, and a whole host of other supernaturals. He watched and pleasured himself but didn’t participate. The sexual energy he gave off from his completion was more than enough to feed Lilith and still technically stayed within the boundaries of his vows.

The complicated relationship between Uriel and Lilith meant both had spent countless miserable millennia owing to Uriel’s adherence to his vows before God.

Finally, last week, Lilith had decided she’d hurt Uriel and herself enough and had asked Uriel to send Gabriel to her . . . alone.

The past week had been the happiest Gabriel could remember. And while she still harbored guilt over enjoying relations with another supernatural, she had found her own loophole. Since she and Uriel were close, Uriel had bid her come and care for Lilith as he would himself, which gave her leeway inside that same loophole Uriel had used.

Lilith glanced up, and as her gaze met Gabriel’s, a slow smile spread across her face.

The intensity in that dark gaze sent slivers of arousal stirring across Gabriel’s skin and she licked her lips as her nipples tightened into hard buds and moisture slicked between her thighs.

Lilith slowly stood, the yellow, flowing dress she wore offering tantalizing glimpses of the soft curves beneath. She glanced toward the succubus who had answered the door. “Jezebeth, let me know as soon as you have more information about what we discussed. Leave us now.”

“Yes, my queen.” Jezebeth slowly backed out of the room, shutting the door behind her and leaving Gabriel alone with Lilith.

When silence fell between them, the sexual tension in the room skyrocketed, buzzing against Gabriel’s skin like static electricity. She walked slowly forward, enjoying the sudden musky scent of Lilith’s arousal that perfumed the air. “I’ve missed you.”

Lilith grinned and quickly closed the distance between them, sliding her arms around Gabriel’s waist and smiling up at her across the two inches that separated them in height.

Gabriel molded Lilith’s soft curves against her own and slowly lowered her face until their lips were so close, she could feel Lilith’s warm breath against her mouth. The scent of gardenia and cinnamon that always clung to Lilith filled Gabriel’s senses and she sighed as she gently brushed her lips over Lilith’s.

The succubus immediately opened for her, wordlessly begging for more, and Gabriel dipped her tongue inside to tease and explore. Lilith tasted of dark, forbidden spices—unique and tempting—and Gabriel cupped Lilith’s cheeks, deepening the kiss, enjoying the small tremors that rocked the smaller woman in front of her.

A small moan sounded inside the room and Gabriel wasn’t sure if it had come from Lilith or herself. And right now, she didn’t care. The recent time apart from Lilith had been spent aching for the queen’s touch and the exquisite sensation of the succubus’s mouth against her own.

Lilith traced a path along Gabriel’s rib cage until she found the front buttons of Gabriel’s fitted shirt. As the fabric of her shirt loosened, Gabriel unhooked the clip holding Lilith’s hair and freed the wavy mass to fall around Lilith’s shoulders. She speared her fingers into the silky waves enjoying the vivid memory of how the soft weight had felt rubbing against her bare skin.

Lilith peeled the shirt from Gabriel’s arms, forcing her to drop her hands as the shirt fell to the floor and left her bare from the waist up. As the cool air hit her breasts, her nipples puckered and she ached for the succubus’s touch.

Gabriel reached forward and pulled the tie at Lilith’s neck that cinched the flowing dress and held it up. The yellow fabric loosened and slowly slithered down over Lilith’s full breasts, pausing, as if purposely teasing Gabriel and hiding Lilith’s bare skin from view, before it gave way, sliding down the rest of those sensuous curves and leaving her gloriously naked to Gabriel’s hungry gaze.

She allowed herself to look her fill for a long moment, savoring the anticipation of what was to come.

Lilith smiled and cocked her head to the side, backing toward the oversized bed as she beckoned Gabriel closer. “I couldn’t wait for you to come back. I’ve been fantasizing about this all day.”

Gabriel caught up just as the backs of Lilith’s legs bumped against the mattress. Impatience and urgency snapped through her and Gabriel pulled Lilith close, her breasts pressing against the plush softness of Lilith’s. “I much prefer the reality.” She wrapped one arm around Lilith and captured her mouth as she slowly lowered her backward onto the bed.