Later that evening, Kagan double checked the black suit he’d manifested from the image in one of the fashion magazines at Mira’s apartment while waiting for her to change, then smoothed a hand over his hair and tightened the knot of his blue tie. Mira walked beside him through the dark streets. Her plan was simple, yet likely to be effective. He glanced over, catching glimpses of her short black dress from beneath her coat. It hugged her curves and flared out from the waist. The black high heels highlighted her shapely legs. Her curls were pinned up into a messy bun atop her head and her makeup was perfection, her red lips most alluring.

If he’d thought it difficult not to look at her before, now it was impossible. Honestly, Mira had ensnared his attention from the first moment he’d seen her, and he could stare at her forever. Which played well into his cover for this mission—he was to be her doting date, an attentive, charming lover, to show this Argus she’d moved on romantically.

“He’ll be here.” Her tone sounded less than confident. Kagan wasn’t sure if the words to meant to reassure him or herself. He wondered if she was having second thoughts. In truth, her form of revenge was far gentler and more lenient than his would have been. If given his choice, Kagan would happily cast her abusive, unfaithful mate into a bottomless pit to suffer torture with Lucifer and his demented minions.

Her breath hitched, and Kagan tracked her gaze to a neon sign ahead. The Hideaway. This place was one she’d frequented with Argus. Kagan had yet to obtain a description of this despicable male of hers, but Mira had said promised she’d point him out once they were inside.

“I shouldn’t ask you to do this.” Mira stopped and faced him, her breath frosting in the air. “It’s not right.”

“All you’re asking me to do is pretend to be your lover. This is an easy charade, I assure you.”

Whatever she desired of him, she would have.

Sin or no sin involved.

Mira moved closer, her sweet female scent surrounding him—roses and cinnamon and soap. The light perfume teased his senses and lured him in as much as her appearance. She’d never looked this beautiful on his screen in heaven. She went to move away and Kagan caught her wrist, stopping her. Beneath his fingers, her pulse thrummed fast.

“You’re nervous.” He stroked her silky skin, wanting to run his hands over every inch of her and memorize all her supple planes and curves.

“Considering I’m about to walk into a bar with an immortal warrior, can you blame me?” She attempted a light tone, but her expression was serious.

“They don’t know what I am.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face their reflection in the dark window of a shop behind them. “They see only a normal couple.”

Her eyes widened as he whispered near her ear, “Does my present appearance please you?”

“Yes.” She turned her face slightly to look at him over her shoulder, her face close to his. “Very much.”

Her honesty touched his heart. His gaze fell to her lips and he stepped back, away from the temptation they presented. “If you are satisfied, then we begin your revenge.”

He held out his hand and she slipped her fingers into his without hesitation. They walked to the nightclub while Kagan tried to remember if he’d ever held a woman’s hand before. If he had, it had been so long ago he could no longer recall, and he was certain it had never felt this good.

The guard at the door stepped aside the moment they neared. Mira gave Kagan a surprised glance, but he just shrugged. Some mortals were easier to influence than others and the bouncer had been an easy target. A message sent straight into his head saying he wanted to let the beautiful woman pass had been enough to make the guard lift the red velvet rope.

Kagan led Mira down into the dark interior of the basement club, moving her in front of him as they reached the crowded space at the foot of the stairs. They stopped and checked her coat at the booth before moving farther inside. Blue neon lit the black bar and white spotlights cast a pale glow over the bartenders and their patrons.

He scanned their surroundings, committing all the exits and escape routes to memory, more out of habit than any real sense of danger. The dance floor was small and busy with mortals bumping and grinding to the hypnotic rhythms booming from the speakers. Blue strobes and lasers made their movements seem stuttered and broken. Clusters of round black tables with stools lined the edges of the room. Most were full. The electronic music was loud and fast, the hard bass resonating in his chest and making him miss the pristine peace and quiet of the heavenly realms.

Distracted, Kagan nearly bumped into the back of Mira when she stopped abruptly in front of him. The press of her warm body stirred him almost as much as the coffee had earlier. He quickly moved away before she noticed his arousal. Mira looked back at him then gestured toward the dance floor. Her touch burned though the arm of his jacket, making him hungry for more, making him wonder what those fingers would feel like on other parts of his body.

He began to see why his fellow Scion craved mortal women.

The side of her breast brushed against him as she raised on tiptoe. She wanted to tell him something. He lowered his head, his lips grazing the top of her ear.

“That guy, with the shaggy pale hair and shirt open to his navel?” she said, her voice far too loud for his sensitive hearing. “That’s Argus.”

He searched the crowded dance floor for his target, then zeroed in. The guy reminded Kagan of the preening, drunken Satyrs depicted in ancient mosaics, all beastly manners and lustful looks. This Argus showed far too much chest, with at least his top three buttons undone, grinding his pelvis against a slender dark-haired woman in a tight dress.

“Is that the female he betrayed you with?” The woman was nothing compared with Mira, in Kagan’s opinion. He winced as the female crouched low to the ground, her bottom jiggling back and forth against the man’s legs while her skirt rode up to the top of her thighs, giving every male in the room no doubt about her feminine assets. Argus cheered her on, thrusting his crotch against her face in a parody of fellatio. The thought of Mira with such a disrespectful, disgusting idiot made Kagan desire to send the man to Hell after all.

“Want to get a drink?” Mira shouted over the thumping music.

Kagan shook his head. “Alcohol would not be wise. I’m not sure whether it is still forbidden.”

“Oh.” Mira looked past him to the bar. “Well, I need a drink.”

“Then you shall have one.” He stepped back and bowed slightly. “I’ll return momentarily.”

She gasped when he dematerialized in front of her. Seconds later another woman squeaked when he appeared in a space next to her at the bar. He accidentally knocked against her then murmured an apology.

“Looking for a date?” The battered her long lashes, her fingernails sliding along his forearm, her surprised expression soon dissolving into a come-hither smile. Kagan glanced over the heads of the crowd to where Mira still stood beside the dance floor, her expression still somewhat flummoxed from his abrupt disappearance. “No.” He removed the woman’s hand from his person. “I am here with someone.”

She snorted. “Too bad, sweetie. I’d give you the ride of your life.”

He laughed, never having heard such ridiculous flirting in his long, immortal life. Why would he leave Mira? She was kind, warm, beautiful. Their gazes locked across the space and his smile fell as realization dawned. He wanted her.

As he’d never wanted a mortal woman before.

Throat tight, Kagan hailed the bartender and ordered the best frou-frou drink on the menu. Moments later something called an Angel’s Tit slid across the bar. Having seen many a celestial being’s breasts first hand, Kagan could confidently verify this drink looked nothing like them. Still, he paid with the bills Mira had given him earlier then disappeared again and reappeared beside Mira once more.

She jumped at his sudden appearance then shook her head, taking the drink from him.

“The man tending bar said it’s called an Angel’s Tit.”

“Right.” She sipped the creamy concoction, deftly avoiding the large maraschino cherry on top, licking her lips afterward and drawing his attention to their scarlet fullness again. Her smile had changed from sunny to brittle. “Did your new friend recommend it?”

A surge of power prickled over his skin, dark and ancient. The Seal stirring inside her.

“No.” He squared his shoulders, his Scion instincts sensing her jealousy. “That female at the bar recommended something else entirely and I refused.”

“I see.” The crushing power radiating from Mira vanished and her sunny grin blossomed anew. She seemed completely unaware that anything had happened. He’d never dealt directly with a Seal host before, though he was tied inexorably to them. He wasn’t sure his Scion powers would withstand a direct assault from the Seal’s energy, and he had no intention of finding out.

A table nearby became available and he guided Mira over to it with a hand on her elbow. She slid gracefully onto a tall black stool and placed her drink on the table. Kagan took the seat opposite her, watching her sip her drink and waiting.

The pounding music overhead gradually changed to a new tune, something slower and more melodic. The dance floor cleared a bit, with many patrons heading toward the bar. Argus walked past them with his date and Kagan placed his hand over Mira’s. The man’s gaze flicked to them before moving on.

Mira leaned across the table, her eyes wide. “Did he see?”

Kagan blinked, unable to look away from the view down her dress her position afforded him. She tempted him beyond all measure, yet she seemed completely oblivious to her charms. He forced himself to look away, tracking her cheating ex’s progress across the room. “Yes, he saw.”

The man was shorter than Kagan, and far less muscular than was warranted for the battlefield. Also, there was something about his pale complexion, his flat eyes, his sharp and slightly sinister expression, that seemed oddly familiar to Kagan’s everlasting Scion memory, though it was hard to pinpoint exactly why in the club’s dim light.

Still, there must have been some redeeming qualities to the man to have drawn Mira’s heart. Unfortunately, none of them were apparent to Kagan at the moment. All he saw when he looked at this Argus was a liar, a cheater, and a coward who preyed upon those less advantaged than himself. He deserved punishment and suffering, just as Mira desired.

Argus and his date reached the bar and the man looked back over his shoulder at them, hopefully seeing that Mira had moved on and that she and Kagan were more than friends.

Mira sipped more of her drink and Kagan held her hand, grazing his thumb lightly over skin, the delicate veins beneath. She didn’t seem to mind his touch now, or perhaps this was part of the act. His glanced at her face, the lasers from the dance floor casting her in shades of ultramarine and violet. The color made her dark curls look black and hazel eyes glittered. It was all too easy now for him to remember the unearthly power she housed within her DNA. Yet her sudden, ethereal appearance only acted as an aphrodisiac for his preternatural Scion senses. She flashed him a teasing smile, her red lips curving seductively, and Kagan was tempted to take their charade further, to see her reaction.

“What are your hobbies, outside of work?” he asked as the music changed back to thundering drums and electronic noise.

She toyed with the stem of her glass, considering her answer. Then she raised her drink and gulped the remainder down in one long gulp. “I read, mainly. And research. About history and science and old religions. It’s how I knew about you and the Scion. Well, that and my dreams.”

Right.

Never before had a Seal host learned about him, dreamed about him.

Until today.

He’d lived long enough to understand the uniqueness of their situation, the uniqueness of her. Her goodness, selflessness, and kindness. All of it spoke to his heart, making her more gorgeous, if that were possible. He’d walked beside her on this earthly plane for less than a full day and already he could see Mira was concerned with helping others, so different from some of the past Seal hosts who tapped into the power within them and used it to enslave and profit from the other mortals around them. Still other hosts had used the Seal’s power to make them rich, important and popular, lured in by promises of false happiness, addicted to the high of ultimate oppression. Power was a drug, even when mortals had no idea of its true source or cost. He had seen its effects on humanity during his long eons of existence.

But Mira seemed immune to it all, succumbing only to heal the pain in her heart over her ex’s harsh treatment and to seek her rightful vengeance. It was this Argus bastard who’d driven Mira to tap the Seal’s dormant power. Perhaps he’d heard her call because he’d been focused on her at the time and the Seal amplified her summons.

Her other hand settled over their joined ones, her skin cold.

“Dance with me?” She sounded nervous, her gaze lingering past his shoulder.

“Is he still watching?” Kagan could feel the weight of the man’s stare on his back.

Mira nodded.

“Then we should definitely dance.”

She slid off her stool, then hesitated. “Are you sure all of this is okay with you?”

Instead of answering, he led her around the table and toward the dance floor. His smile seemed to give her the reassurance she needed, a lovely blush rising in her cheeks. The deep rhythm of the music slowed once more and the movements of the other mortals surrounding them bordered on clothed sex. Kagan briefly wondered if this was such a good idea. Truthfully, he had no clue where this dance would lead, but the look in Mira’s eyes said wherever he ended up, he would greatly enjoy the trip.

Mimicking the mortals, Kagan pulled Mira close, her hands against his chest, and looked down into her wide eyes. Her pupils were dilated, nearly obscuring her hazel irises, and the thrum of her pulse in time with his filled him with passion and hunger.

Her inhibitions seemed to lift, perhaps because of the alcohol flowing through her system, and she swayed against him, her movements growing more confident and carnal. He matched her movements. It felt so incredibly good, her despicable ex the furthest thing from his mind now.

Kagan slid his hands down her back to her waist, then to her hips. Her curves felt lush and pliable beneath his touch. Her eyes slid half-closed, and her palms heated against his chest, searing through his suit straight to his flesh. His Scion sigil flared in response.

He drew her hips tighter against him, moving with her to the hypnotic beat. Her fingers slid over his shoulders to twine around his neck. He couldn’t suppress a shiver at her caress. Each time they brushed or rubbed together, it drove his control closer toward the edge.

She toyed with the hair at his nape, making him groan low with pleasure. He shifted, easing his hands around to the small of her back. Mira moaned and moved closer still. If she looked this beautiful clothed, she would be exquisite naked. He imagined exploring every inch of her with his mouth and hands, worshipping her body until she cried his name in ecstasy, then collapsed into his arms, sated and sleepy.

Kagan forced himself to ease back. Otherwise this would all be over before it ever started.

Mira gaze up at him, her eyes full of unspoken invitation. He wanted to give in, would do so willingly if he knew for certain this wasn’t all part of her plan for vengeance, if this wasn’t all intended to make Argus jealous.

The way she felt in his arms, however, seemed far too real.

She ran her hands down his arms, tracing his biceps. Her pulse sped, and the Seal’s power blazed between them, reinforcing their connection, allowing him to feel her hunger and need.

His gaze dropped to her cherry-red lips, beckoning him to dip his head and kiss her.

It had been so long since he’d desired a woman, and never a mortal one, but this was different—so strong and so irresistible. He loved how she moved against him, teasing him into submission, sending shiver after shiver over his skin. His temperature soared. He loved the way she looked into his eyes and smiled, so full of honest want and desire.

None of this felt like an act.

All of it felt so real and true and right.

Kagan was nearly sure she’d welcome his kiss, his attraction.

Mira smiled again, her hands resting lightly by his elbows now, burning him with her touch. He needed to feel those hands on his bare chest, needed her to stroke his skin, needed her to know what she did to him and how hard she made him.

He moved his pelvis, allowing her to feel the extent of his arousal. She seemed to relish the action, her head tipping back in silent acceptance. He slid his hands down to cup her backside and groaned low at the way those ripe curves filled his palms. They were close, so close, yet not nearly close enough for what Kagan had in mind.

Her half-lidded gaze met his, her lips parted.

Kissing her seemed inevitable. Not pretend. Not at all.

He wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let her go.

Mira slipped her fingertips beneath the cuff of his shirt to caress his inner wrist. He imagined her doing the same with the buttons of his shirt, the zipper of his trousers…

Words could not express how much he desired her.

Kagan lost track of what they were doing, where they were. All he knew was they were holding each other, gazes locked and hearts racing. His gaze flicked to her mouth and he gave up the fight against temptation. He lowered his head to kiss her and…

She giggled.

Frowning, Kagan pulled back as she wriggled against him. Her leg brushed his aching erection and he bit back another groan, this time of frustration.

This was not the time for humor. Then he glanced down and saw the hole in the front of his dress shirt where his Scion sigil had burned a hole through the material.

So much for keeping his ardor a secret. He quirked a brow at her and grinned.

Mira laughed harder in his arms, genuine and full of happiness.

Her heartache seemed to have vanished, along with their plan to keep this all make believe.