The blood barrier feels strange.
I couldn’t feel the one around Malachi’s house. I passed over it without even being aware it existed. This is different. I’m not sure if it’s because my seraph power has awakened or if it’s the barrier itself.
I reach out, startled to discover the air feeling like it gets thicker the closer my palm comes to the doorway into the living room. “Weird.”
“Stop.” Rylan catches my wrist. “Don’t touch it until he lets you in. Knowing Wolf, there will be some nasty surprise if you do.”
Through the doorway, we can see Malachi and Wolf. They’ve lost their clothes somewhere along the way and Malachi is covered in blood. Their bodies move in a rhythm as old as time itself, Malachi thrusting into Wolf and Wolf rising to meet him.
Despite the orgasm I just had, desire heats my blood as I watch. “They’re so damn beautiful.”
“Yes.”
The pain in Rylan’s voice drags my attention to him. He looks agonized, so much so that he’s forgotten to wear his normal icy mask. It hurts my chest and I rub my hand against my sternum. I don’t know how to fix this. I don’t even know where to begin. He won’t thank me for meddling, either.
When there are no right answers, I go with the only tool at my disposal.
I sink to my knees before him. He tracks the movement. “What are you doing?”
Relying entirely on instinct. I run a single finger along the hard length of his cock where it presses against his slacks. “May I?”
“Mina.” He shudders out a breath. “Yes.”
I carefully undo his slacks and draw out his cock. Fucking Rylan is one thing. I know I can take most of what he can give me. Giving him head when he might lose control is something else altogether. I’m particularly vulnerable like this. If he shifts or…
It doesn’t matter.
Right now, he needs me and I refuse to back away from that need. I hold his gaze and take his cock into my mouth as best I can. Even without partially shifting, he’s still large enough that my jaw aches. I push the pain away and hold his gaze, taking him deeper.
His eyes flash silver and he reaches for me before he seems to catch himself. Likely he’s all too aware of what his claws could do to my face if he forgets himself.
I withdraw slowly and rub my lips against his blunt head. “Watch them.”
“Fuck.” Rylan’s back hits the wall behind him and he stabs his claws into the drywall. But he does as I say and lifts his gaze to watch the two vampires fucking on the other side of the doorway.
I go back to sucking his cock. He’s shaking with the strength of his restraint, and while I appreciate it, a reckless part of me wants that uncontrolled edge he keeps showing me. I crave it on a level I’m not prepared to deal with.
His length prevents me from taking him entirely, so I use my hands to compensate, focusing every bit of my attention on making him feel good. If I can give him nothing else, I can do this. Pleasure. It won’t balance the scales of the bond or the mess we’re in, but it’s something.
Rylan starts thrusting. At first, it’s so subtle, I barely notice his hips rising to meet my lips on each downstroke. But all too quickly, he’s fucking my mouth. I can tell he’s still being careful, still too aware of how much larger and stronger he is.
I look up and pause when I find him watching me instead of Malachi and Wolf. We stare at each other and I see the exact moment he snaps. He grabs a fistful of my hair and pulls me off his cock, shoving me to the floor and covering me with his body. And then he’s inside me and, gods, I don’t know how it keeps being this good.
With Rylan, it isn’t sex.
It isn’t even fucking.
It’s rutting.
He thrusts into me so hard, we inch our way up the hallway toward the living room. Rylan glances up and snarls. He drags one nail down his throat, leaving a long line of blood that makes my mouth water. Then he sinks his claws into the wood floor on either side of my hips, pinning me in place as he fucks me.
I arch up and close my mouth around his throat. The first swallow of blood sizzles through my veins. The second sweeps me away entirely. Pleasure and pain and power. I never knew it could be like this, never knew that I could have anything but pain.
I come hard, so hard that I forget myself and bite his neck. It doesn’t matter that I don’t have fangs like a vampire. I’m acting on instinct alone.
Rylan curses and then he’s grinding into me as he comes. Filling me up again.
I hope he doesn’t regret this.
The thought feels as wispy as smoke, wafting away before I can grasp it fully. The sound of footsteps makes me shift to look over our heads. Malachi stands in the doorway, gloriously naked, watching us with a look that I can only describe as possessive. Like we’re both his and he’s pleased that we’ve finally got out of our own way and closed the circle. Maybe it’s my imagination, but I don’t think so.
Rylan moves back and climbs carefully to his feet, pulling me up with him. It takes a few seconds to get our clothing back in order, but he doesn’t say a word and I’m not about to be the one to break this particular silence.
Malachi nods. “I need to get dressed and then we’ll go. Mina, stay with Wolf. He’ll protect you.” He pulls me into his arms and kisses me. I barely get a chance to sink into it before he’s stepping back. “We’ll have information when we return.”
“Be safe.” I try to smile at him and then look at Rylan. “Both of you.”
They nod, and then they’re gone, disappearing into the growing darkness of the house. I don’t think the sun has quite set yet, but it’s hard to say without windows to look through. I turn to find Wolf lounging in the doorway. He’s pulled on pants, but only barely. They’re not fastened and cling precariously to his narrow hips, as if one wrong move will send them sliding down his legs.
He grins. “’Twas Beauty who tamed the beast.”
“Oh hush.” I eye the blood ward. “Is this going to fry me?”
“Not with an invitation.” He reaches through, his hand an elegant offering. “Come here, love. We have things to discuss.”
I lay my hand in his and let him pull me through the ward. It sizzles a little against my skin in a way that isn’t entirely comfortable, but it doesn’t hurt. I touch my lips. “My father’s ward didn’t feel like that.”
“It was keyed to keep Malachi in, not other people out.” He shrugs and pulls me to the couch. “Now, be a good girl and keep quiet while the adults are talking.”
I frown. I don’t know what’s going on, but it can’t be positive. I dig in my heels, for all the good it does me. He just drags me the rest of the way and half-tosses me onto the couch. “What’s going on?”
“We’re going to have some fun.” Wolf throws himself down next to me and pulls me against his body. “You wanted to meet a demon, yes?”
Oh no.
I start to sit up, but he catches my shoulder and tucks me back against him. “Wolf, you can’t. Not without Malachi.”
“Malachi might pass for the leader of our little group, but he won’t let you make a deal, no matter what’s offered.” His eerie blue eyes watch me closely. “Do you deny it?”
I open my mouth to do just that, but I can’t. Not without lying. “He’s overprotective.”
“Exactly.”
“I thought you said it’d be a couple days before we are able to make contact.”
“I lied.” He dips a finger beneath the strap of my sundress, tracing a line down to my breast. He circles my nipple. “It’s a shame we don’t have time. Soon.”
“Wolf—”
The air changes in the room. I don’t know how to explain it. It doesn’t go cold, or hot, or anything like that. There’s no buzz of electricity like when Wolf brought me through the barrier. It’s more like an…aura of danger. Every prey instinct I have demands I go still and silent and hope the predator that just entered the room moves on without noticing me.
“Good girl,” Wolf murmurs. He still hasn’t taken his hand from my sundress, his middle finger idly tracing my nipple.
A few feet in front of us, in the middle of the room, the shadows gather. They seem to gain weight and height in a way normal shadows most definitely do not do. A masculine voice emerges, deep and as decadent as dark chocolate. “It’s been a long time, Wolf.”
“You always were one for theatrics.” Wolf leans back, taking me with him, and crosses his ankle over his knee. “I’m not one of your pretty, desperate women. You don’t have to do the whole song and dance with me.”
“And yet you have a pretty woman with you.” The darkness fades slowly, revealing a man. Except he’d only be mistaken as a normal man if someone didn’t have an ounce of self-preservation or a single instinct to their name. Light brown skin, dark hair and eyes, a face so perfect it’s actually a little eerie to look at. He catches me staring and smiles.
I flinch. Yes, he might be pretty, but he’s easily the most dangerous being I’ve ever come across. And that’s saying something considering the men currently sharing my bed.
The demon doesn’t move, but he seems closer all the same. “Or not a woman at all.” He inhales slowly and his smile widens. “Seraph. Wolf, things truly are never boring when you’re involved.”
“What can I say? I’m a gift.”
“You are.” The demon studies me. It feels like he’s crawling around inside my skin. “I thought you smarter than getting snagged by a seraph bond.”
Wolf shrugs. He finally takes his hand from my breast and moves it to my shoulder. A reminder to stay in place. “Can you blame me?”
“With this pretty package?” The demon shrugs. “I understand, even if I wouldn’t make the same misstep.”
Wolf laughs, his high and wild cackle. “Liar. We both know there’s one pretty little thing that’s turned you into a teddy bear. How are things going on that front, Azazel?”
Just like that, the easiness is gone from the demon’s face. “Watch your tongue, vampire. You amuse me, so I come when you call. The moment you stop amusing me, I’ll rip your bones from your body, one by one. I’d like to see you heal from that.”
“Yes, yes, consider me cowed.” Wolf waves that away. “Can you do anything about a seraph bond?”
Azazel goes back to studying me. “If I may?”
“By all means.” Wolf answers before I can do it myself.
That’s all the warning I get before he’s in front of me, pressing a cold hand to the center of my chest, right where I feel the bond the strongest. It’s not a welcome touch, but he’s hardly being untoward. At least on the surface. Beneath the surface is another thing entirely. I can feel his power course into me, thick and smooth. It leaves a prickly taste on the back of my tongue and I flinch.
Azazel moves back slowly, expression contemplative. “I can break it.”
“Really?” I don’t mean to speak, but I honestly didn’t think he’d be able to.
He flashes me a smile that’s all charm and no little amount of threat. “Human religion might be more fiction than truth, but they weren’t wrong on this one subject. Demons and seraphim are natural enemies, and our powers reflect that. I can dig out a seraph bond.”
Wolf narrows his eyes. “Would that mean seraphs can negate demon deals?”
“Careful, vampire. You’re playing with fire again.”
“Silly me.” Wolf tucks me more firmly against his side. “Let’s hear it. All the nitty gritty details.”
Azazel is still studying me. “It’s not likely to kill the vampires involved, though that’s always a possible side effect.” He shrugs. “I like you, Wolf, so the cost is my normal rate. Seven years of service.”
I open my mouth, but Wolf beats me there. “We’ll consider it. You’ll have the answer within a week.”
“Normally, there’s little rush, but I have a pressing engagement in ten days.” He gives that dangerous smile again. “Having a seraph on the auction block would be quite the feather in my cap. The others would love it.”
“You’ll have the answer within the week,” Wolf repeats, an edge in his voice.
“So be it.” Azazel shrugs and then he gone, disappearing in a surge of shadows. It takes several long minutes before all remnants of his power dissipate as well.
Only then does Wolf release me and sigh. “Well, that’s a dead end.”
“What? Seven years isn’t that long.” Even if I’m not immortal—something I still need to investigate—I’m going to live significantly longer than a human would. Seven years is nothing if it means breaking the bond.
“Here’s a hint, love. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.” Wolf leans his head against the back of the couch and closes his eyes. “Azazel says seven years, but he’s not talking about in the mortal realm. He’s talking about in the demon realm. That might mean a few seconds gone here, or it might be a few hundred years. There’s no way to tell, and he’ll lie if you ask him. The way the realms interact when it comes to time passing is one of the few things Azazel’s deals can’t control.”
Panic flickers through me, but I shove it down. “So a few hundred years pass. Who cares? It’s not as if I have any ties to this…realm.” Later, I’ll have a mental breakdown about the fact that there is apparently more than one realm. Right now, compartmentalizing is the name of the game. “You’ll all still be alive.”
“Maybe.” Wolf’s stares intently at the spot where Azazel disappeared. “But if he’s auctioning you off…” He shakes his head. “Malachi would go nuclear. Rylan might be more subtle about it, but he’s not going to let you auction off that pretty pussy for his sake.”
“What about you?” I don’t mean to ask the question. I really don’t. But it’s out in the air between us, and there’s no taking it back.
“What about me?” Wolf grabs one of my thighs and tugs it up and over his lap. He skates his hand up beneath my dress and palms my bare pussy. “I’m a horrible cliché, love. I’m not overly fond of the thought of you fucking any monsters but us.”
“But…” My thoughts scatter as he pushes two fingers into me. “But Wolf.” It’s nearly impossible to focus while he’s slowly fucking me with his fingers, that hungry look on his face, but I give it a valiant effort. “But the bond.”
“Eh.” He pulls his fingers out to spread my wetness up and around my clit. “No matter how much it triggers Rylan, you’re hardly an evil overlord.” He uses his thumb to stroke my clit. “If that ever changes, I’ll kill you myself.”
