Date With Death (Welcome To Hell) (6 page)

His nostrils flared
, and his joking countenance turned serious. “You are one hot witch, and I want you
so
bad.”

Despite her anger with him,
Marigold echoed that sentiment and decided to throw good intentions to the wind. “So stop your teasing and have me.”

He removed her pants with a flourish, leaving her nude from the waist down except for her skimpy
, soaking wet, g-string. “You’re hurt. It would be wrong of me to take advantage of you. Joking aside, I’m only stripping you to make you comfortable.”

Marigold laughed. “You work as a Grim Reaper, and you’re worried about hurting me? What if I said I want you, now, in bed with me naked?”

Her words flustered him and he turned away, proving his backside was just as sexy as his front. He spoke, still turned away. “If I get into bed with you now, there’s no turning back or saying no. My honor and patience only go so far.”

“Then you’d better have some decent stamina because I have a feeling I’m going to need more than one round.”

The sound of ripping cloth was her only warning. He covered her body again, decadently naked. Before she could speak, his mouth claimed hers in a passionate kiss that stole her breath. She brought her hands up and circled them around his neck, clasping him to her. His forearms kept his full weight off of her, but he hovered low enough that her nipples, still covered by sheer fabric, brushed his chest. That friction was enough to make them rock hard.

His mouth left hers and swept a blazing trail down her neck. She gasped when his big hands grabbed her breasts and squeezed. Simple caresses, yet her body arched into his touch
, completely afire. When his mouth caught one erect tip and sucked it through her top, she moaned. It felt so damned good.

She twisted her upper body, trying to push her tingling globe further into his mouth. His hands used that moment to slide under her body and pull at the ties that held her shirt on. A moment later, her top went sailing, baring her to his heated view.

“So pretty,” he murmured. “And
mine.
” His lowly spoken, possessive claim sent a shiver racing through her. His hands caught her waist and as he bowed his head to suck her nipple in his mouth, he lifted her pelvis and ground his hips forward. Her flimsy g-string was no barrier and his cock rubbed against her, swollen and hot.

Her fingers grabbed at his hair, pulling and urging him to move lower. He chuckled as he kissed his way down her body.

“What an impatient little witch you are. Tell me what you want,” he murmured, rubbing his face against her naked pubes still hidden by the panties she now hated.

“Lick me,” she growled. “Taste me. Make me cum on your tongue then
take me.” The dirty words spilled from her. She heard him suck in a breath and then her panties were gone, replaced with his mouth.

Women could say what they wanted, but a man who knew his way around a pussy with his mouth was priceless. Contrary to masculine popular belief, oral pleasure took some skill and Mick had that in spades.

He explored her sex from her burgeoning clit to her wet slit. He stretched and sucked on her plump lips. He probed her with his tongue, lapping at her honey. He sucked, flicked, and tortured her bundle of nerves so much that she flexed her hips up off the bed, keening.

He thrust several fingers in her sex while he stroked her
swollen clit with his tongue “Cum for me,” he murmured against her engorged nub. His words sent her over the edge and she let out a long cry that went well with the rippling orgasm that left her weak and trembling.

Her channel was still quivering when he thrust into her with his thick, hard cock.

“Oh, Mick.” She grabbed at his shoulders and held on as he stroked her, his prick moving slowly in and out of her. Her still quaking body returned to the brink almost immediately. With a moan of pleasure, she shattered again, her channel squeezing him tight.

With a groan, he pumped into her one last time and held himself inside, his hot seed spurting.

Then he collapsed on top of her, squashing her flat.

“Um, some help here,” she wheezed.

He rolled off with a sated, masculine chuckle. Not far, though. He tucked her into him, his warm body better than any blanket, and with a smile, Marigold fell asleep.

Mictain woke with a smile. The reason was still pillowed against him, and his cock hardened at the sight of her curvy naked body.

Then deflated.

“Oh man, are you in trouble now,” said Satan, who stood at the foot of the bed shaking his head at them.

“Go away,” hissed Mictain.

“Why? She’s awake and, besides, I thought you’d like warning that her father is not a happy camper right now.”

Beside him, Marigold stiffened. Mictain sighed
.
So much for morning sex.
Marigold sat up and tried to cover herself with her hands as she glared at the devil. “I have no father. Now get out of my bedroom. And next time you decide to visit, knock on the door like everyone else.”

“Do you know who I am, little girl?” roared Lucifer, smoke drifting from his ears, his complexion turning from tanned to beet re
d—
never a good sign.

“A pain in my ass who has
messed up my morning,” she shouted back with a lack of fear Mictain found entertaining even as he prepared to protect her from Lucifer’s wrath. “I was planning on having some great wake up sex. Instead, you show up, without even a coffee, and piss me off.”

Lucifer gaped at Marigold, an expression mirrored on Mictain’s own face.
Damn, my witch has guts. Hopefully I can keep them intact because apparently, she still hasn’t learned her lesson about messing with demons.
Mictain hopped out of bed and held his hands up.

“Let’s all calm down here. I’m sure Lucifer was just anxious that we not be caught unaware, right
, Lucifer?”

Lucifer just glared at him.

He turned away from Satan and restrained a smile at the sight of Marigold looking rumpled and grumpy, and way too delicious-appearing in bed. “And baby, don’t worry, once he leaves, I will give you the best morning sex you could ask for.”

She also glared at him.

So much for diplomacy first thing in the morning.
“Fine. Duke it out. See if I care. I’m going to find some coffee.” Mictain wandered out of the room, naked, and as he’d hoped, Lucifer followed him grumbling.

“If I didn’t know her father personally, I’d tan her ass until she learned proper respect. I don’t get it. She’s a witch. I thought they were all supposed to worship me?” Lucifer sounded incredulous.

Slamming through cupboards looking for coffee, Mictain grunted in reply. When Lucifer was in this kind of mood, listening was his best bet.

“And you? What the fuck were you thinking? Didn’t I warn you about getting involved with her?”

Mictain located a kettle and filled it with water before placing it on the stove. “You said not to break her heart.”

“Ha, like that would happen,” said Marigold with a snort
, walking into the kitchen wearing a short silk robe and looking delicious. “We had sex. Get over it. It’s not like it’s happening again.”

Mictain fumbled the mugs he pulled out. “What do you mean?”

“It’s called a one-night-stand. I scratched my sexual itch. You scratched yours. End of story.”

A
nger bubbled in Mictain at her nonchalant dismissal of what they shared. “An itch? You compare the pleasure we both attained to a rash that needs scratching? You know what happened between us is more than that.”

Marigold laughed. “Oh, ple-e-e-ase. Are you implying you’re going drop to a knee right now and declare undying love? Not
freaking likely. I’d expect this kind of crap from an angel, or even an employee of Venus, but a minion of Death? Seriously?”

Lucifer
, watching their verbal sparring match, howled with laughter. “Oh, this is great. Hey, witch, I don’t suppose you’d like a job down in Hell? I could use a lass with your kind of balls down there.”

She sent him a shriveling glance. Lucifer clammed up and toned down his grin.

Mictain’s cheeks burned.
So much for thinking we had a connection.
She’s right. We had se
x—
great sex. End of story. I am not groveling like some pathetic asshole. Hasta la vista, baby.

Back Mictain
popped into Hell, alone.

*

Mick left Marigold alone with Satan without so much as a goodbye. Instead of making her glad, it renderedher sad, which in turn made her mad. She turned her ire on the cause for her morning’s ill humo
r—
a very tanned, forties-looking male with silver highlights who hummed as he stirred the dozen sugar cubes he’d dropped into his coffee.

We
ll he definitely doesn’t look like I’d pictured. Where’s the horns and yellow, slitted eyes?

He broke the silence first.
“So, tell me about yourself,” said the Lord of Hell, sipping his overly sweetened brew.

“Get out.”

“When I’m ready,” he replied calmly as he added even more sugar to his coffee.

“Why are you here anyways? What are you, like, Mick’s keeper?”

“Mick’s my friend and, as such, it’s up to me to tell him when he’s being an idiot.”

Indignation made her say,
“How’s him hooking up with me stupid?”
Aren’t I good enough for him?

The Devil put his cup down
, and his intense gaze focused on her, making her shiver. “Haven’t you paid attention? Your father is against it.”

Marigold crossed her arms and narrowed her gaze. “As if I care what he thinks. He abandoned me before I was even born. So why should I
give a damn what he thinks?”

“
Such a potty mouth. Are you sure you don’t want a job in the pit?”

“I’m sure. And don’t change the topic.”

“Ah yes. Your father. You should give a fuck about his wishes because of who he is,” replied Satan enigmatically.

Marigold sighed as he answered evasively
, and she finally posed the query burning her tongue. “Who’s my father?”

“Finally, she asks me. He’s important. He’s deadly. And he wants to remain incognito for the moment
,” he said, shrugging.

“What!” Marigold exploded and to her shock
, so did all the glassware in her kitchen. Stunned, she didn’t speak for a moment.

Lucifer chuckled. “Daddy’s little girl has a temper. Looks like you may have more powers than we knew about. He’ll be pleased.”

“You can’t do this to me,” grumbled Marigold.

“Do what?” asked the Devil blithely.

Marigold held in her frustrated screech. “Don’t play dumb. You know what I’m talking about. Dropping hints about my father and then refusing to give me his name. I have a right to know.”

“Your anonymity is your safety. Enjoy it. If it became known whose daughter you actually were, your life would be in danger.”

“Blah, blah, blah,” Marigold said to intentionally antagonize him, done talking to the king of cryptic messages.

She got her intended result when with a muttered
, “Stupid girl,” the lord of lies popped out of her kitchen and back to Hell where he belonged.

Marigold collapsed onto a chair and leaned her head forward to rest in her hands. Her head pounded, more from the morning’s adrenaline wakeup than her injury of the previous night. Marigold had always healed faster than a human, but feeling the back of her head, she couldn’t deny that ability seemed to have increased in strength for there was no trace of the bump on her noggin and only a slightly sore spot left as a reminder.

However, her emotions and thoughts were in turmoil, and she didn’t know where to start unraveling them. Did she begin with the way Mick had come to her rescue and then taken care of her, and not just carnally? He’d rescued her like some superhot hero and then tended her like some Chippendale turned nurse.

And then there was the sex. Amazing and mind-blowing were a few words that came to mind when she thought of the way he’d made her body sing. Even now
, just thinking about it made her sated body wake and warm. While great sex would have been fine, and she might have indulged in it for a while, what she wasn’t prepared to deal with was how he made her feel.

Gone less than ten minutes and she missed him like a crack addict missed their next fix. She wanted him, now, tomorrow
, and a scary amount of ever-afters.
I can’t have fallen in love. I barely know him. He’s a god, for goodness sake, who collects souls for Death and drives me batty.
Yet, despite the reasoning against, she couldn’t completely deny she felt something for him, and it wasn’t just lust.

Pushing that dilemma into a corner, she focused instead on Lucifer and his enigmatic words.
Who and what is my father?
All the hints about his supernatural position and powers had her more curious than a room full of cats. She also found his sudden interest just as baffling.
Since when does my deadbeat daddy give a damn? Although, it’s interesting my father doesn’t like my most recent choice of bed partner.

Marigold was unabashedly lusty and had indulged in sex for quite some time now, and with quite a few me
n—
and even one woman. Why had her phantom father not stepped forward before this to protest her choice of lovers? What had changed?

Mick.
He was the key, obviously, since her life until now had been boring and uneventful. Then, she met Mick and next thing she knew, she was fighting off a demon, and Satan made his first visit, implying he’d return. The cloying stench of brimstone lingered as a reminder, and Marigold sighed.
I’ll have to buy stronger air freshener if that’s going to become a habit of his.
The idea of Satan coming for Sunday dinner finally had her giggling, and some of the tension eased in her.

But, what do I do next?
The smart thing to do would be to forget Mick and get on with her life, thus avoiding visits from the lord of darkness and belated paternal threats.

However, Marigold didn’t enjoy taking the easy path. And besides, by going against what her father and Satan wanted, she got something she wante
d—
Mick.
Who’s off sulking in Hell. I guess I’d better think of a way to get him back.
After a shower,though, if she was going to make up with the ma
n—
er go
d—
who’d taken up residence in her mind, and she grudgingly admitted her heart, she needed to wash the body parts she’d use to gain forgiveness. And pleasure.