How to Seduce an Angel in 10 Days (11 page)

“You taste so sweet,” Falcon told her.

“Please,” she begged.

He made one last swipe with his tongue before pulling her down from the invisible bed of clouds and turning her onto her stomach. She could see the bed below her, but still felt like she was suspended on an endless sea of velvet cushions.

Even though she was ready for him, his shaft felt impossibly large as Falcon pushed inside her. Tally stretched to accommodate his girth and she moaned with pleasure. When he was buried to the hilt, she clenched around him and he moved with long, sure strokes.

Falcon eased his weight down against her and filled his hands with her breasts. His breath was warm on her neck, the skin already sensitive where he’d bitten her. Tally shifted back to meet his thrusts when he rolled her nipples between his fingers.

He tugged gently on the stiff buds. A strange pleasure with an edge of pain coursed through her and the feeling only intensified when Falcon swirled his tongue over that place on her neck where he’d marked her like an animal claiming his mate. He tightened his arm around her waist and guided her response in time with his rhythm.

Tally was ready for more. She strained against him, urging him to increase his pace, to drive deeper, harder. He resisted her demands and stayed steady, immune to her pleas.

Falcon shifted in a smooth motion and turned them so she was astride and he was on his back beneath her. “Take what you want, Tally.”

The idea of being in control of this man, of using his willing form for her pleasure was more intoxicating than any drug. Tally braced herself on his chest with the palm of her hand, her fingertips grazing a flat nipple and she leaned down to run her tongue over the tightening flesh. She moved back up to his clavicle, then down the taut skin of his chest.

Tally didn’t move her hips, though she wanted desperately to come. More than that, she wanted this to last. She held herself still, but her walls spasmed around his cock as it jerked inside her, seeking culmination. The cycle of the constriction and release of her interior walls came faster now, and she couldn’t fight it. She felt her own fluid drenching her thighs and his cock.

Falcon jerked his hips up in an involuntary motion to bury his cock deeper. Tally rocked her hips, expelling him from her slit only to ease back down his shaft and take him fully inside her again.

His fingertips were marking half-moons in the round part of her hips, another brand of ownership. Falcon’s muscles were flexed as he fought with himself not to guide her movement, not to demand the rhythm to seek his own orgasm.

Tally heard a high-pitched sound as bliss consumed her and she realized the keening was coming from her own mouth. She rode the waves of sensation to fulfillment and, as she sank against him, she realized he was still hard.

She worked her way down his body and fisted his straining cock. With measured precision, she stroked him and took the head into her mouth. Tally tasted herself on him and he was right, she was sweet. It excited her again to know she’d marked him in her own way and when she rubbed the tip of his cock over her lips, his entire body tensed; he moaned, the sound low in this throat.

This was the first outward display of his pleasure she’d seen in this encounter. It was only a taste, but it made her want to break his iron control. Tally jacked his shaft and swirled her tongue over the head and under the ridge. She felt it grow in her mouth, surge as his pleasure reached its pinnacle.

Tally knew he’d reached his climax and she looked up to meet his gaze while he spilled in her mouth. She counted herself damn lucky that not only did her lover taste like cotton candy when he kissed her, but so did his jism.

CHAPTER TWELVE

A Demon’s Pickle

E
thelred was not happy.

Usually, he was a rather cheerful chap and rarely did he pull out the tail and horns and the smiting. Cupid had him in a rare mood. Falcon Cherrywood was the least angelic angel he’d ever met. He stank of violence, jealousy, and guilt. He drank like an Irish pirate, fought like a war machine, and angsted like Byron. He’d never known an angel like him.

Okay, maybe that was a lie. Uriel and Gabriel were like that, but they channeled their bad for good. Or something.

Fuck. He wasn’t even being erudite in his own mind, and Ethelred had a brimstone-deep love of language.

Falcon and that sodding arrow. The root of all of his troubles. Well, actually, the root of all his troubles was older than that, but his current predicament could be traced back to Stupid Cupid.

They’d voted with the Big Boss, the Bigger Boss, and all the Crown Princes of Heaven and Hell as to what to do with the new threat against the world: Emilian Grey and that damn Norse prophecy.

Stupid Cupid’s rancid love arrow had him piping up when he should have kept his mouth decidedly shut. Of course, part of that was just his demonic nature, but Ethelred was sure it could have all been avoided without that arrow.

The Powers That Be had wanted to erase Emilian and Luminista Grey. Not just kill their bodies, but their souls. It was the only way to prevent the dark magick from filling them both. If they destroyed only Emilian’s half of their soul, the curse would fall on Luminista.

Ethelred couldn’t let that happen.

“Fucking arrow,” he muttered.

Since Emilian didn’t change when Ethelred was around—barring that little incident at the cabin—he’d proposed his current babysitting assignment as a short-term fix until something else could be found. But that meant both the werewolf and his sister would have to move in with him.

And Falcon and Tally.

Falcon had refused to agree and left it up to Tally because she was the one who had to live with a werewolf who’d almost killed her. Even collared, it wasn’t fair to decide that for her. Or so the Diapered Wonder had said.

So the fate of the woman he loved had fallen into the hands of his parolee.

Really, it could go either way.

Ethelred almost hoped she said no. If Luminista died, maybe the arrow would lose its power and Ethelred would be free?

Then the world could go back to the way it was supposed to be and he could get back to the business at hand. Like corrupting Tally.

Ethelred was nearly ecstatic it was almost his turn with the witch.

He meant that literally. After Falcon smote him, he’d decided to seduce her. First, because it would be fun. Second, because he’d get brownie points for seducing his charge. Third, because it would piss Falcon the hell off and he’d definitely never believe in love. Which meant his magick would fail and Ethelred could stop having these imagined
feelings
for this annoying princess. Although, he was secretly glad Merlin had repealed the Shall Not. Ethelred wasn’t quite done with this game. He planned on seducing Falcon, too. That would really fuck them both up.

He crept into Falcon’s room. Even though it was warded against demons, he could get in because his parolee was there. Ethelred bent over Tally and used his magick to paralyze her.

“Wakey, wakey, witchy.”

Her eyes flew open, and she struggled against the magick until she realized it was him. He could see every thought as it was reflected in her eyes.

“You’re coming with me.”

Defiance blazed on her face.

“Not to see the werewolf. To work. Come on. You’ll be back before Stupid Cupid even knows you’re gone.”

He didn’t wait for her to acquiesce, but used his magick to teleport them to a mall. Ethelred was even polite enough to dress her.

“You got me up to go shopping?” She arched a brow. “I thought we decided you weren’t going to be my gay best friend.”

Ethelred handed her a white mocha, the kidney-buster size. He abhorred coffee, but the witch seemed to need it. “Just drink it so you’re tolerable.”

“Me, tolerable? You’re the one who was creeping.”

“It’s not the first time.” He grinned.

“You know what, if you’re that desperate, you deserve whatever you get.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you see it my way. That will make your time with me much easier.”

“Um, I thought we were postponing this? What about the werewolf?” She frowned.

“He’s collared. He’ll be a good boy and sleep for another few hours yet. Now, are you ready to have some fun?”

“I don’t think your idea of fun and mine are the same.”

“You’d be surprised.”

Tally sighed. “Fine. The sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can go back to bed.”

“Let’s walk, shall we?” He offered his arm and she looked at it like it was on fire. Ethelred double-checked to make sure he hadn’t accidentally let loose with the sulfur and the tail and horns. Finding nothing, he scowled. “Well, it’s not going to bite you.”

“Falcon offered his arm to me at Midnight’s wedding.”

“I can assure you that the outcome will be entirely different. I would never pass out in your witchy bits without making you scream in Aramaic.”

“I don’t speak Aramaic.”

“Exactly.” He winked at her.

She rolled her eyes, but laughed. “Men are all the same. Straight. Gay. Omnisexual. Warlock. Human. Demon.”

“Angel,” Ethelred reminded her. She was so much fun to rile up.

“What are we doing here again?” The witch took a delicate sip of the coffee and rolled the cup back and forth between her palms.

“I’m going to demonstrate to you the relativity of Hell.”

“Meaning?”

“It’s all relative, dear girl. In early writings, the Big Boss was referred to simply as the Adversary and he worked very closely with the Bigger Boss.”

“So what you’re saying is that you’re not evil, you’re just drawn that way?”

Ethelred couldn’t stop the grin. “Yes, that’s it. We’re here to test you. To make you better yourselves through adversity.”

“But you hurt people.”

“So do doctors. To make you well. It’s an end justifies the means sort of thing.”

“But the end doesn’t always justify the means.”

“Let me show you.” He led her over to a trendy store where a girl went inside a dressing room and her boyfriend lingered, bored. “See this couple? He’s thinking about giving up his scholarship to a university eight hundred miles away so he can be close to her. He’ll end up working in his father’s hardware store.”

“Maybe he’ll be happy at the hardware store.” Tally scowled at him.

“He would be. Just to be with her. But the whole reason she wants to be with him is because she thinks he’s her ticket out of here. He has a bright future as an engineer. She doesn’t love him. She’s sleeping with his best friend.”

“Great. So, did you make the best friend bang her?”

“No, it’s not quite so cut and dried. Free will, you know. But I can encourage the best friend to call her. And I can give the girl a little push so she asks her boyfriend to hold her purse. Just like
this
.”

The scene unfolded as he said it would, leaving Ethelred feeling very pleased with himself. Until Tally slapped him.

“What was that for?”

“Did you make Tristan cheat on me?”

“Don’t slap. I don’t like it.”

“I don’t like being cheated on.”

“Better it happened in the early stages of your relationship rather than after you were married and had devoted half your life to him, don’t you think?” He wiggled his jaw around. “Not to mention, I didn’t
make
him do anything. One of us may have presented an opportunity. If he took it, that’s his sin to bear.”

“You’re doing nothing for your case.”

“Okay, another example. Hmm.” Ethelred scanned the mall for sinners. There were plenty to be had, but none that illustrated his case. Inspiration struck. “Over there”—he pointed to a child walking with his mother—“his mother is going to make a choice today. Either decision will result in her death, but one will push him to greatness and the other to some of the worst crimes humanity is capable of. Which would you push her toward?”

“Greatness?”

“Maybe. You have to look at what his crimes will do to those around him. Yes, people will suffer. But will it inspire hundreds to greatness whereas this single act would only inspire him?”

“I don’t agree. What if his one act of greatness cured cancer?”

Ethelred was pleased. “Yes, now you’re thinking. You have to look at every angle. Play Devil’s Advocate, as the world likes to say.”

“So what does your influence involve, precisely?”

“I’m the guy who distracts other drivers so they do forty-five in the fast lane. While it may inspire others to homicide, the guy behind me arrives alive and goes on to do whatever it is that we need him to do. So really, it’s not a heavy hand. Unless you sell your soul. Most of them we don’t really want, but it gives us something to do and people to test.”

“So you don’t spend your days with whips and chains and . . . other things?”

“Well, I mean, if you’re into that. But no, not usually. Although, there are a few special cases. See, for all the talk of the Big Boss and the Bigger Boss, there are other hands turning the Wheel, if you know what I mean.”

“I don’t.”

“No, I guess you wouldn’t. But you will.”

“I learn best by doing. Can I try it?” Tally asked.

Ethelred rubbed his hands together with delight. “I thought you’d never ask. The dad in the candy store? Keep him from leaving. Five minutes.”

“Why?” the stubborn little witch asked.

“You don’t get to ask that unless you have Crown Prince status. Do you?”

“No.”

“Well, then.”

“Okay, how do I get him to stay?”

“Think of something.” Did he have to do everything?

“Can you influence his toddler to find the bottom candy on the display desperately interesting?”

“Ooh, like Jenga. I love Jenga.” Ethelred exerted his influence and the boy looked up at him, questioningly. He made the candy wrapper sparkle under the bright lights and he nodded to the boy, urging him on. The boy reached out tentative fingers and tugged out the candy, causing the whole display to come crashing down. Expletives echoed throughout the store, followed by the boy crying that the Devil made him do it.

“Can you tell me how we influenced their lives now?” Tally wheedled. It was possible curiosity would be her downfall.

“Nope. If you want to know, you have to pick Team Hell.”

“You’re a dick.” She sighed, unhappily.

“As you’ve told me. But time to go home now, ducks, or Falcon is going to notice you were gone. If he smells the sulfur, tell him you went out for a smoke.” Ethelred laughed at his own joke.

“If he notices, I’ll tell him the truth.”

“That’s even better. Now, you think about this later. I think you’ll see that we have a great benefit package and the perks are to die for.”

He blinked them back into Falcon’s room, and just to be contrary, took the clothes he’d manifested on her with him. If her eyes could have burned him, he’d be flaming like a marshmallow dropped into a campfire. Only, he wasn’t as gooey on the inside.

Feeling that he’d put in a good day’s work, Ethelred decided it was time for tea at his favorite café in Brussels. Yes, being a demon was much like American Express—membership did indeed have its privileges.

He settled into his chair with his tea and was jostled by the appearance of one Luminista Grey. She popped into the chair opposite him like she was a witch born to it. She was talking, but he didn’t care much for what she had to say. Although, he didn’t mind watching her various bits jiggle about as she expressed herself.

“Did you hear me?” Luminista demanded.

“Everyone heard you, wench. Do be still while I have my breakfast tea.” How had she found him? He was minding his own business in his favorite café in Brussels—nowhere near the Appalachian cabin where he’d left her and Emilian. How had she even gotten there? Although, it was the perfect opportunity to set the first of his plans in motion.

“You’re not having breakfast tea. You’re spying.”

“Pardon me?”

“Cut the crap,” Luminista clarified. “You’re reading tea leaves. And with your demon power, you’re watching
poor little Tally
.” She snorted.

“So what if I am?” he said, just to be contrary. “She’s been cleaning Cupid’s love gun all morning. She’s rather good at it, actually, so it’s quite a show.”

“I know what you’re thinking and I won’t have it.”

Had he heard her correctly? Perhaps he had brimstone in his ears.

“Don’t act like you didn’t hear me. You’re the only thing that’s keeping my brother from losing his humanity. You need to rearrange your parole schedule or whatever.”

“Yes, Princess. Because the world revolves around you.” Ethelred did enjoy needling her. He hadn’t bothered to tell her that he had, indeed, rearranged not only his schedule, but
everything
.

“Did you forget the part where the world stops revolving if my brother—”

Ethelred flicked his thumb and his fingers together like little chattery mouths. “Don’t you know any other songs?”

“Okay, how about this one? You’re
my
demon. Apocalypse Barbie already has an angel. She can’t have you, too.”

“Hmm. And your brother is Apocalypse Ken. Maybe we should set them up? That could be fun.” It really could. It might even solve the cursed end of the world problem.

“No. I don’t want her near anything that belongs to me.”

“Jealous much?” Ethelred arched a brow. He was enjoying this little creature. She was petulant, selfish, demanding, but her insides were soft and melty. Like M&Ms. She was desperate to save her brother, and desperate to be something apart from him as well. There was really so much raw material to work with.