Don't Read in the Closet: Volume Four (84 page)

could never hurt me. It’s not even possible. Do you know what I feel

when you kiss me?”

“I can guess but you’d have to tell me if I was right.” He ran his

thumb along Anson’s lips, down his jaw and his neck, taking its time

to make it to his left nipple.

Anson moaned and arched his chest, seeking more of Devon’s

touch. “Oh, for the love of our wings, that is amazing. Yes, it feels so

right when you do it.”

Devon looked at him, paused, and said, “When
I
do it? Have there

been others?” He was surprised to discover himself very ready to

growl at this point, and angels did not growl.

Anson looked puzzled; it took him a moment to decipher what

Devon had said. “Others? Oh, no. No, Devon. I meant compared to

my own hands. Yours are far more experienced and know how to

make me feel tingly. Inside and out. Can we do more?” Anson asked,

looking at Devon’s lips and licking his own, his eyes large and

unwavering.

Devon’s dick said yes, but his mind shouted no. If he continued

like this, he’d end up in a mess with his Feitheoirs and that was the

last thing he needed. He had to go about this the right way because he

knew this was the angel he’d spend eternity with, and they’d already

broken the first rule of mate protocol when they kissed. “I really

would love to do more with you, but we cannot. You know the natural

order of things. I just couldn’t help but to take a taste of my future.”

Don’t Read in the Closet – volume four 506

And he had no idea where that came from, promising something he

had no right to promise.

Anson’s eyes darted up to look into Devon’s playful ones.

“Future? With me? For real? Shouldn’t we at least kiss again to see if

those tingling sparks you sent through my skin are still there? Then at

least we’d know if we had a future. That’s how you tell, you know.

I’m ready if you are,” Anson teased.

Devon could not help but to laugh, not at the little angel but at the

way he voiced each thought that came to him, consequences be

damned. What a breath of fresh air he was. Though he was warned by

the Druantia that this certain little angel would be a handful for

anyone, he merely smiled and told them not to worry. His position as

Healer would leave Anson in the care of others a majority of the time

anyway, and when Devon was home, he was fairly certain he knew

how to keep the angel busy and out of trouble, so there would be no

hurting anyone. “One kiss, then we must get going. I have a special

night planned for us.”

Anson rocked back and forth from his toes to his heels; his arms

hung at his sides, then went around his midsection, his fingers playing

in the feathers of his lovely silver wings. Anson could not keep still.

“Come ’ere,” Devon said, holding his hand out to Anson.

Anson wanted to take a picture of the vision before him. This big,

beautiful, charming Angel wanted
him
. Anson wanted to dance

around, and it was becoming harder and harder to control himself. His

trainer had told him once that he was the most energetic angel he’d

ever worked with and the most down to earth one as well. Anson

never figured out what that meant, but the other angel had smiled

when he said it, so Anson took it as a compliment and thanked him for

his kind words. He slowly released his feathers and reached out to

take the hand waiting for him to make the move. “It’s not being loose

if we just kiss, is it? I don’t want to get you into trouble, but I really

want to kiss you and see if I have sparks.”

Don’t Read in the Closet – volume four 507

Devon wasted no time. He took the smaller angel into his

embrace, looked into his eyes, and leaned down for another taste.

Anson moaned and they hadn’t even kissed yet. Devon licked

Anson’s full, pink lips, teasing and tasting, taking his time, never

taking his eyes off Anson. He was breathtakingly beautiful, the picture

of innocence and joy. The feeling in his heart warmed him by the

second. Holding Anson so close created a number of emotions he’d

never felt before; this was foreign to him and it was confusing, but it

felt damn good. While he enjoyed what he was feeling, and knowing

those feelings were connected to Anson, he had to remind himself

they could lead into a strange territory, one that Devon wasn’t ready

to travel to now, or ever.

Anson held his breath, not knowing what to expect, never having

kissed another angel in all his existence. It was forbidden before the

mate ceremony. But he couldn’t figure out why, for the life of him.

Devon licked Anson’s lips, nibbled a bit; then Anson felt the other

angel’s tongue asking permission to taste him. With a moan, he parted

his lips, not wide, just a little. When he felt Devon’s tongue touch his,

he jumped in shock as his skin pebbled with goose bumps. The heat

from Devon’s mouth felt like touching a ray of sunshine. A hint of

mint and something Anson couldn’t quite put a name to, overwhelmed

his senses. “Oh, Devon!” He yelped when the other angel ran his

hands over his wings. Anson lost his composure, parting his lips

further and accepting Devon’s tongue inside; the sparks were

definitely there, and he wanted as much of Devon as Devon was

willing to give. His cock was so hard it hurt to be contained inside his

clothing. His entire body felt as if it were on fire; all the nerve endings

seemed to jump in the excitement of Devon’s touch. He couldn’t

contain the noises coming from his throat; all he knew was that he

wanted more.

Devon nearly lost himself in the taste and feel of Anson in his

arms. The little angel was so excited and trusting; he gave himself

over to Devon for safekeeping and Devon swore then and there he

would, at the absolute minimum, do all he could to keep this one safe.

Don’t Read in the Closet – volume four 508

Even if that meant keeping Anson safe from himself. The kiss told the

tale, as Anson said it would; this little angel was his eternal mate, and

he felt that Anson loved him to the very core of his soul. Already.

Damn. This was not supposed to go this way. He’d given too much of

himself to Anson too fast. Being commanded to locate his mate and

prepare for his future with him did not mean to fall in love with him.

Devon sighed. So many beings, angel and human alike, used the

“L” word without giving it a lot of thought. So many believed they

felt that powerful emotion, only to find they’d confused it with lust.

This plane of existence was different from elsewhere in Gagda’s

creation. Here, when an individual loved, there was no confusing the

emotion. But Devon had spent a lot of time in other realms, carrying

out Gagda’s work; particularly on the planet they called Domhan, or

Earth, as many called it. Devon had seen the damage the word love

caused, and he’d vowed long ago neither to feel it nor say it. That four

letter word had the ability to cause catastrophe. Some called Devon

coldhearted, but he laughed it off. No one could hurt him with the

truth. Not even his mate. He would care for Anson, protect him, guide

him, but he could not love him. Devon could admit he enjoyed

holding Anson and kissing him, and he would do whatever the other

angel wanted, as long as they left that word and its meaning out of the

equation.

“Well, isn’t this cozy?” Gordon snapped from the doorway. “This

would be why you’re not allowed to be alone, Anson.”

Anson pulled away from Devon and looked down at his bare feet,

his arms wrapped around himself, looking to Devon like a lost, scared,

unsure child.

What the hell was going on with this angel of his? Devon

wondered. He was no child and hadn’t been for a long time. Why was

everyone so off balance when it came to Anson?

“Anson! Come to me. And you, you get out of our house now.”

Anson jumped and looked helplessly at Devon and then to his

roommate. “Please, don’t.”

Don’t Read in the Closet – volume four 509

“Now!” Gordon snapped, pointing toward the floor in emphasis.

“We’re not going anywhere, Anson. It’s clear I’m needed here to keep

you under control until the daylight hours break the night. Then I will

take you to our Feitheoirs for further lessons in how to behave like a

proper angel.” Gordon looked back to Devon and said, “You have ten

seconds to get yourself out of our home, or I will call the Abrafo.”

Anson started shaking and looked at Devon, wanting so much to

wrap himself around the bigger angel, and disappear. The Abrafo

were nothing to play with, for they were the council selected to

uphold Gagda’s laws. Their brand of justice was dealt swiftly and

strictly. He’d die before seeing his mate in their hands. For now he

would do as Gordon wanted, but only until he received permission to

mate with Devon. Then no one would have a say in how often they

kissed or touched.

“Excuse me, Gordon, but Anson is not an animal to be ordered

what to do or not do. Who do you think you are to boss him about as

if he doesn’t have a say so in what he does? He’s your equal, not your

doormat. Now, we have a date and we are going to keep it. Anson,

come on.”

Anson looked horrified at his mate’s outstretched hand. If it were

possible to shake any more than he already was, he was sure he’d

crumble before both Devon and Gordon. Anson backed away from

Devon, pleading with him to understand. He wanted to sob at the look

on Devon’s handsome face. It wasn’t fair! He heard himself whimper

before he said, “I’m sorry. Please go. Gordon’s right. I am ashamed of

my behavior. I’m sorry I made you kiss me.” He then turned to

Gordon, cowering the closer he got. “Please, Gordon, it was all me. I

talked him into it. You know how I can be. I begged him to kiss me. I

won’t go out with him; I’ll stay here with you, okay?”

Devon stood with his mouth agape. What in the world was going

on here? Gordon grabbed Anson by his thin arm and shoved him

behind himself in the doorway. Devon heard the small cry at the harsh

treatment and almost lost his control. It would take him two paces to

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be in Gordon’s face, his hands wrapped around that throat, forcing the

other angel to his knees and begging for release. “And you are

overstepping your bounds. You are not Gagda.”

“I am his guardian and in that role, it is my responsibility to

ensure no harm comes to him, and that he behaves himself as an angel

of his ranking should. I know of you. I know how you play the game.

Anson will not be subjected to that. You must come to terms with

your fate or risk losing this young one forever. This is no game,

Devon. The sooner you come to terms with that the better.”

“Anson is a grown Angel capable of making his own choices. He

does not need someone to dictate to him. He is to be my mate, like it

or not.”

“If I had a say so, I’d go with not. I would prefer you leave him

be, so he’d be allowed to find an angel better suited to his ranking, but

it is not up to me. In saying that, it is best this night for you to go

home. Think on this conversation and know that every action has a

reaction, every thing you do has a consequence.”

“You know as well as I that once an eternity mate finds his other

half, there will be no others. Like it or not, Gordon, we are that. I was

sent back to this level to locate him, bond with him, and bring him

home, and that’s what I intend to do. Anson is now mine.”

“He’s not a piece of property. He’s a living being who needs more

than a casual kiss and a pat on the head. He is much more.”

“Don’t tell me what he is. I’ve watched him for two years,

knowing what he is. And while I thank you for keeping him under

your wing, he is no longer your concern. I have a duty to perform and

you are nothing but in the way. If you don’t like it, go tell someone in

authority.”

“You want him? Work for him. As his guardian, I will not allow