“I thought you told me that sweet little angel was totally gaga over me and couldn’t wait to jump on my cock.” Zagan twirled Botis around and slammed him up against the bathroom wall.
“There is no way I used the word gaga.” Botis shook his head and pushed Zagan away although in the small bathroom, that wasn’t very far. “That word has never passed my lips before and I’m not sure I’m pleased it has now. I never said he wanted to ride your cock either. He’s an angel for fart’s sake.”
“You know what I mean.” Zagan was furious. “You said he was begging to meet me.”
“Yeah, so, and he was.” Botis shrugged, smoothing his hands down his Hugo Boss jacket. “Clearly, he was infatuated with the stories about you. When he met you in real life….” He waved a hand at Zagan’s more casual attire, “Maybe you didn’t live up to the hype.”
A burst of flame escaped Zagan’s nostrils as he snorted. “I earned every bit of my reputation,” he snarled.
“And how is any part of that reputation going to put you in the good books with an angel?” Botis smirked at Zagan’s glare. Poxy demon was so smug; firmly wrapped around the Archangel Raziel’s little finger.
“It might suit you to be an angel’s pet snake,” Zagan replied, referring to Botis’s shifted form. “I just wanted to sample the goods. It’s not as though demons get the go ahead to so much as look at angels on the street. I was curious, wondering what all the fuss was about. And then the one angel I get a chance to meet can’t be bothered to give me the time of day.”
Botis laughed, something else that was new. Zagan realized there were a lot of changes in his normally surly friend. Happiness sat across Botis’s broad shoulders like a mantle, and Botis wore it well. Yet, Zagan would be a fool if he thought happiness weakened his friend in any way. Botis ruled his sixty legions with a rod of iron; he just didn’t fuck his minions anymore because Raziel didn’t like the idea.
“How can you stand it,” Zagan twitched as he thought about the sexy cute little angel sitting at the dinner table waiting for them. The man spent all evening bestowing sunshine smiles at the waiters, who were captivated with the little minx. “How can you stand fucking the same person night after night? Don’t you get bored?”
“You should try it sometime,” Botis patted his shoulder as he opened the bathroom door. “You might be surprised at how enjoyable it can be, especially when it comes to an angel.” His laughter was thankfully cut off as the door swung closed behind him.
Zagan glowered as he eyed himself in the mirror. His long dark hair was clean; the lack of tangles his one concession to the evening. He’d altered his appearance so as not to frighten the numerous humans in the restaurant, but the fires of hell burned brightly in the reflection of his dark eyes.
Tilting his head this way and that, Zagan couldn’t see any reason why the little angel, who was causing an ache in his chest, would ignore him. His typical garb of black t-shirt and ripped jeans highlighted his musculature, including the size of his cock which hardened the moment he’d spotted Anael. “I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of,” he muttered as he washed his hands and then called on the flames to dry them.
There are other angels, he thought spitefully, ones with far more sex appeal than him. And yet, as the bathroom door opened and an uptight business man scuttled in, looking anywhere but at Zagan’s groin as he hurried to the urinal, Zagan couldn’t bring himself to order the man to drop to his knees. The conquest would be easy enough; the man didn’t take his eyes off him as he fumbled with his zipper. But Zagan’s heart wasn’t in it. He had an angel in his sights and he was determined to catch him.
/~/~/~/~/
“For someone who was so eager to meet his idol, you’re doing an excellent job of ignoring him,” Raziel observed as he slowly sipped his whiskey.
“I’m playing hard to get,” Anael could barely sit still. Zagan had pulled Botis into the bathroom just after they finished the entrees and Anael’s ears were burning. “Zagan’s so hot he just has to look in anyone’s direction and they’d be dropping their pants. I want to show I’m different.”
“It’s not as though you’re a virgin,” Raziel kept his voice low. The evening was winding down and theirs was one of the few tables still in use. But Anael appreciated his friend’s discretion. “I thought you would have jumped at the chance to ride the object of your obsession. Not that I approve, but still.”
“Zagan is more than an obsession,” Anael said quickly, his heart racing as he grinned widely. “We have a connection. He’s the one meant for me. I’m part of this mating game too and Head Office paired me with the one man who calls to my heart. Isn’t it exciting?”
Raziel didn’t appear to share his enthusiasm, if the tightened lips and slight furrow between his eyebrows was any indication. Anael wished his friend wasn’t so protective, but when Raziel did speak, it wasn’t to deliver a lecture on staying away from Zagan, which Anael expected. “If you’re connected as you say you are, why in heavens name are you flirting with the waiter?”
“I wasn’t flirting, was I?” It was Anael’s turn to frown. As the angel of love and passion, he felt a kindred connection to all living souls. No one was born to live alone, and Anael’s empathy with lonely people was stronger than most. Unfortunately, sometimes his efforts to help were misconstrued as Raziel knew well. He was the one Anael called to deal with any of his stalker problems. “The poor boy is lonely. I could tell from the lack of light in his heart. I was just trying to make his evening more enjoyable.” Then a horrible thought struck him. “You don’t think Zagan noticed, do you?”
“I imagine that’s why he insisted my mate hold his hand while he went to the bathroom,” Raziel said as he leaned across the table. “If you believe Zagan’s yours, and I’d really wish that he wasn’t but I’m not going against Head Office, wouldn’t you at least talk to him? Let him know you’re interested in some way? Or, now that you’ve met him, did you decide you’d rather be assigned someone else?”
“What are you talking about, someone else?” Anael snapped as he leaned in so close his and Raziel’s foreheads were almost touching across the small table. “Head Office decreed he’s mine and that’s final.”
“For now,” Raziel said patiently, “but when I spoke to Gabriel about Botis, before we had a chance to work things out, Gabriel mentioned that if we didn’t fit, then it might be possible to assign us both to someone else.”
Reaching across the table, Raziel took his hand. Anael appreciated the gesture although he could do without the pity in his friend’s eyes. “Look, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing if you let Zagan go,” Raziel whispered. “He’s a player of the worst kind; his office has a revolving door on it and I imagine his bedroom door is the same. He’s a big shot and not the type to play games. I saw the way he looked at you when you arrived. He wants you as a notch on his belt. He’s not partner material and if you have to be mated, you deserve someone loving and faithful to you, otherwise he’d break your heart.”
“I’m not letting him go,” Anael hissed fiercely. “I know you’re looking out for me, but he’s mine, which means he’ll match me in every way. I don’t want anyone else.”
“Well then you probably should have talked to him,” Raziel said, sitting back and watching as Botis made his way back to the table. “You know Zagan’s not alone in the bathroom right now. I imagine he’s working out his frustrations on which ever hapless person needed a quick pee.”
“Faith,” Anael said quickly, ignoring the stabbing pain in his heart. “Remember that little concept? I have faith.” He waited until Botis joined them and put his napkin on the table before standing. Zagan was still suspiciously absent. “Thank you for the lovely evening, but I have to go. I’m working the late shift. Perhaps you three can come and have a final drink before you head home? I’ll let the doorman know you’re coming.”
“That could be fun,” Botis waggled his eyebrows at Raziel, who simply shook his head fondly. Anael knew Raziel didn’t have to worry about his demon being unfaithful now they’d claimed each other. “I can’t answer for Zagan, but we’ll be there.”
Knowing he couldn’t risk staying a moment longer or he’d be late, Anael beamed at the lonely waiter before running outside. As he raised his arm and yelled for a taxi, he hung onto the faith in his heart. Zagan is mine. I’m doing the right thing, I’m doing the right thing. Quickly giving the driver the address of the strip club where he worked and ignoring his leer, Anael leaned back on his seat and closed his eyes.
Immediately, he was assailed with memories of when Zagan walked through the door of the restaurant. Truth be told, Anael couldn’t have spoken in that moment if he’d tried. The man himself was everything Anael dreamed of; tall, dark and with a chiseled face. Yet, as they shook hands, Anael imagined there was a softness in the demon’s eyes. He knew all about Zagan’s history, of course. The King was a legend in the underworld. Answering only to Lucifer, he commanded legions of the damned; the strongest fighters in the demon world. His affinity was trickery and among his many talents was the ability to turn any metal into coin.
But what had stunned Anael speechless was the immediate connection that flared between them. Oh, there was lust of course, on both sides, but only Anael could see the threads running from his heart to Zagan’s. It was in that moment he decided he had to prove he was more than an easy lay. Which he wasn’t, but there were times others got that opinion about him. He didn’t want Zagan getting the wrong idea.
Please don’t let me have blown this chance. Anael sent his thoughts skyward as he paid the driver and stepped out onto the curb. The night was cold, and he shivered as he hurried past the waiting crowds. Jared, the bouncer, nodded at him as he let him in the door. “Busy crowd tonight,” the menacing hunk muttered. “Watch yourself.”
“Thanks. I have three friends who might be coming tonight. You remember Raz, the taxi driver?”
“I’ll make sure they’re let in.” Jared nodded to where the barman was waving at him frantically. “I think you’re running late.”
Anael knew he wasn’t but he pushed his way through the crowd and headed to the back of the stage. Jewel, one of the other dancers was just finishing up which meant he had five minutes to get ready. Oh, what a glamorous life for an angel, he thought wryly as he started taking off his suit.