Good Intentions (11 page)

“Oh my God,” Alex breathed. “Yup. Turns out even angels are flawed. Hardly any of us will admit that, though, but some angels are chickenshit. Some are fuck-ups. Some are assholes.” She shrugged again. “I’m so sorry.” “For what? You saved me.” It seemed to be the first positive note she had struck since she first said hell o to him. He finally saw her smile again. “I owe you my life.” “So you volunteered to be my guardian angel?” he smiled. “No. I wanted to, but like I said, I’m not exactly at my best. I wanted you to have someone stronger. I argued for that, even. The Hosts decided that I was the most appropriate choice despite my weaknesses.” “I’m flattered.” “Don’t be. I’ve never done this before, and I’m weak. I feel pretty half-assed as a guardian right now. I think they just figure if I’ve got mortal cooties it’s better to stick you with me than give you someone else who might get infected, too. I wish you had received someone better.” “I want you.” Rachel’s eyes flashed at that, and she gasped just a little, but held it short. “Um,” she stammered, “you said that you, ah, wanted to talk to me about something?” Is she blushing? Alex thought in amazement. He hadn’t said anything flirtatious, he thought. Didn’t really mean anything by it. This conversation had gone from him not knowing how to handle her disgust to the both of them now gripped with sudden shyness. “Two things, real y. First: those guys who abducted you. I know they’re dead, but do you know if you’re at risk of that

happening again? Are there others? Lorelei didn’t really talk much about it. She just kind of warned me that I might have to face that sort of danger again.” “She’s not wrong about that,” Rachel conceded. “But no, I don’t know about those men. This was as much a shock to me as it was to her. I have asked the Hosts. They didn’t have much to tel me. It’s not like guys who’d do something like that have guardians.” “So angels just go missing and nobody goes looking for them?” She responded with a troubled look before she spoke. “I’m learning to see my peers in something of a new light through al of this,” she confessed, carefully choosing each word. “It may simply be that my faith is being tested. I don’t know. At any rate, it’s pretty difficult for those on my side of things to get answers out of men who’ve already been sent straight to hell . I may have been a bit hasty in destroying them and that chapel.” “You had been through an awful lot. I don’t think anyone could blame you. still , I think it would be good to look for answers to this if I even knew where to start.” “You have to be careful, Alex. The smartest thing you could do is keep a low profile. Others guys your position might not think twice before…before playing rashly with their apparent fortunes.” “That brings up the other thing I wanted to ask you about,” Alex said. “I’m not really sure how I can ask this. I’m not…I’m not a pig who doesn’t respect women or something…” Rachel squeezed his hand and gave a little smile. “It’s okay. You can trust me. You’l have me watching you a lot from now on. Creepy, I know,” she jested. “Al the time?” “No, not al the time. Not when you’re with…her. And I imagine that might be much of the time. But not constantly, regardless. I’l be given other mortals to watch over, too. Like I said, it’s not like a guardian watches only one person. I will be watching frequently enough that I should know what goes on in your life.”

“…and I’l get to see you in person again, right?” She smiled, again somewhat shyly. “Yes. Sometimes.” “I would really like that.” “You were going to ask me something obviously very awkward and potentially explosive,” she observed. He blinked. “I’m. Wow. Uh, I’m…apparently becoming irresistible to every woman I find attractive.” Rachel snorted out a laugh, and covered her mouth with her hand as Alex continued sheepishly but quickly so as to get it al out. “Lorelei keeps tel ing me I can and should sleep with whoever I want to and I can’t stop thinking about sex anymore. So obviously I’m really tempted to take her up on that as long as I’m not hurting anybody but I don’t want to wind up in hell . And I don’t want to make you mad,” he added without even thinking about it. Rachel snorted again, and then laughed openly at him. “You worry a lot, don’t you?” “I’m serious! I think I might go insane.” “Who says you’re not already insane?” the blonde giggled. “You’re going around having conversations and sexual congress with beings not of this world.” “Okay, don’t fuck with me like that, am I going nuts?” “No,” she giggled more. “No, you’re not crazy.” Eventual y, Rachel composed herself. “You haven’t done anything wrong so far.” “You totally blew up at me not ten minutes ago!” “That’s…that’s different,” she said, waving a dismissive hand. “I mean I’m not entirely happy you’re fooling around with that hussy, but I…understand?” Alex waited while she searched for words. “I don’t think you’re going to hurt anyone. You have good instincts. You’ve established your boundaries with her, right?”

“I think so. I keep thinking so. Maybe I need to be a little more explicit.” Rachel nodded emphatical y. “You’re in charge, Alex. For real. I know you want to be nice, but even diminished and bound as she is, she could be dangerous. It might seem creepy to you, but even at your worst you’re way fucking better than the previous guys, and she knows it. Things are going to be this way for a long, long time, so don’t let her run you around. If you think something’s really wrong, it probably is.” “You can’t just give me an actual no-go list? I’ve already gotten the impression from al this that I can’t exactly take the Bible or religious figures literal y.” Her mouth opened, then promptly closed. “I cannot speak on that.” “Of course not,” Alex nodded with a shrug. The angel’s eyes turned apologetic, and she squeezed his hand again. “I’m not mad if you’re getting laid, Alex,” she said finally. “Not if it’s a little or a lot. I imagine I sounded jealous before, but it’s not that. I figured at first that you’d probably hit that, but then yesterday I saw you hadn’t and I guess I got the wrong impression. I can’t really blame you for being human. I want you to be happy, and if that sloppy wench can give you a good time, then I say bang away on that.” Alex’s eyes went wide, but she just smirked. “Seriously, you haven’t betrayed anyone. I was upset because I think you’re more than she deserves. If you start going down the wrong path, I’l know sooner or later, and you and I don’t have the usual guardian angel relationship. I’l show up and tel you.” “You’l come kick me in the bal s?” “I can’t hurt you.” “What if I tel you to?” “Maybe. I don’t know. We’l cross that bridge if we ever get to it, but I think I can trust you.”

They shared a long, quiet look at one another. “I’d really like to see more of you, Rachel,” Alex said softly. She merely shrugged. “Time will tel . But you have other classes to get to.” Alex nodded, and stood. Before he left, he asked, “Was there something else you wanted to talk about?” “I just wanted to see you,” Rachel smiled softly. She stepped close to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Be happy. Be good.” * Lorelei had plans for Alex when he came home. She’d been left with plenty of time to plot and scheme. Al day long she had felt small trickles of his desires—nothing informative, just the sensations—which kept her spirits up. There was a real surge of desire in the late morning, leaving her curious as to whom he’d run into. He hadn’t acted on whatever it was he wanted, but at least she didn’t feel him attempt to deny his feelings anymore. The morning could have backfired horribly upon her, but it had not. Her day had been spent investigating the home and the neighborhood. She found more that she could work with, more fun to be had. Lorelei felt encouraged. Her disturbing feelings of devotion had, for the moment, lessened. She chalked them up to the novelty of their circumstances. He was later in getting home than his schedule had indicated. Lorelei found it odd to be concerned over it, but she was. The succubus felt his rising desires long before he came home, knowing from experience that this specific desire was for her. She grinned and al owed herself to feel excited by it. Was I actually worried for his safety? The succubus thought it odd, but banished the concern. When she heard his motorcycle pul up to the garage outside, her spirits soared more than she had expected.

Excitement rose within her. He was at least accepting of her nature now, and of the wonders she had to offer. That would help her continue to gain some measure of control within their relationship. Seduction and unrestrained pleasure on her mind, Lorelei took up a spot on her knees facing the door and waited. He’l never expect this, she thought deliciously. The door unlatched and opened. Alex stepped in, gasping at the sight of her. He was clad in his leather jacket, a backpack slung over his shoulder and a large gym bag that he hadn’t left home with in one hand. She said nothing right away, merely throwing up a smoldering look as he closed and locked the door behind him. “How may I serve you, master?” she asked, reaching up meaningfully for his belt. Alex grunted, closing his eyes and leaning back on the door as she touched him. An eager smile began to spread across Lorelei’s face, but then he tenderly took her hand in his, pulling it away from his groin. “Hold on,” he requested softly. Lorelei complied and smothered her frustration, wondering what the hell his problem could be now. His hand gently pul ed her up to her feet, facing him, and then he turned down to unzip the gym bag. “I don’t know if this will mean much to you,” he said, voice shaking as if this was some nervous first meeting. Lorelei blinked curiously and watched as he pul ed a small bouquet of roses out of the bag. They were gorgeous. He’d been very careful about transporting them. She looked in his eyes, still curious and unsure where he was going with this though the meaning was apparently clear. “No one has ever brought me flowers before,” she whispered as she took them. “You’re kidding.” His voice was just as hushed as hers. She shook her head, then corrected. “Not…not once they believe that they have me. Not once we’ve lain together and lust becomes the driving force. I have been pursued with romance, of course,” she explained quietly, “but you already have me. And yet this is… I’m not quite sure what to say.” “I wanted to say thank you,” Alex explained. “Say whatever you want about this being a better alternative to the priest

or your old master, and how good we are in bed together and al , but…” He gestured at their surroundings and then at himself. “I know this wasn’t something you ever wanted. I frustrate you. But you’ve been good to me, al things considered. You’ve been kind. You haven’t insulted me or complained or anything. “I…I really like you, Lorelei.” Her head spun again, as it had the first time they’d lain together. This was insane. Flowers? What did she need with flowers? Such a silly gesture. And yet, she felt herself admitting it aloud: “I like you a great deal, Alex.” There was a long, shared gaze before he finally broke the silence again. “We need to get you clothes. I don’t want to keep hiding you. I want to figure out how to make you part of my life and make you as happy as I can.” He took her hand again. “And there’s something I want to do for you, right now, because it bothers me that there’s this imbalance between us.” Alex brought her into the living room and sat her on the plush lounge chair. She felt a constant rush of his desire as he set aside his bags and pul ed off his jacket, then pushed aside the ottoman in front of the chair. Her master sank to his knees in front of her, looking at her longingly as he caressed her legs. Her eyes fluttered as his hands slid along those flawless thighs, ever higher, and gently, softly spread them apart. It was Lorelei’s turn to breathe heavily with expectation. She could tel what he meant to do. She hadn’t thought this could come without some suggestion on her part. Like the flowers, it was entirely unnecessary by now. Possession was assured. His right hand slid back, moving under one knee and holding it up where he could kiss along her thigh with just a turn of his head. He trailed soft kisses up toward her center, operating purely on a combination of instinct and random articles he had read long ago in hopes of being prepared for this sort of opportunity someday. He shifted from the right leg to the left, slowly moving up al the while. Lorelei breathed in sharply as his lips reached their destination. He kissed and caressed her, and finally whispered, “I’ve never done this, obviously.” “You’re doing very well ,” Lorelei breathed.

“We both know I like the whole ‘master’ deal,” he admitted softly between kisses that left her panting. “But I don’t want that to be al there is between us.” Her mouth quivered as his lips descended on her again. Her breath came out in small , blissful whimpers. It was like a repeat of their first coupling. A faint alarm rang out in the back of her mind. Normal y, men and women could become addicted to tasting her like this. It would grant her ever-greater control. She knew instinctively that it would not be so sure a thing this time. This moment could result in her yielding more control and more loyalty rather than the other way around. He was on his knees, bowed before her as her victims so often were, and yet rather than triumphant she felt increasingly vulnerable. Her chest rose and fell heavily with each breath. Overcome with rapture, Lorelei pushed the fingers of one hand through his hair and pul ed him closer. The hell with it, she decided. Alex said nothing more. His mouth was busy with better things than words. Chapter 7

Even Demons Need Closure

Does she want more? I feel like I could do this more, but… Alex was enjoying himself, but his knees were beginning to get a bit sore. still , that seemed like a small price to pay to drive Lorelei this willd. She had al but melted into the chair, moaning wantonly as her pleasures rose and fell . I can

suck it up for awhile if she wants… “More?” he asked softly. Her chest rose and fell heavily again, as if he’d somehow seduced her in a single word. Eventual y, she reached out one hand to him, which he took in his to kiss her fingers. “Alex,” she breathed out. More silence. “Are you okay?” he asked. She nodded, and he said, “I’l keep going, if you want it.” The words themselves elicited a joyful groan. “No, master… I will always want more of this. So much more of this. Alex…” Her voice trailed off. Lorelei’s free hand came down gently onto his face almost as if she were too weak to sit up far enough to do more. “I will never stop wanting this. Wanting you. This means so much. If you wait for me to tel you I have had enough, you’l be bowed before me forever.” “I can think of worse things,” he grinned, though he shifted restlessly on his knees. “No, don’t tempt me.” Lorelei shook her head as much to clear it as to communicate. “Your point is made, and taken to heart. But you must decide. In this, for your own sake.” She gestured for him to come closer. He rose up off of his knees, al owing her to pul his face closer for a deeply appreciative kiss. “There’l be more than just this time,” Alex promised. “I know,” she said, kissing him again. “I know. Alex, I need you. I feel your needs. I’ve felt them al this time. Let me relieve you,” she pleaded softly. “Twist my arm,” he grinned. She immediately pul ed off his shirt and he kicked off his shoes, but then Alex paused and drew back a bit. “Wait,” he said. The sudden pleading look of desperation in her eyes could have broken his heart, and made him wonder if they were both in for just such a fate. He sat down on the ottoman. “I have to tel you something about today. Have to confess something, I guess.” “What could you have to confess to me?” Lorelei blinked.