Her breathing hitched, his words filling her with wonder. But Tory had little time to contemplate as Michael once again lowered his head, his lips devouring her own. His cock was there nestled between her thighs, and she waited impatiently for him to thrust into her body. Instead, he dragged his lips from hers, sliding down her body to surround a nipple in the moist heat of his mouth.
A cry slipped free as she arched her back, silently demanding more. She wanted harder, faster, anything to quench the flames licking at her insides. To her great dismay, Michael released the tight bud, chuckling softly. Her fingers embedded in his hair, trying to tug him back, only to have a sob forced from her throat when he moved to her other breast, his lips surrounding the nipple, his tongue lashing at the tip.
Not abandoning her other breast completely, his fingers tugged at the wet nipple, pulling and pinching until Tory thought she would lose her mind. Or orgasm just from his lips and fingers at her breasts. She arched her hips, searching for some form of relief, only to cry out at the feel of his hand sliding between her thighs. Fingers swept through the blonde curls and wet folds shielding her sex, moving to circle the opening of her vagina with the lightest of touches before sinking his fingers slowly inside.
“Damn, you’re so wet,” Michael murmured, his warm breath tickling her breast. “And tight. I won't last five seconds inside you, love.”
Tory might have demanded he get to it before she died of unfulfilled lust but at that moment his thumb brushed her clit and she lost the ability to breathe much less think rationally. One finger then two drove through unused tissues, scissoring inside her pussy, stretching her. Understanding the semantics of sex, she still was not prepared for the unbelievable pleasure coursing through her veins. Her hips lifted and a sob tore from her throat as she met his swallow thrusts, wanting—no, needing deeper penetration. It was there just out of reach, and she wanted her damn orgasm.
One last lick to her tortured nipple and Michael was sliding down her torso. Tory tried to stop him but he slipped from her grasp. His lips lingered here or there, sucking lightly on her skin before continuing his journey. His broad shoulders forced her thighs farther apart, and to her horror he stopped, his face inches from her pussy. Reflexively, she attempted to close her legs, embarrassment flooding her as he seemed to be studying her sex.
Broad hands held her open, his thumbs spreading the folds so he could get a more intimate view. Tory would have surely protested his perverse interest if his tongue hadn’t swept over her pussy, lingering on her clit and ripping a cry from her lips. Shit, she’d never expected such pleasure… Then his lips sucked her clit into his mouth and Tory detonated into a million little pieces.
She was still jerking and twitching from the most amazing climax when Michael rose over her, his erection poised at her entrance. His hands framed her face, his eyes capturing hers and he whispered, “Mine. My mate. Do you understand, love?”
And though Tory had no idea what the hell he was going on about, she nodded.
With a look of supreme satisfaction, he slowly began to work his cock inside her, his muscles tense under her fingertips, and Tory knew he was holding back for her. When he came to the membrane shielding her womb, the proof of her virginity, his eyes held a mixture of surprise and extreme arrogance.
He pulled her closer, his lips hovering over hers. “Hold on to me tightly, love. It will be over in a minute.” Then he thrust forward, his lips capturing her soft cry. But it wasn’t pain bringing tears to her eyes, it was the sense of fullness, of not knowing where she ended and Michael began, of being one.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, brushing away the tears from her face.
“Damn you,” she whimpered. “You made me fall in love with you.”
A brilliant smile encompassed Michael’s face. “It’s only fair since you made me love you first.”
With a sniffle, a grin broke through her tears. “You better or I’ll never forgive you.”
“No fear there, love. Forever.”
Then his hips retreated and thrust forward. Tory’s eyes closed at the extreme rapture filling her. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she tried to hold onto the tidal wave swirling around her, but each plunge of his hips speared his cock deeper, harder, drawing her further into its murky grip, only to come crashing over her, sucking the breath from her lungs.
Michael’s fingers dug into her flesh, angling her hips to penetrate impossibly deeper until with a harsh growl, he stilled, his cock head nudging the entrance of her womb. He tensed, soaking her hidden depths with blasts of semen and triggering another stellar orgasm from which she was sure she’d never recover.
Tory was still shaking from the intensity of their joining when Michael collapsed on top of her, burying his face in her neck. Clinging to him as if she feared he would disappear—and maybe a small part of her did—she recognized somehow the sex with Michael had been different. Sure, she’d been a virgin, but she read and watched movies. At the moment of climax it had felt like her soul had escaped the bounds of her flesh and had connected with Michael’s. Even now, it was as if she could still feel him. She was pretty certain
that
was not normal.
Having every intention of demanding an explanation or two, Tory decided to wait until after she’d finished basking in her afterglow. In Michael’s arms, she felt treasured, safe. And warm, he was like a giant furnace. Yes, she would want answers. Later.
Chapter Six
Leaning up on his elbow, Michael was amazed to find watching Tory sleep filled him with contentment. Slowly, he traced a finger over the swell of her hip, fascinated at the feel of her skin. It was like silk. And when he had been encased tightly within her body, it was like basking in the white light of Heaven.
Who would have thought he’d become ensnared in a human’s web? Now he had to figure out a way to keep her.
Clenching his hands at the disturbing thought, he recognized he would need to devise a plan of action. There was no way in hell he was going to share Gabriel’s fate, and even more importantly, neither would Tory share Ariadne’s. He’d fight all the forces of Heaven and Hell to prevent it from happening.
Michael sighed. Soon the sun would be setting and darkness would fall. He should get her up but he hated to disturb the peace. After making love Tory had quickly succumbed to sleep, saving him from having to answer the questions he’d glimpsed lurking in her eyes. How was he to tell her she would need to leave everything she’d ever known to be with him? Because he couldn’t let her go.
“What time is it?” Tory asked, pulling him from his musings.
His fingers curled around her hip, pulling her body flush with his. “Just a little after six,” he murmured against her lips before brushing them with his own. Her soft little moan had his dick hardening and if he hadn’t had a demon to worry about, Michael would have given his mate a proper hello.
Instead, Michael forced himself to roll away from her. When it came to Tory, he was quickly realizing he had little to no control and the last thing he wanted was Asmodeus to come calling while he had his dick sunk deep within her pussy. Talk about getting caught with your pants down. It forced a smirk to settle on his face as he reached for his jeans and then slipped them over his legs and hips.
His name, gently whispered from Tory’s lips, drew his attention back to his mate. “What is it, love?”
She was biting her bottom lip, her gaze apprehensive, and Michael knew whatever was on her mind would likely make him uncomfortable.
“We need to talk,” she said quietly, and he knew he’d been right.
“We will, Tory. But first we need to dress. It is almost dark and Asmodeus could strike at any moment. We need to be prepared.”
She studied him a moment and Michael wasn’t certain Tory would concede to his demands. It wasn’t like he had any compunction in forcing her to do his bidding. Hell, he’d throw her naked ass in the circle of protection she’d drawn if he thought for a second she’d stay there. If he only knew where the damn portal was, he’d take her to Heaven and never have to worry about the bastard harming her again.
Jerking a T-shirt over his head, Michael realized at first light he’d have to start a hunt of his own. He had to find the entrance to Heaven.
He pivoted then came to a swift stop when he realized Tory was right there anxiously watching him. She was already wearing the same jeans and sweatshirt he had stripped from her body not eight hours ago, and Michael longed to feel her naked skin plastered against his once again. Instead, he kissed her furrowed brow before stepping back lest he give into the temptation.
“All right, love. Let’s talk, but not in here. Somewhere without a bed.”
Glancing back at the object in question, he watched a little smile wash away the doubt on Tory’s face. If it hadn’t been like looking into a rainbow, Michael might have chastised her for her lack of faith. Instead he followed Tory from the bedroom, traveling down a narrow hallway to a steep staircase. At the bottom, in a small living room, he remained standing while Tory took a seat on the floral couch beneath the windowpane looking out onto the front yard. He watched her tug her bottom lip between her teeth, a habit he’d already come to associate with his mate’s feelings of anxiety.
Her silence concerned him. Not wanting to take the chance she might try to flee, Michael took three cautionary steps closer until his shins rested against an old coffee table sitting in the middle of the room. There he stood, striving to wait for her to speak—she’d been the one who wanted to talk after all—but her hesitation quickly frayed Michael’s nerves. “Tory?” he finally questioned, unable to remain silent any longer.
For a moment, he really thought she was going to completely ignore him. She refused to raise her head, her eyes fixed on her shoes, and Michael sighed. He was about to join her on the sofa when she spoke.
“Did you mean it?” she asked in a breathless rush.
Struggling to understand her question, he finally had to shake his head in confusion. “Mean what, love?”
Again Tory hesitated, and Michael’s patience had come to an end. Sitting beside her, he lifted her head, forcing her eyes to meet his. Her bottom lip was once again captured between her teeth and, brushing a thumb over it, he encouraged her to set it free before she did any damage.
“Victoria, I cannot assuage your fears if I do not understand what they are.”
“You said you loved me,” came her quiet response, and he arched a black brow in confusion.
“And I do.”
“But we only just met.”
So that was what had his mate in a tailspin. Funny, he’d considered many things to explain her unease, but never her doubting his feelings. “If I recall, you were the first to declare such sentiment.” Tory tried to glance away but Michael refused to release his hold, moving to frame her face with his palms. “I told you, Tory, you are my mate. I know for a human it can take longer, but for an angel it is instinctual. Our soul recognizes its other half almost immediately.”
“But what if you are wrong?” she whispered and he sighed.
“Does it feel like I am?”
The denial, when it came, was not damn near quick enough for him. Michael couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. He’d sensed her soul reach for his when they’d made love and he’d also felt his respond.
“Damn it, I’m not wrong,” he answered, harsher than he’d intended. Tory tried to jerk away from him and he wrapped her in his arms in a silent apology, gentling his tone as he asked, “Didn’t you feel it, love, our souls merging at climax, becoming one?”
“I thought…” Tory fell silent, hiding her face in his chest.
Michael’s lips brushed the top of her head before rubbing his cheek against the silky strands of her hair. “You thought what?”
“I thought it was different but I wasn’t certain.”
He smiled into her blonde tresses, his arms reflexively tightening around her small frame. Tory had been a virgin so her confusion shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but it had been centuries since Michael had even considered sex much less indulged in carnal relations. And still, he’d never lain with a human, only other angels. He couldn’t honestly say he’d been expecting the bliss he’d found in Tory’s arms.
Suddenly, he felt her stiffening against him. “Tory?”
“Michael, you have feared Gabriel’s fate all this time and yet have found yourself in the same position. I am not immortal.”
The little hitch in her voice should have had him rolling in guilt, only Michael found satisfaction in his ability to deny her statement. But how to tell Tory she would never die naturally? He had enacted a fundamental change in her very DNA without bothering to consult her.
Well, shit. “About that—”
Any other time, an interruption would have put Michael on edge, but this time he gladly welcomed the mist beginning to swirl around their feet and the nasally male voice whispering, “Damn. He’s still here.”
“Would you prefer he get a quick shag and run? Not with our girl.”
“You do have a point, Samuel. However, I wouldn’t have thought one of his kind would sink so low as to fornicate period.”
“Must be the whole soul-mate thing. Never seen two souls merge like that before. Damn near blinded me.”