Desiring A Demon (Archangels) (6 page)

His warm hand on her back stilled
,
and she wondered if he’d somehow read her thoughts.

“Asta? What happened to you? You were missing for almost a week.”

“A week? Shit. I don’t know,” she confessed. “I don’t remember everything
.
Another angel found me at the motel where I woke up.”

“Sebastian.”

“Yeah. I remember him.”

“He and his brothers helped look for you. They’re all at Mike’s house now, waiting to talk to you.”

“I…I don’t know what to tell them.”

He loosened his grip and pulled back enough to look her in the eyes. She held his gaze so he could read her sincerity, but a frown remained on his face. “You don’t remember how you got to the motel?”

“No. I remember leaving the house and going downtown, but not much after that.”

His frown deepened. “Well
,
isn’t that convenient.”

Anger and pain surged through her and she shoved him away, nearly knocking him off the bed. Until that moment she hadn’t noticed how their legs had entwined. He used that connection to stay on the mattress and reached for her again. She slapped his hands away but he kept coming until he rolled on top of her and pinned her down.

“Get. Off,” she growled. She used her anger to push away the pain of his doubt
.

“No. I’m sorry, Asta
.
I was going out of my fucking mind with worry for days
.
I want to know what happened. I want to know who hurt you.”

She tried to buck him off but his weight held her down. All her efforts did was bring home what parts of her were touching which parts of him. He groaned and closed his eyes for a moment. Once they opened again the blue had darkened into the mesmerizing shade of the deepest sea.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” he murmured.

“I don’t remember what happened, okay? I left the house looking for someone who could give me answers and wound up downtown. Then I woke up at a motel and saw Sebastian. The next thing I know I’m waking up here with you.”

“Answers? To what? You have a concussion, bruises, scrapes and cuts. I want to know who the fuck hurt you.”

And just like that her anger leaked away in the face of his concern. She went from being held down against her will to cradling him within the vee of her legs. As if he sensed the change in her emotions too, his body slowly relaxed…all but one significant part.

“Rafe,” she whispered.

He’d been holding her down by the wrists with his strong thighs pinning her legs open. Now he relaxed his grip and moved his hands down to spear his fingers through her hair.

“I was so pissed you’d left without a word. I kept calling and calling your phone. Then I got scared something bad had happened to you. I was going crazy, flying all over the fucking city looking for you. I was ready to tear this town apart.”

“I’m sorry. So sorry. I didn’t mean for anything bad to happen. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

He held her gaze as he had numerous times before. They’d been this close before with an unmistaken sexual current flowing between them. But he always pulled back and walked away, leaving her empty and wanting. This time when his gaze dropped to her lips she knew she’d die if she didn’t taste him.

“Rafe, please.”

“You don’t ever have to beg me, baby.”

He closed the distance and gave her that first taste of heaven.

…

Though ambrosia remained pure myth invented by the human mind, Rafe knew if it was earthbound he had found it in the arms of the most unlikely person. Asta moaned into his mouth and he deepened the kiss, plunging his tongue through her silky lips to taste her essence. It raged through him, inciting his lust faster than any woman ever had and searing every nerve ending. He grasped the sides of her head as her hair tickled his fingers. He rocked his hips into hers and growled at the sensation of her soft body cradling his rock-hard erection. She wrapped her legs around him and his heart nearly leaped from his chest. Perfection.

Then
,
her small hands started to play along. He was shirtless and her short nails scraped the skin of his shoulder blades, ghosting over his hidden wings in an erotic dance that sent a shiver down his spine. He panted for breath and sought to drive her just as mad. Gentle bites along her jaw and down the curve of her neck did the job as she cried out.

“Rafe…don’t stop.”

“Never.”

He had fought so hard to avoid this exact situation, but suddenly the reasons why no longer seemed important. He wanted her on a primal level that negated every good intention he’d had. Luckily
,
she seemed to be right on board.

He worked his way down her neck and growled when her shirt impeded his progress. Taking it off would cost precious seconds so he ripped it open instead. She gasped but didn’t argue as he released the front clasp on her bra and revealed the most perfect breasts he’d ever seen…well
,
all but one minor thing.

“Um, Asta…”

“Yeah?”

She opened her eyes and looked up to find him staring at her breasts. She followed his gaze and froze.

“What happened to your skin? Why is your breast red?”

He wasn’t prepared for her bucking him off this time
,
and she managed to get out from under him and off the bed. She was halfway to the door when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight to his chest.

“Asta, wait—”

“No. No. Let go of me.”

“No way. Tell me what’s going on.”

She struggled for a few more minutes before all the energy seemed to drain out of her. She hung limply in his arms and sobbed. “I don’t know. That’s what I was trying to find out.”

He sighed and lifted her into his arms, then carried her back to bed. She went without protest and allowed him to lie beside her again.

“Tell me what you do remember. From the moment you left the house.”

She took a deep breath and shut her eyes tightly
,
like she couldn’t stand to confess while holding his gaze. “It starts before that. The reason I left is because something’s happening to me, but I don’t know why and I don’t know how to stop it.”

“The red skin?”

She opened her eyes. “Yes. And some other weird shit.”

He sighed and kissed her, unable to help himself after seeing the fear on her face. Exhaustion hung on her like a cloak
,
and he felt like an ass for questioning her.

“Why don’t you rest a bit more and then we’ll talk, okay? It can wait until you’re feeling better.”

“Are you going to tell the others?”

He opened his mouth but no words came out. Was he? He should, no doubt about it. But her apprehension was palpable
,
and he could hardly blame her. “Not until we’ve talked it over first,” he finally said.

She nodded slowly and closed her eyes. He held her as she slept and thanked the Source she was back in his home, in his arms. Maybe she wasn’t supposed to be, but at the moment he simply didn’t care. Losing her had been one of the scariest moments of his very long life, especially after he realized Forge had her. All doubts about whether he should be attracted to her fled in the face of losing her forever. He would take what time he could with her, even if she was turning into a demon.

And now she might need his protection more than ever. Why in the hell would Forge kidnap her? What did he want from a half-demon with little demonic power? For a second, doubt crept in
,
and he made himself consider that she might be lying. It wouldn’t be hard. He couldn’t read her
,
and he’d been so relieved to have her back he almost didn’t care about the circumstances. But he had to care and he had to get to the bottom of exactly what happened. Forge was a threat to the entire human realm. If Asta was in league with him then Rafe needed to know and find a way to talk her out of helping him.

For now he pushed all those negative thoughts aside to enjoy having her back home. He ran a hand over her soft skin, up and down her arm. She moaned and cuddled closer to him. Soon his body hardened back to full readiness. He kissed her lips and she opened her eyes.

“Rafe?”

“Hey. Feeling any better?”

“Yeah. A little.”

“Good.”

He kissed her again, slowly making his way down her jaw to her collarbone.

“Mmmm.”

Despite the crimson hue, her perfect breasts called to him. He rolled her beneath him and dove in for a taste, pulling one delectable globe into his mouth and suckling like a baby. He pulled his head up and released her nipple with a pop.

“Oh,” she whimpered.

“You’re delicious.”

He gave the other one a thorough taste, then switched back and forth as he tried to pick his favorite. Asta writhed beneath him, calling his name as she gripped his shoulders and neck. Soon his jeans became suffocating and hers an annoyance. He moved off the bed with her still reaching for him.

“Rafe?”

“We’re wearing too many clothes. I need to taste all of you.”

She sat up and shrugged out of her ruined shirt and bra. He yanked off his jeans and then reached for hers.

“Damn. You’re one fine hunk of man.”

He chuckled and slowly peeled off her jeans and panties, glorying in every inch of skin revealed. “And you are fucking beautiful.”

Amazingly she blushed, something he rarely saw and never expected. Asta’s mouth kept most people from knowing the softness inside, but he’d seen enough hints to know better. He grasped her ankles and spread her legs for his view.

She allowed it as she rested on her elbows to observe him. “Like what you see?”

He gripped the base of his cock and slowly moved his palm to the tip, allowing a drop of fluid to emerge. “Can’t you tell?”

She sighed out a breath and nodded. “Oh yeah.”

He released himself to instead handle something more pleasurable. Placing a palm on each of her ankles, he slowly ran his hands up her legs to the tops of her thighs. She shuddered and spread them wider. He framed her sex with his fingers and licked his lips in anticipation.

“You’re killing me, Rafe. Get on with it before I take care of it myself.”

He grinned and shook his head. “No way, baby. This is my treat.”

…

Asta’s fists clenched as she watched Rafe get comfortable, lying on his stomach with his face between her legs. She nearly screamed at the first swipe of his tongue
,
and it took an effort to keep her eyes open. She didn’t usually. Normally she closed them and imagined the man pleasuring her was someone who actually gave a damn about more than the physical link between them. This time she didn’t have to pretend. Knowing Rafe had worried over her, searched for her, and was relieved to have her back in his home was a potent aphrodisiac. His very talented tongue did the rest.

Within seconds she was gasping for breath and clutching the comforter beneath her as she crested the rise of an amazing orgasm. Rafe growled and the sound vibrated against her skin, pushing her that much closer.

“Fuck, yes. I’m almost there. Oh…fuck.”

She pumped her hips against his mouth until he grabbed her ass to steady her. Then he plunged his tongue in deep and slipped it out to curl around her clit, sending her off like a rocket.

“Rafe!”

She came hard, tears leaking from her eyes as she grasped whatever part of him she could reach. He crawled over her and she pulled him down for a searing kiss. Tasting her pleasure on his tongue sent another shockwave through her body and she wrapped her legs around him tightly, not wanting to ever let him go
.
He sank against her and his warmth filled every cold place she’d ever hidden, even from herself.

“Shh. I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

Not until he spoke did she even realize she was crying, sobbing into his neck like a baby. His calm words soothed her and the worst of the storm passed. She looked up at him and he wiped away her tears. “All right?”

“Yeah. Better than all right. That was amazing.”

His grin was weak. “Yeah. I loved every second.”

“Me
,
too.”

“You sure?”

She bit her lip even as she nodded, hating the skepticism on his face. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I started crying like that.”

He kissed her lightly, placing a kiss on each eyelid before returning to her mouth. “You don’t have to apologize. You just worried me. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

She snorted. “Hardly. I came so hard I saw stars.” She looked down at where their bodies touched. “And now it’s your turn.”

“Baby, we don’t have to—”

“Oh hell yeah we do. I want you inside me. I want to feel every inch of that gorgeous cock filling me up.”

He groaned and pushed his hips against her, making her gasp in pleasure and anticipation.

“Well, when you put it that way.”

She laughed and dropped her feet flat onto the mattress, opening her body to readily take him. He made quick work of accepting her invitation.

The first slide of his cock into her body had her crying out. He froze
,
and she shook her head. “Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.”

“If I hurt you—”

“You’re not… You won’t.”

And she fully believed that. He could never hurt her, not like she’d been hurt in the past. Everything Rafe did was to her benefit
,
and feeling him finally inside her, touching her in the most intimate way, was pure paradise.

“More, Rafe. More.”

He gave her more.

…

He gave her everything he had, and then some. With even
-
tempered strokes at first
,
until she growled and grabbed his ass with both hands, then he thrust harder, faster. The bed shook, hitting the wall in a steady tattoo that urged on their mating. Asta whimpered and begged
,
murmuring his name as she lightly clawed his slick skin. He feasted on her breasts as he pumped into her over and over, wishing it would never end even as he sought his release.

He gave her a scorching kiss before moving up to a sitting position. He hooked his arms beneath her knees and lifted her bottom off the bed to change the angle of his penetration.