“Don’t take another step, Sitri,” Zakara growled. “Humans aren’t allowed in my bar, and you know it,” she added, thinking the creature a total dumbass.

Unfortunately, more and more demons were testing the limits lately. Ever since Ramiel walked through her door, the rules went out the proverbial window.

It was all that sexy angel’s fault, too. She was wound tight with arousal, and left frustrated and wanting for days now. Why the fuck hadn’t she grabbed one of her patrons and relieved some of her tension? Probably because it would do no good. She’d just want the angel more.

And now the demons were bringing humans into her establishment. If she allowed that, she was asking for nothing but headaches. She wanted to keep their existence secret from the humans, and she didn’t want them to discover her bar. Most demons weren’t on Earth long enough to pose a problem but since the crossovers were sealed, the demons couldn’t return to the Underworld and controlling them was becoming impossible.

Sitri flipped her off and strolled to a table in the back with the female clinging to his arm. The human was shaking like a leaf, her fear a tantalizing perfume that filled the air and attracted the others. Yeah, dimwit. You’re in over your head. That pretty face is a trap, Kara mused, as she watched the female. The human couldn’t see past Sitri’s beautiful façade to see the Deumus demon that lay underneath. In her defense, she couldn’t see through the glamours to his six horns or large fangs, let alone the fact that he wasn’t some handsome model, but had the legs and cock of a dog.

Zakara squashed the flash of sympathy that flared in her chest and focused on the potential devastation to her property. Grabbing Fred from below the bar, Kara placed her weapon over her shoulder as a clear sign to everyone that they best behave.

Sauntering over to the couple, she made sure to growl as she passed a group of fear demons getting juiced from the human’s terror.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” she asked Sitri as she stopped next to him. The female’s eyes were saucers filled with tears as she looked from Fred to Kara’s horns to the pus demons at the next table.

“I’m on a date. She’ll have a margarita, and I’d like some Shax venom,” Sitri replied as if she hadn’t threatened him at all. The highly potent drink made from the venom of a Shax demon was the last thing this male needed.

Before she could reply, a Valec demon entered the bar with two highly intoxicated humans. The Valac wasn’t as adept at glamouring as other demons, but the two human males didn’t seem fazed by the long pointy nose and wrinkly old skin. No doubt the Valac gave them some of his blood to get them high and at his mercy.

Things were officially out of hand. She looked across to Joe who was wrangling with a hellhound. Whimpers behind told her the human female was one second away from losing it. Who did she bludgeon first? Sitri? Or the Valac? Or perhaps the hellhound was biting her barkeep’s shoulder.

Choices, choices, she mused and wished she had a vampire’s power to erase human memories. Demons could lower a human’s resistance, but they couldn’t manipulate their minds and remove memories.

Zakara’s heart skipped several beats, and she became lightheaded. Since when did she stop and consider the welfare of anyone but herself? Before Ramiel walked through her door, she’d have taken care of the demons and eliminated the humans without a second thought. She wanted to kick her own ass for hesitating.

She shook it off. No, nothing had changed. She would put these demons in their place then terminate the humans.

Turning, she glimpsed the human female’s terrified expression and hated the way her chest twisted. Had to be heartburn from the pastrami on rye she’d had for dinner. The helpless human was not her responsibility or her concern.

A loud crash made her growl as she turned to see Joe shoving a broken chair leg through the hellhound’s chest. As a Valac demon, Joe was strong enough to hold his own against most patrons, so she didn’t go to his aid as she watched the killing incite the rest of her patrons.

Countless eyes watched the humans with an insatiable hunger. Things were about to get ugly, real fast. “Alright assholes, Fred’s hungry and you’ve pissed me off,” Kara announced as she headed toward the fury demons pacing around Joe.

A table flew overhead, causing her to duck. She watched as the multi-colored wood broke into pieces. Glass shattered and littered the floor, along with spilled alcohol. A growl escaped her throat as she swung Fred, hitting the demons around her. A vicious yank tore flesh and had black blood flowing from their wounds. Down went several jackasses as she completed her arc.

It was enough to make some nearby demons pause while the humans screamed in terror and ran for the door. “Shut the fuck up if you want to live,” she chastised the humans. “You’re only making them salivate.”

Rolling her shoulders, she didn’t hesitate to introduce Fred to a couple of fury demons before pointing the bloody weapon at Sitri. “Out, back. Right the fuck now,” she ordered. The Deumus demon stood and leaned down to kiss the human female. The loud shriek told Kara Sitri dropped his handsome disguise in the wake of chaos.

Zakara grabbed him roughly by the neck and yanked him away from the human. “If you’re lucky enough to make it home, get your shit together, female. Bad boys aren’t worth the time,” she told the hysterical human.

“You’ve fucked up for the last time, Sitri,” Zakara told the male loud enough for everyone to hear. She threw a punch of her power as she made the announcement.

She wasn’t as mighty as Lucifer, but she was higher than the scum frequenting SLS. Her ability pulsed, electrifying those around her. The smell of urine told her she might have inadvertently killed the humans, as well. If that was the case, it was inevitable.

A glance at the door showed males writhing on the floor near the exit, and the woman slumped in her seat. Perking her ears, she heard shallow breaths from the human female. Good. Explaining her death to an infuriating angel wasn’t high on her list tonight. He’d be back soon. She sensed his presence nearby. The creeper was probably lurking on the nearby rooftops. Arrogant AOR that made her blood heat to scalding.

It was unusually quiet in the bar as she marched Sitri to his doom. Thankfully, her torment worked. The demons stopped trashing her place, and there was no more screaming. The pain for demons was minimal, but it reminded them who was boss. She could do far worse, and they knew it.

Her boot met the metal bar across the back door, and it swung wide and slammed against the exterior brick wall. Taking her time, Kara pushed Sitri in front of her and laughed when the door rebounded into his large nose.

“Fuck, bitch,” he snarled.

“Only my best friend is allowed to call me bitch, asshole. You fucked up royally this time. I have no patience for your games. Between the angel sniffing around and the restless demons, I am tapped out,” she informed the demon as she threw him to the ground. The male flew and rolled across the asphalt, leaving a trail of black blood.

Zakara stalked toward the downed demon, wondering where Ramiel was perched. “Please, run. I haven’t had a good chase in way too fucking long, and I need the exercise,” she told Sitri as he glanced to the end of the alley.

The Deumus demon shook his head and got to his feet, grabbing a broken board on his way up. Before the beast could gather his bearings, Kara rushed him with Fred held out to her side.

Fucker was fast and ducked before she reached him, swiping right. She didn’t ask him for a date, dammit. Her momentum carried her forward, and his move took her legs. Bracing for impact, Zakara landed in an awkward heap. The loud crack that echoed was her collarbone.

Fred fell from limp fingers, and Kara jumped to her feet, ignoring the searing pain. No time to waste, she threw her shoulder back, hoping to align shit right so she could heal. A grunt was all the satisfaction the motherfucker was going to get.

“Humans don’t belong in my bar. And, you’re my message to the others. You can fight, fuck, and drink in my bar, but never with humans,” Zakara reminded him as her left fist met his face a few dozen times in rapid succession.

Sitri swung and tried to hit her, but she’d stepped too close to it to do any real damage. A mild tingle told her that her shoulder was healing. Time to tango, she thought as she danced around him, landing kicks to his side and thigh and punches to his battered face.

When the worst of her pain subsided, she swooped down and snatched Fred from the ground. Twirling, she swung the bat and stepped toward the demon. Nails embedded in his skull with a thud and stuck.

“Cunt. I’m going to enjoy fucking you before I kill you,” the demon snarled.

Cocking her head to the side, she pulled the nails free. The cracking sound echoed off the high walls. White covered in black surrounded some of the metal spikes. Lovely decorations, she thought.

“Hmmm. Tempting offer, but sadly I’m going to have to decline the invitation. As much as I hate to admit this, you aren’t the one I want to fuck right now,” Kara admitted, thinking of a particularly sexy angel that was more than likely watching her altercation.

It made her arousal surge hotter as she swung Fred around again. It needed bits of a skull on the other side. Had to have balance, after all.

The Deumus demon staggered and she added a bit of bite to her next blow. Her power surged, and when the weapon pulled free, she saw the smoke billowing from Sitri’s skull while his body did its version of shake, rattle, and roll.

One swift kick and the demon was down. Not enough flesh was missing over here. Kara's boot took care of that as she stomped the dead demon’s temple, for good measure.

“You can come out now,” she called out and waited. Her eyes scanned the rooftops nearby, but she didn’t see Ramiel.

Figuring he wasn’t coming, she leaned down and grabbed Sitri’s collar. What good was an example if no one saw?

A thud grabbed her attention. She didn’t jump when she heard the angel landing behind her.

“Enjoy the show?” she asked curiously. “Or are you mad I didn’t leave this one for you?” Stories about an AOR on a rampage had spread quickly among demonkind, and she knew who the culprit was.

“Trouble in paradise?” Ramiel asked, his deep voice settling deep into her bones. A glance over her shoulder had her breath hitching. He stood in the shadows of the barely lit alley, his massive black wings bristling behind him. His bronze chest was on display, and she itched to explore his muscular arms and shoulders. He was magnanimous, and she craved a taste.

“That was foreplay. You here to finish me off?” Kara asked and released Sitri. She turned to face Ramiel and widened her stance as she lifted Fred to rest on the back of her shoulders. She watched as Rami’s gaze dropped to her breasts, and she arched, giving him an eyeful.

“If that turns you on, you’re a disgusting creature. There is nothing attractive about death,” Rami snarled.

This angel had yet to taste the pleasure in moments like this. In her experience, there were more of these moments than not, and her motto was to find fun as often as possible. To let a little blood and guts stop it was unthinkable.

“Like I thought. You’re pure vanilla extract, Virgin,” she taunted and leaned over to grab Sitri again. She opened the back door to her bar and tossed Sitri’s body through the opening.

* * *

Ramiel tried to regain control of his body. He’d snapped at the Fallen, hoping to distract her from her obsession with sex. She was starting to rub off on him. For that reason, he knew he was disgusted with himself. Elsie would have told him he was projecting his struggle onto Zakara. When had his mind twisted so horribly that all he could think of as he watched her kill the demon was how sexy her lithe body moved?

At least his mockery hadn’t pissed her off, he thought. If her hooded eyes and blatant tease were anything to go by she was far from angry.

“Admit it. Vanilla is your favorite ice cream,” Rami replied, surprised by his bold words.

“True. I prefer simple foods like meat, potatoes, and vanilla ice cream, but that doesn’t extend beyond food. I want my sex rough, raw, and hot enough to burn the sheets. Best times were with those that actually set my sheets on fire,” she admitted.

In an instant, Rami was in her face, pinning her to the wall in the back hallway. They’d been in the same position the night before, he thought. His breath sawed in and out as his aggression swelled the muscles in his back and shoulders. She was taunting him as if Izzy wasn’t in Hell suffering God only knew what, and his traitorous body didn’t give a shit.

“For some reason, I saw you like a spicy food kind of woman. Proves that looks are deceiving. Anyway, you ever want to have marathon sex with your demon lovers again,” he murmured into her ear, and his gut churned over the thought of her fucking those vile being, “then you’d better help me get into the Underworld. You’re losing control of your domain, Salsa.”

Her foot shot out and kicked the carcass down the empty hall. “That will get them back in line,” she replied.

“You wouldn’t have to get them back in line if you helped me. C’mon, you know you want me…to help me, that is,” he cajoled as he gave into temptation and settled his hands on her hips. The erotic roll as she pressed her lower half against him was the signal his cock had been waiting for, and little Rami jumped and pulsed, trying to break free.

Ramiel had to look away from the delectable sight of Kara with her head tilted back and her mouth slightly ajar as her pink tongue ran over her full bottom lip. The noise from the bar seemed miles away. The world around them receded to where he barely registered the demons gawking at the dead creature then into the hallway where they stood.

“You won’t like what’s required of you to get into the Underworld,” Zakara husked, drawing his attention.

He needed to focus on her words, but all he could see was her wet, shiny lips that begged for his kiss. Lowering his head, he tilted to the side and met her mouth in a clash of desire. For a moment, Ramiel allowed his arousal free reign as he pressed his lips to Kara’s. Their mouths meshed together and he licked and teased, seeking entrance.

The moan that left her opened the way, and his tongue slid against hers as they tangled together in the erotic assimilation of what his body wanted to do with hers. It was utterly insane to be kissing this Fallen angel. To crave her as he did, but there was no denying his desire.

Ramiel deepened the kiss and grabbed hold of her hair, fisting it in his hands. One of her legs wrapped around his hip and her hot core nearly melted him. She writhed against him as their mouths fought for dominance.

Never had Rami been kissed like this and he never wanted it to end. Lust never consumed him like this. The taste of blueberry exploded in his mouth, making him wild with need. He wanted more. No, needed her like he needed to breathe.

An image of Izzy suffering at the enemy’s hand broke through his haze of desire and Rami quickly broke the kiss. As much as he wanted this woman, Izzy came first.