I emerged from the bathroom wrapped in nothing but a white terrycloth robe I’d found hanging on the back of the door. Thank On High for efficient hotels. My bag of clothes didn’t include comfy PJs or undergarments, so for now, I’d rock a robe and nothing else.

I left the steamy warmth for the chilled master bedroom and found… a thoroughly cleaned Sam. His skin was free of zombie blood and gore as was his clothing.

“I thought you were keeping guard,” I accused. Even with Uncle Luc’s wards, I worried we’d been tracked and he’d hunted down a shower of his own?

“I did.” He swept his hand up and down, a gesture encompassing his body. “This is the beauty of being a gel. Instant cleanliness. It wouldn’t do for one of On High’s best—or worst—to be dirty.”

I raised my eyebrows. “At least it saves on dry cleaning bills.”

He jerked his chin toward the bed and I spied my clothing, fresh and clean. “I took care of yours, too. Couldn’t have that fine leather getting ruined.”

I felt the same way. While fire could happily destroy zombie blood, it wasn’t exactly conducive to cleaning leather.

“Thanks,” I murmured, unused to actually thanking someone for anything. Oh, there was Jezebeth, but the witch wasn’t “someone.” She was… Jezebeth.

“Come eat, Caith.” His low words crept into me and forced me to refocus on him.

“Eat?”

“Eat. Even you have to eat.”

I nodded. “And you? Gels don’t…”

“No, not even half-fallen ones benefit from eating, but feeding…” Need flared in his gaze and his chest expanded as he drew in a deep breath. “That’s another story.”

I looked my fill while he was distracted by his desire. He was even more delicious now that he’d shed the large jacket. His thin shirt clung to his chest, outlining every carved muscle. His leather pants traced his thighs, but the juncture of those legs interested me most. He was long and thick, the clothing capturing his hard shaft and hiding him from my gaze. My body responded to his, nipples hardening and center clenching, begging to be filled. I wanted him inside me. My wolf craved his flesh. My fangs would sink through skin and flesh, claiming—

I tore my gaze away, staring at the plush carpet as I fought to get my racing heart under control. The wolf wanted Sam as its mate. Mate. For life. My very long, never-ending life.

And gels live forever…

Hellborne half demon and a somewhat fallen angel together for eternity. So not happening.

I cleared my throat, fighting to speak. “Feeding?”

“Yes, feeding you is definitely something I can do.”

I didn’t imagine his version of feeding and mine were the same. When I padded to the table, I noted several room service plates spread out before me but only one fork. A fork Sam held and it didn’t look like he’d relinquish it any time soon.

“I’m capable of feeding myself.”

“Of course you are, but where’s the fun in that?” He smirked and my clit twitched in response, my body silently calling for him.

The wolf, however, wasn’t quite so silent inside my mind. It whined and whimpered, tail wagging and raised high for the gel. I pushed the beast’s desires away. Jumping into bed with a man, a gel, I barely knew was a very bad idea.

Very.

The wolf disagreed.

“Look, Sam, I appreciate you helping me out—”

He eased closer, surrounding me with his scent. Musk and sweetness with hints of sulfur. That last aroma was proof of On High’s rejection. And the combination of those three flavors tormented every part of me.

I wasn’t just a demon, or only a werewolf. My mother is the devil’s sister, my fathers are a devout warrior from the crusades, a pure of heart unicorn, father of the earth, a teasing pixie, and finally… a werewolf.

I had bits of each of them in my blood and they all craved the gel before me.

“I didn’t help you out. I saved you, Caith.”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “Assisted a little, actually, but,” I shrugged, “to-may-toh, to-mah-toh. I’m alive and I get that you may have had a small part in that whole drama. But this,” I waved my hand between us, “isn’t happening. I don’t even know you.”

Really, I resisted because I wanted it too much.

He eased closer and I stood my ground, refusing to shuffle away. I couldn’t show weakness. The very second he found a chink in my armor, he’d take advantage of me.

Well, “take advantage” was more like “pounce on me and make me scream his name.”

I gulped.

Sam raised his hand and traced my arm with his fingers, starting at my wrist and traveling higher. He didn’t touch me, his digits hovered over my skin and the robe, but his heat sank into me nonetheless. My body answered, flaring to life, sending arousal along my veins.

I was so gone for this guy. So very, very gone.

Sam’s travels brought him over my shoulder, to the column of my neck, and finally to my cheek. I knew my face was flushed, the heat of my blush unmistakable.

And then… then he attacked my control. Not with a shove, but with a gentle touch of his palm on my skin. I sighed with the connection, the tension filling my body immediately fleeing with the link.

“Your body knows me, Caith,” he murmured.

I couldn’t tear my gaze from his, from the desire in his stare or the stark lines of barely repressed need that filled his features. “My body doesn’t speak for me.”

“Maybe it should.”

I tried to shake my head, but I couldn’t get my muscles to respond. Stupid wolf. No, something else urged me to stay in place and take what Sam had to offer.

Yes, my wolf was there, but so was my demon… my warrior’s courage told me to quit acting like a pussy. My pixie’s mischief reminded me of how much fun could be had in bed. The earth’s need to grow and reproduce shoved me toward baby making activities. And, hell, even my purity-hunting unicorn bits told me it was time to get my groove on.

Nope. Wasn’t happening. Really. At all, even.

“No, it shouldn’t speak for me,” I screamed at my disjointed genetics and demanded control once again. I was able to take one step back and then two, putting space between us. “And it won’t. I know your name and nothing more. I’m in control, not my hormones.”

There, I almost sounded sure of myself.

“Maybe.” He tilted his head in acknowledgement. “So, get to know me. We have a few hours before morning.”

He sounded unthreatening, but the lie was in his eyes. When the blue bled to the brightest red of sunrise, I knew arousal still attacked him. The color meant that the part of him that’d brought him crashing to the tween was close to the surface.

It shouldn’t have excited me as much as it did.

“Sam…” I shook my head, but when he snared my hand, sending a jolt of awareness racing through me, I didn’t put up much of a fight.

Not when he touched me or tugged or encouraged me to sit on his lap. The hard ridge of his cock was unmistakable, as was the vibrating moan that escaped him when I wiggled my ass to get comfortable.

My wolf was thrilled that we’d brought one of On High’s to his knees, only able to release guttural sounds instead of words.

“Eat with me. Lemme feed you. Between bites, you tell me about yourself and I’ll tell you about me.” He licked his lips and I wondered what he’d taste like. “And when we’re done, I’ll discover your body’s secrets.”

I wanted him to hunt them all. Like, really, really wanted him to.

But I wasn’t that sexy-smile-I-will-drop-my-panties girl anymore. It’d been hundreds of years since I’d hopped into bed on a whim. The ‘70s free love movement didn’t count. So, yeah, years.

“There will be no secrets or bodies or…” I licked my lips and his gaze dropped to my mouth. Kissing.

Danger, Caith Morningstar, danger.

Sam ignored my words and leaned forward to uncover the first dish.

Oh, On High, he went for the jugular right out of the gate.

Beef, lightly seared and gloriously pink. My mouth watered as he speared a small square and lifted it from the plate. When he leaned back and held it before my lips, I whimpered. When he traced my lower lip, teasing me with the taste and scent, I whined.

“I ordered things that would appease all of you.” His voice was husky and deep. “This is for your wolf,” he whispered and I opened my mouth, taking the morsel.

The coppery flavors coated my taste buds as the meat melted on my tongue. “Oh, On High, that is good.”

I swallowed the chunk and then another was presented to me, moist with blood and teasing my beast with the delicious aroma.

“Make that sound for me again,” he crooned.

That was easy.

“How about some of this?” He leaned forward once again, lifting another metal cover aside to reveal…

I moaned and the food hadn’t even passed my lips!

Sam chuckled, flashing me a knowing smile. If I hadn’t wanted the food so bad, I’d have kicked him. But I did. So I didn’t. He speared a chunk of the pale fruit and leaned back, presenting me with the treat.

“A little sweet for your unicorn?”

I opened my mouth for the piece of apple, biting and crunching the fruit. So, so fresh…

“Let’s see what else we have, hmm?” Another lid lifted, another delicacy.

Mashed potatoes—organic of course—grown in my father’s earth.

Chocolate cake in the shape of my uncle wearing a tiara and a tutu that appealed to my pixie. There had to be a tweener in the kitchen to whip up the treat so fast. Yum.

“Gimme…” I wasn’t afraid of chowing down in front of a guy. His hard cock proved that he liked all of my curves. He could watch me keep that shape he found so arousing.

I hadn’t seen anything that represented my battling father, but he gave me another bite of apple and I figured I’d ask later.

Ask…

“You,” I swallowed a piece of meat. “You haven’t told me anything about you. The way to my bed isn’t entirely through my stomach.”

It went a long way though.

“Hmm… Not much to tell. I’m Samkiel, angel of destruction, purifier of souls. All that.”

I snorted. “I think the ‘all that’ portion of your statement is probably why you’re in the tween and not On High.”

“Maybe.” He took a bite of apple and I almost whimpered. Almost.

“You said you couldn’t eat.”

Sam shook his head. “No, I can eat, but it doesn’t nourish me. The taste… that’s another story.” He stabbed a piece for me. “Anyway. That’s it. I destroy and purify. I have for uncountable years and I will for many more.”

I licked my lips, gathering the remnants of my last nibble of beef. “But why are you half fallen?”

He grimaced, the arousal I’d spied fading away. “I made a choice that On High didn’t agree with. I purified a spirit that was probably best left to your uncle. So,” he shrugged, “I’m here.”

“You thought for yourself.” It was one thing I never understood. The detailed rules and requirements and… My demon brain couldn’t wrap its head around the concept of an angel’s lack of choice.

“I thought for myself,” he agreed.

“Was it bad? I mean, what you did?”

Sam placed the fork on the nearest plate with a soft clink. When he turned back to me, seriousness filled his gaze, his look intent. “I felt—feel—the person I touched was worth redeeming and I still feel that way. Not because it brought me to you, but because—while I know he’s your uncle and I’m sorry for this—she didn’t deserve what would have happened to her in Hell.”

Her.

“Did you love her?” I hoped he hadn’t. Really hoped. I’d heard of angels falling in love with a human in the tween. He smiled and I cursed myself for asking the question. “Don’t read into it,” I rushed the words out. “I was just curious.”

“Uh-huh.” His smiled widened. “I know what you’re not saying, but no, I didn’t love her. I followed her family, and despite her mistakes, she was a good person. She’d just made a lot of mistakes.”

“So… you being here. Is it permanent?” Not that I wanted him to stay in the tween forever or anything. I definitely didn’t want to hang out twenty-four seven or stare at him naked.

“It depends on On High and you.”

“Me?” I whispered.

“Uh-huh.” Need filled his face, desperation for me plainly written across his features. “You.”

Then his hands bracketed my face, thumbs tracing my cheekbones and holding me steady as he eased closer. He gave me plenty of time to pull away, to say no, but I couldn’t bring myself to utter the single syllable. No, not when my mouth watered and body called for him. My skin stung, the wolf pushing forward and stretching my flesh. My gums ached, fangs threatening to burst forward. The animal wanted me to sink my teeth into him and claim him. Gel or not, Sam belonged to us.

And that scared the hell out of me. But not enough to make me stop him.

He brushed his lips across my mouth, teasing me once, twice, and on the third pass, he lingered. He taunted me with his scent and taste, pressure increasing, and then he lapped at the seam of my lips. I opened for him at the first skating touch. I wanted to delve into him as much as I wanted to be possessed by him.

He tasted just as I imagined, sweet and hot, and so fucking delicious. I pushed against him harder, going deeper and finding more of his flavors. I wanted all he had to give and then some.

My nipples were hardened pebbles, firm against his wide chest and I squirmed to rub against him. I swallowed his groan and did it again, reveling in his sounds that countered my own. His dick was hard against my ass, throbbing and pressing against my flesh.

What would it feel like to have him inside me?

Heaven.

I wasn’t ready to make myself that vulnerable, but I could…

Without breaking our kiss, I changed position, pushing and flexing until I straddled his hips. The new pose had my soaking pussy against the seam of his leather pants. The heated surface scorched my center, and I ached to take him into my body.

No, not now. I wasn’t ready for—

Sam gripped my hips and pulled me tightly against him, pressing my pussy along his length. He encouraged me to slide over him, rub my needy flesh over his captive shaft. I moaned and whimpered, unable to stop the sounds from escaping. I took the kiss deeper, giving and taking all I could.

His lips left mine for a brief moment. “Give it to me, Caith.”

And just like that, the rush of arousal vanished in a blink.

Everyone wanted me to give, give, give… They only wanted to take, take, take…

So many people had taken from me in the past.

Stupid girl, hadn’t I learned from my mistakes?

With a hoarse cry, I wrenched from his arms, back colliding with the table. Dishes rattled and clattered as they fell to the ground, but I ignored the sounds and mess I created.

“No,” I rasped, still backing away.

Sam remained in place, chest heaving and eyes glowing with unfulfilled arousal.

“Caith?” His voice held a hint of confusion.

“No.” I cleared my throat and tugged the sides of my robe together. I was nude beneath the sumptuous fabric, a fact I’d forgotten too quickly. “No.”

“Caith,” he murmured.

I shook my head, backing farther away. “No, Sam. I’m-I’m sorry, but I can’t do this.” I eased closer to the door, aching to run. Hadn’t I learned my lesson? “I’m sorry.” The suite had only one bedroom… and one bed. One, massive king sized bed. I couldn’t climb beneath the sheets, not while Sam was near. I’d succumb to him then. Let him take and take until I had nothing left to give. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Sam ran his palm over his face. “Just because I’m half fallen doesn’t mean I’m an asshole, Caith. I’ll sleep—”

“No,” I whispered. “I need to stay out here. Please.” I hated that I begged, but the bed tormented me.

Sam stared at me, his gaze searching and hunting and I prayed I could keep those broken bits of me hidden a little longer. “Okay. I’ll see you in the morning, then.”

“Right,” I nodded. “In the morning.”