CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The demon watched her take a step back. Turning her head to the side, she raised her eyebrows at the remains of her kitchen counter. As she turned to survey the damage, he took a slow step forward, pressing his front to her back. He caged her in against the counter and lowered his nose to her throat. Her scent bloomed around him, her body trembling everywhere he pressed against her. He could not get enough of her; her skin was like velvet to his touch. The energy that surrounded her sparked over his skin, calming and inflaming him all at once.
His hands moved to cover hers. Automatically her body responded, rocking back against him like a cat. He trailed his nose up her neck, stopping just below her hair line. She had played his body, bringing him to his knees—figuratively. But now he wanted more, he wanted to feel her writhing under him, wanted to see her head thrown back in abandon as he explored every inch of her velvet skin.
She was panting softly, her body molding back against him. With a smile on her lips she relaxed, her blond hair flowing over his shoulder.
“See, I told you. You would never hurt me.”
He let out a low growl against the skin of her throat and pressed his hard erection against her ass. His sweatpants hung just below his hips. The rough sensation of her jeans against his still-hard cock sent a surge of pleasure rushing up his spine.
“That’s true, but now I want a taste. I want more.” He heard her let out a shaky breath, her body pushing back against him. “Will you let me taste you, Layla?” He could not keep the growl out of his voice, and judging by her breath catching in her throat, she liked hearing it. She turned her head so she could see his eyes. His lips feathered along her jawline and paused beside hers.
“God, yes.” Her surrender to his control was like pure lightening through his veins. His mouth caught hers, his tongue sweeping past her lips, swallowing her moan. He pressed harder against her back. The pounding of his blood thickened in his veins. The very air around them was heady and hot, their breath mingling. The drive to pin her against this counter and make her cry out tore at him.
Hands entwined together, the beast hovering just under the surface of his skin. He wanted to mark her, make sure everyone knew who she belonged to. She was sweet on his tongue. Her body responded, and she gave as good as she got, her mouth devouring his as he tasted and kissed deeply, needing more of her.
“Mommy?” A sweet innocent voice broke through the sexual haze like ice water being dumped all over him.
The pair of them pushed from each other as if they were on fire. Tan turned quickly to readjust himself and cover his aching cock, his whole body tingling. He managed to hold back the groan. God damn, if that didn’t kill the mood in half a second flat; he even felt himself burning red. At least the evil seductress who got them in this mess was as embarrassed as him. She gasped and covered her face before quickly recovering and turning to face her daughter. Annabelle just stared at her with a little knowing smile on her face.
“Does this mean he is going to be my new daddy?” Hope shone in her little face as she looked between the two adults. No doubt they looked more like scolded children then she ever had.
“Oh, err, Annabelle, that’s not, I mean… it’s not, we weren’t…” Oh yeah we were, or almost were… oh. He had to admit, Layla was seriously cute when she was blabbering. The tiny human, however, just smiled her little smile and ran over to him. Her little arms wrapped around his legs and she looked up at him with pure adoration in her bright eyes. Tan looked down at the child. His mouth opened and closed as he tried in desperation to come up with something to say, but it looked like the little girl had already made up her mind.
“Annabelle, when two people like one another, sometimes they like to…” Layla started to explain, badly, but she was trying at least. The small child just beamed at her as if she already knew what was happening. Was that even possible? Tan wondered just how old the soul within this child was.
“I know Mommy. Grammy said that you two would be… kiss… ing. She said that’s what adults who like each other do. So, if you like Mommy, Wolfie, and Mommy likes you, then that means you are going to stay, right?” He swallowed hard, rubbing the back of his neck. It was impossible to look into those blue eyes and not feel your soul laid bared to the world.
Tan knelt before the child. She held a power he had never experienced before; such pure innocence shone from her eyes that he found he could not lie to her. Reaching out, he tucked a stray curl behind her ear.
“If your mother will have me.” His eyes moved to the woman that had become his savior and his focus, his love. He loved the blush that colored her cheeks, knowing that just those few words had put it there. She dropped her gaze quickly. Then she looked up, her eyes resolute.
“Yes, I like him, Belle, is that okay?” Trigger little girl flying through the air and throwing herself at her mother.
“Yes! I like him, too!” She turned her eyes to the demon. He felt something warm blooming in his chest. The little human liked him. He felt a surge of protective instinct settle around his heart. He knew he would not only claim the mother, he would claim that child as his own, and god help anyone that laid a hand on her. Even the beast inside his soul rumbled in agreement. They would protect what was theirs, and that was this, his family.
All three of them waited outside the stables as the pegasus flicked out his wings, beating them against the cold air and sending wisps of snow whirling through the sky. Annabelle had staunchly refused to leave the arms of the demon who held her little body on his hip. She had attached herself to his side after all the spluttering and embarrassment had passed from being caught in a make-out session with the child’s mother.
Layla stepped forward and held out her hand for the animal. The magnificent beast lowered his soft nose down to nibble at her fingertips.
I thank you, Seer of Nature, for your care of me. If not for you and the Seer of Healing, I might not have been able to recover. You have given me the time I needed to gather my strength so that I might return to my herd.
Layla gave his nose a soft rub, stroking down between his eyes. She felt him place a little more weight against her body before pulling back. Taking a step back, she gave him a small bow of respect before backing away. The silver eyes of the mystical beast turned to the demon holding the child.
Dimoni, take care of them. I believe you have the strength to fight against your cursed bond. Small one, remember everything I have taught you.
Layla frowned, wondering what the pegasus was talking about? Just what had this beast been teaching her daughter when she had not been around? She glanced at her daughter; she would have to ask her about it later.
Tan nodded to him. Little Annabelle sniffed softly in his arms. It was clear she was going to miss the animal. He tightened his grip around her and she laid her head on his shoulder, watching as the pegasus opened his magnificent white wings and beat them against the air again.
Layla watched in awe as he beat his wings. He lifted silently into the sky, his legs tucked a little under him with barely a breath of wind. As if propelled by magic, his form vanished from the sky in an explosion of silver energy, leaving silence in his wake. She felt privileged that she had spent time with an animal that held such ageless knowledge and beauty.
“Bye, bye, Stanley.” Her daughter’s soft tear-filled voice reached her. Layla turned and headed over to where the demon held her daughter close, as if he had always been in her life.
The sight made her heart contract. But until they knew more about his past how could she promise her daughter a future with this magnificent man? He held her daughter so carefully. Right then, she could not see anyone in his place—not even Richard, who had once meant the world to her.
She approached the pair and stroked gently over her daughter’s hair. Her little eyes were glistening with silent tears as she continued to watch the sky where Stanley had passed back into his own world. Layla met the demon’s eyes over her head and she felt the heat rush over her cheeks. If it did turn out that he had another woman out there, or a family waiting for him, Layla didn’t honestly know if she would ever be able to let him go.
Deus walked around the house that Lucifer had, by some miracle and a hell of a lot of money, managed to buy within one morning. With the keys in his hand he walked through the large living room, running his fingers over the rich black leather couch before a large fireplace. It was clear whoever owned this property before had looked after it. No doubt Luci had offered five times the price to get the house. Deus was surprised to admit that he liked it—the open spaces, the huge kitchen, not that he could eat food when he was in his incorporeal form. But still, it was perfect.
Opening the large French doors to the wooden deck that ran around the house, he stopped and looked over the view from the side of the mountain. White peaks and snow-numbed silence filled the air. Snow scattered in small drifts around the balcony. The air was cold as he breathed it in. Holding that cold deep in his lungs he locked each second of the experience in his memory. He took in every sight and sound, just in case he could not experience this again. Opening his currently brown eyes he took in the huge pine trees that towered around the building, protecting it from sight. The realtor told him that his nearest neighbors were miles away, which was perfect. It would no doubt piss off his brother, but he might just keep the house once he was done here.
His mind instantly turned to that woman’s picture. Lexi. Those eyes held so much pain, like a raging, rolling storm warred within her. He wanted to see that fire face-to-face, meet the woman that had caused him to need his brother to buy a house in the middle of nowhere. It was probably nothing, but she was important to the young girl. He hated using his power to manipulate anyone, but he had to remember he had another job to do while he was here. If this Lexi was indeed the woman from the video, that would mean she knew the child. It surprised him that the Seer they were looking for was a child, but nowhere had it been written that the Seers were all adults.
Okay, so where should he try first? The town was filled with enough news vans and damned reporters to call a convention. Deus pushed away from the railing, the cool wind rushing around him and chilling his skin. He loved every second of the cold air. He would need to find another Blighted person soon or he would lose this form—then he would be in trouble.
His phone began to ring. Deus jogged across the room, leaving the doors wide open to the winter air. He looked at the caller ID and rolled his eyes. If Lucifer was going to keep calling him about keeping the house clean Deus was going to block his calls. He answered the phone without letting Lucifer speak.
“I swear to Hades, if you keep calling I am going to ignore you.”
“Shut up, Deus. We need you to keep an eye out. Michael may be on the move soon.” Lucifer’s voice was deadly and Deus knew that meant trouble.
“Okay, where is this information coming from?”
“Gabriel. He is… damn it, he showed up here covered in blood and holding a woman, a Seer—coincidently, his daughter. This mess just gets more and more convoluted. Find the girl—ascertain if she is indeed a Seer. If she is, then we will have to deal with it. Be on your guard, Asmodeus, I can’t lose another brother.”
“Seriously? Gabriel had sex? I didn’t think he knew what his dick was for.” That got him a low growl from the other end of the phone.
“Enough. We owe him for helping with Sera. I have called Apollo; he is far more skilled in healing than I am. I have her stabilized, for now. As a result of this, do not get comfortable there. I will need you home as soon as you find the girl. Keep me updated.” With that, the line went dead.
Deus looked at the screen of his phone and curled his lip at the clear command from his brother. He turned his eyes back to the home and sighed. Shame, he would have liked to have remained here for a while.
“Lucifer, where is my daughter?” The groggy weak voice of the Malakhim came from the bed.
Lucifer turned his gaze to the angel. He could not believe he had agreed to this. But what could he do? Turn the angel away and keep his daughter? If he were honest with himself, that is what he would have liked to have done; it would have been much simpler.
“She is resting next door. I have done all I can. Apollo should be on his way. There is too much damage for me to make much of a difference.” He moved to stand at the end of the bed and peered down at the pathetic looking angel.
“What happened, Gabriel?” He crossed his arms and waited as the angel moved to sit up.
“Lucifer! Don’t you make him sit up, you grouch. He needs rest and food. Out! Out!” The sharp scolding voice of Isabelle, the Seer of Empathy, filled the room and he visibly winced.
He could not believe it. He was a leader of the Seven Deadly Sins, and here he was being scolded like a school boy. Hell, if he didn’t feel like one right then. He turned to Isabelle. She just stared right back at him, her violet eyes sparking in annoyance.
“Isabelle, I need information. We can’t keep you or her safe if I don’t know what’s happening.” Did it sound like he was whining? No, he didn’t think so. He was a leader, leaders didn’t whine. Of course the bright smile she gave him made him doubt he had sounded as stern as he’d wanted to.
“Aria, her name is Aria.” The angel looked between the two.
“Aria, that is a beautiful name.” The voice of the Seer washed over the angel’s form, and Lucifer could have sworn he saw the pain leave Gabriel’s face.
“Look, Gabriel, we will keep her shielded as long as we are able. But I need answers, and soon.” The glare Isabelle shot him could have frozen him in place. She was a highly protective female of those she loved. He was proud to count himself among that number. If someone needed help she was there, and he owed her for saving his brother, Mammon, from madness.
“Yes, I’m going, I’m going.” He turned back to Gabriel once more. The angel’s eyes were downcast. Lucifer couldn’t believe this was the infamous fighter that had once graced the skies. Right now, he looked like a broken man. His eyes kept trailing to the wall that separated him from his daughter.
Lucifer hated to admit it, but seeing Gabriel in this state made him respect the Malakhim more. Coming here to the demons meant he had signed his own death warrant, and that of his daughter. Now it was up to the demons to keep the pair safe from the very beings Gabriel had once fought beside. Love did strange things to people. A father’s love, or that of a spouse. It didn’t matter, love made everyone act out of turn. Good thing he had no intention of falling in love—one of them had to remain sane.