Darkness Wanes (37 page)

“You should have revealed yourself anyway. At least it would have taken my mind off of things.” She smiled.

“Remove your underwear,” he commanded. Lucas had a long list of ways he could take her mind off of things if she let him.

She let the tiny garment slide down her legs, then kicked it away. “Next question.”

“This game is getting tiresome.”

“You’ll survive.” She gave him a patronizing look. “Now tell me about the first job you had.”

Memories of the Mediterranean Sea filtered into his mind. “I worked for a fisherman. He had me repair his nets and clean fish. Eventually, he taught me more and let me go out to sea with him.”

“A fisherman?” Her lips twitched. “I would have guessed you’d have been a soldier.”

Lucas shook his head. “That came later. In the beginning, I needed to stay close to home and war rarely affords that opportunity.”

“Why did you need to stay close to home?” she asked, confused.

“You will have to offer me far more to get an answer to that question,” he said, letting his gaze rove over her naked body.

She licked her lips. “What do you want?”

“Lie flat on the mattress.” He gestured toward a four poster bed that waited for them at the center of the room.

It was a spacious suite with several windows covered by thick red curtains. At the far end, there was a sitting area with a cozy couch and television. The suite also had a sizeable bathroom with a whirlpool tub and large, open shower. All the bedroom furniture was made of mahogany, and several Persian rugs covered a white tile floor. It wasn’t exactly suited to his taste, but it was close enough.

Melena moved toward the bed and lay upon it, leaving her legs dangling off the side. Lucas was pleased. He could work with that and hopefully take her mind off of any more questions. He grabbed each of her ankles and spread her feet far apart. She blushed as he stared down at her. He slowly took in every inch of her smooth, pale skin and the wet folds between her thighs. Lucas found it amusing that she could still feel any embarrassment after all the things they’d done together. He was quite certain he knew her body better than she did.

Propping her legs on his shoulders, he leaned closer. She shivered as his hot breath blew across her skin. Lucas continued his downward approach, nibbling his way along her thighs. Melena clutched at his hair. He slid his tongue out and caressed her warm center. She jerked underneath him.

“Lucas,” she breathed.

He suckled and licked as she squirmed underneath him, unable to stay still. Through their mate bond, he could feel her passion rising. He enjoyed making Melena feel this way. She was completely helpless and vulnerable to him at that moment. It occurred to him that this was what love was about—giving of oneself completely despite the seeming danger.

Lucas inserted two fingers between her soaking wet folds and sucked on her harder. She writhed side to side, begging for release. He quickened his pace. An advantage of their mating bond was that he could feel when she was at the edge of release. There was no point in dragging this first one out—they’d waited more than long enough already. Lucas kept his pace steady until her body froze and she screamed out her climax. Waves of her passion poured toward him, nearly bringing him to his knees. He continued to work her until her last twinges faded away.

Melena pulled her legs away from him and rose up. Before Lucas could determine what she was doing, she had his belt undone. He started to help her with his pants, but she shoved his hands away and gave him a determined look.

“Oh, no. It’s my turn to take over.”

His dick grew stiffer than before at her words. He preferred to be in charge, and she usually didn’t argue, but once in a while she insisted on reversing their roles. Lucas could hardly stop her, considering she always made it worth his while.

Melena shoved his naked body onto the bed. Like some manner of cavewoman, she crawled over him. Her wild hair billowed around her and weaved its way down past her breasts. She took his hands and raised them above his head, holding them there. They both knew he could easily break free, but he enjoyed the thought of being at her mercy. She’d become primitive and carnal. Lucas liked seeing this new side of Melena and wanted to find out where it might lead.

She took hold of his cock and stroked it once, then held it still. He ground his teeth, wanting more. After watching her find release moments ago, he was near the edge. The sly grin that spread across her face told him she knew what she’d done—the wicked woman.

Melena leaned down and ran her tongue over the head of his dick. Two little swirls and then she stopped. He was going to die from this sort of torture, and he had no idea why he allowed it to continue. No, that was not quite right—he knew the reason. The beautiful woman holding him captive had some kind of mystical control over him that he couldn’t fight. At least, not now. He was too curious to find out what she’d do next.

Melena leaned down toward him once more. This time, she took his whole cock into her mouth, inch by inch. Then she pulled back to his very tip before sinking down again. Three times she did this. Lucas was embarrassed to realize he was shaking by the time she stopped. Melena had wound his body so tightly, he hardly had control over himself anymore.

She rose over him, straddling his hips on either side. Her fingers curled around his manhood and guided him toward her entrance. Lucas waited with bated breath to feel her wet core surround him.

Melena paused. “You will be answering more questions after this, correct?”

Her voice was husky, but there was a thread of steel lying underneath. If Lucas didn’t agree, she’d make him pay the price. The damn woman was torturing him for information, and the worst part was that he enjoyed every minute of it.

“Yes,” he growled out.

She gave him a pleased smile. “Good.”

Melena sank down on top of him, taking him into her body. Lucas let out a groan. Finally, she gave him exactly what he needed. Melena started slow, but her speed increased with every rise and fall of her body. He brought his hands up to grip her hips. She didn’t stop him from guiding her to his relief. She pressed her hands flat on his chest and met his gaze. He saw determination, love, acceptance, and an untamed spirit in her eyes. This was the woman he’d fallen in love with, and he wouldn’t have her any other way.

Melena’s warm depths squeezed him hard as she pulled up. Then she relaxed and sank back down. Over and over the rhythm continued until he could hold back no more. Lucas let out a shout as he released inside her, jerking hard. She moaned as well. They clutched at each other as they climaxed, experiencing a high he doubted they’d ever forget.

When it was over, she collapsed against his chest. Lucas wrapped his arms around her. His mind turned foggy as contentment overtook him. He had Melena in his arms—healthy and whole—and for once there was nothing interrupting them. If only it could be like that all the time. He reveled in the silence and the feel of his wife’s soft breaths grazing over his chest.

To her credit, she let it continue for ten minutes before lifting her head and meeting his gaze. “Next question.”

“Have mercy, sensor. Could we not wait a little longer?” In fact, a few centuries more would have been a preferable timeframe.

Melena shook her head, amused. “We both know this little hiatus isn’t going to last long.”

Unfortunately, she had a point. Lucas had every intention of making up for lost time, and he could already feel his body stirring again. It didn’t help that his wife was draped over him. It would require little effort for him to sink inside her once more.

Melena must have come to the same conclusion because she rolled off to the side and leaned up on her elbow. “You were going to tell me about why you took your first job so close to home.”

Lucas sighed. This was absolutely the last thing he wished to discuss. It had been painful enough when Eli forced him to talk about that period of his life when he was last confined in Purgatory.

“Can you not ask a different question?” He knew the answer, but he had to try stalling anyway.

Melena stared at him intently. “Don’t block me out, Lucas. If you ever want to ask me personal questions, I will answer them—even if they are difficult. I can’t help it if you’ve been around for most of my life and I don’t have as many secrets.”

He turned his head and looked up at the ceiling. Whether he liked it or not, he’d have to at least give her some of the story. “Before I answer that, you should first know my father was a cruel man. Gadreel beat Micah and me regularly, though I did my best to take the brunt of it.”

Melena rested her head on his shoulder, giving him her silent support.

“Sometimes days went by where he withheld food, which caused me to heal even slower from the numerous injuries he’d inflicted. I was young and not as resilient back then.” He shuddered. Memories of his youth were mostly vague, but several regarding his father stood the test of time.

“Why did he beat you?” Melena asked, her voice coming out as a whisper.

“The human boys of the village knew about Micah and myself, what we were, and taunted us for it. They believed us to be unnatural and evil. This was before the archangels chose to conceal supernaturals from the world. My father had mine and Micah’s powers bound so that we could not use them, leaving us weaker and more vulnerable. Almost every day I had violent encounters with the village boys. My father punished me for it, regardless that I only defended myself. He claimed humans were the chosen people of God and that we should not harm them for any reason.”

Melena jerked her head up. “But that’s ridiculous. He couldn’t expect you to just let other kids hurt you!”

“That’s exactly what he expected.” Lucas pressed her head back to his chest, preferring to feel her close. He was doing his best to tell the story without allowing his emotions to overwhelm him. “Micah, being the better son, rarely fought back. I eventually took over running all the errands my father required of us so that my brother would not get hurt. It wasn’t that Micah couldn’t fight, but that he preferred to avoid conflict more than me. He claimed our family was torn apart enough without him adding to the problems.”

“So you’d get beat up by the kids, and then again by your father,” Melena said angrily. “Micah just watched that happen?”

Lucas traced his fingers down her arm, wishing to calm her. “It is not as simple as that. If Micah had been harmed as well, he would not have been able to tend my injuries. Every time our father left the house, my brother would sneak bits of food to me, patch my wounds, and set any broken bones. I suspect that is why he eventually developed his healing talent.”

“Whereas you became the stronger fighter,” Melena surmised.

“Though not strong enough.” It was only now that Lucas thought he might be able to battle his father and win, given the opportunity. “We tried to escape Gadreel several times once we neared adulthood, but he found us every time and dragged us back.”

Melena pressed a kiss to his chest. “That must have been frustrating.”

“Yes,” he said, expelling a breath. “One would think I’d have given up, but quitting wasn’t in me. With every year that passed, I grew to hate my father more and more, as well as his favored humans, but I also became stronger. Eventually, the boys left me alone so that I only had my father to contend with.”

“I’d always wondered why you hated humans so much. It would have helped if you’d explained this a long time ago,” Melena said. She wasn’t angry, but he caught a hint of frustration in her voice.

Lucas twined a lock of her hair around his fingers. “Perhaps, but we both know how you would have responded.”

“And how is that?” she asked.

“You would have told me I cannot blame an entire race of people for the actions of my father and some village boys.” He waited until she looked up at him. “But what you must remember is that the entire sum of my experience with humans until I reached well into my adulthood was based on that village. Not only that, but do you think even one villager—to include the adults—ever put a stop to the beatings?”

Her brows drew together. “None of them?”

“None.” He worked his jaw. His most painful memory was of being dragged, bloody and beaten, by his father through the village as the humans stood by—not one showing a sign of pity. “They all watched and sometimes even encouraged the boys. By the time I left home for good, I had it settled in my mind that humans were the truly evil ones.”

Lucas could see the mixture of emotions crossing Melena’s face. “They’re not, though. It was a different time, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Gadreel encouraged their behavior.”

“Perhaps,” Lucas conceded, “but I did not have you around to council me then.”

Melena smiled. “Imagine how much different you would have turned out.”

He pulled her tighter against his side. “But I have still not answered your question.”

“I think this is the first time you’ve ever taken so long to get to the point,” she teased. He knew she only did it to lighten the heavy mood.

“My father did not lose his angelic abilities right away when he was consigned to Earth, but they did fade with every passing year, and he lost his immortality. It was intended that he only live long enough to raise my brother and me before he went on to his true punishment—Hell. By the time I was nearing my mid-twenties, he was nearing death. I wanted to leave him to die alone, but Micah insisted on staying.”