Demons Don't Always Tell The Truth (Kate Storm Series Book 3) (16 page)

I choked on beer. No wonder we were best friends. This emotional angst was for the sirens. Those creatures loved drama and luring men to their deaths.

I sort of felt like I'd been run over by one.

"So, what are you going to do about Ash?"

I set my beer down. "There's not a lot I can do. His sin keeps him tied to hell."

Morgan scowled. "Long distant relationships never work out."

"I know." I'd been over this so many times already in my head. "I can set everything else to the side and it still comes down to the same thing every time. We can't be together if Ash can't leave hell."

24. Ash.

I'd come complete circle. Again.

I was thrilled Morgan and I had finally and completely made up. No more angst there. Whoopie.

But now I was sitting on my couch, alone and thoroughly depressed. Again.

My night out might have resolved some issues, but the ones that had run me out the door in the first place were still right where I'd left them when I returned.

I now understood why Al chased his tail sometimes. It was damn hard to get off that loop once you started.

I was on the umpteenth round of my own circle. With no exit to be found. I was getting dizzy.

When the knock came at my door, it was a relief. And one I knew I'd been expecting. It wasn't my witchy intuition. That had been hit or miss lately. No, we had too many unresolved things between us, and Ash wasn't the sort of demon to let things lie.

He stood on the other side of the door, dressed head to boots in black. He didn't wear a hat and his pewter horns caught the light in a dull gleam.

His muscles shifted and bunched despite the fact he didn't move. As if his body was fighting its own inner battle.

My stomach clenched. The big, bad-assed King of Demons at my front door.

I stepped back into the hall. "Come on in."

Ash took two steps in and paused in front of me, crowding me with his presence, warming the air with his heat. He looked around and frowned.

"Where's Al?"

"He's spending the night with Aunt Tabs."

Ash stiffened then leaned forward, crowding me even more until I felt as if the very space around me belonged to him and I was there only because he wanted me to be.

"We're all alone?"

Oh. Sweet. Glinda.

We were alone. Just the two of us in my apartment. Where there was a bed. And we were all alone.

My mind might not be able to see any way that we could be together, but my body didn't give a damn. Not in the least.

My hormones were swirling, warming my skin, heightening my senses and between my legs . . . Oh, this wasn't good.

I ducked around Ash and fled to my living room.

This was not going to happen. No way. No how. We were doomed as a couple. His sin kept him tied to hell. It wouldn't allow him to leave. I couldn't live in hell. He . . .

Ash stalked into the room and all thought fled from my mind.

"I called Morgause."

I nodded. He called her to report in. He'd already told me this. He didn't need to report to me as well.

"I told her I was done. Our agreement was over."

I shook my head. "No. Ash, you can't." Which was a stupid thing to say really. If he didn't break their bargain then he was dooming me. And I didn't want to be caught and killed by my scary aunt.

But it also meant Ash was giving up his freedom for me. My eyes went to his sin. The wide and thin lines in black and red wrapping around his shoulder and trailing down his arm. A complex and beautiful tattoo to look at.

A prison cell. More powerful than any cage.

"Yes. I can. I should have done it the day we met."

Ash moved to stand in front of me. Inches separated our bodies, so vast I didn't know how I could ever reach him, so close I didn't know how we could ever be apart.

"You're more important to me, Kate. I'll do anything to keep you safe. You're everything I have ever wanted." He cupped my face in his big hands. "I love you."

The air went out of me in one big
whoosh
.

I'd been waiting my entire life for this moment. This declaration of love. For him. For Ash.

And as much as a part of me was crying for what he'd given up, another part of me was rejoicing.

Ash loved me.

It didn't matter to him that I was a half-bred. That I was mortal. Or even that I was cursed. He had his own sin.

We may not be able to be together, but I felt as if I could live off of this one moment forever. It would be with me until the end and it would be enough.

I pressed my hand to his cheek and the other to his chest. Right over his heart. Felt the steady beating beneath my palm.

"Ash. I don't know what to say."

What could I say to this demon who had given up everything he wanted, his freedom, the chance to live without the burden of his sin, to save me?

"Tell me you love me."

"I love you, Ash." His heart skipped a beat then began to race. "I've always loved you."

I think some part of me had loved Ash before we'd even met. The part that drew me toward him like a homing signal. No matter the odds, my curse, his sin or the secrets we'd kept - he was a part of me I couldn't resist.

My off ramp was right before me. I wasn't going to waste any more time wondering how we would work. The future didn't matter. The now did. We might only have tonight, or a day, before his sin forced him back to hell, but what time we had I was going to grab.

Hang on to it with both hands.

This was love. I'd been waiting for it my entire life. I wasn't going to miss it.

I stood up on my tiptoes at the same time Ash pulled me in tight.

Our lips met and it was . . . Sweet, so very tender. Just the slightest pressure of his lips to mine. We'd declared our love with words, now it was time for our bodies to express that love.

I didn't want it to end.

I could stay locked in his embrace with just the lightest touch of his lips against mine forever and never tire of the feel of him. What he made me feel inside. Like a warm cupcake hot out of the oven, just begging to be devoured.

His lips moved softly and slowly over mine. Asking, pledging, commanding my love. I answered back, responding, giving, vowing.

Our lips spoke for our hearts, saying without words what we'd been holding inside.

Then Ash traced the outline of my lips with his tongue and everything changed.

Heat raced over my skin and I knew without looking, ruby-tipped, sapphire flames were sprouting over Ash's body. Coming to life as the passion flared between us.

I slid my hand from his cheek up and around his neck and pulled myself up higher, closer to his heat. I pressed my other hand more firmly against his chest. The pounding of his heart beat against my palm.

Ash moaned and hooked his arm under my ass, lifting me up into him, forcing my hips to spread until he was pressed into me. His hard to my soft.

Then it was my turn to moan.

Sweet Spirits. Everything about this demon got to me. His strength, his size, his smell, his heat, his dominance, his determination to find a better life, his heart, his stubbornness and his ability to make me melt.

Sweet, sweet Spirits could he make me melt.

As if he knew, Ash twisted the arm holding me up until his hand slid between my spread open thighs. He cupped my mound, his fingers curling and pressing against me, encouraging my body to soften, to welcome him.

He needn't have bothered. I'd been wet since I'd opened my front door.

We were alone in my apartment. Ash had said he loved me and I had been waiting for this demon for what seemed like forever.

I lunged up, wrapping both arms around his neck and wiggling against his hand. I loved Ash, but I'd raced past the tender stage. Full rocket lift off. My hormones a raging tsunami of pure want and need.

I'd been lusting after this demon for so long, I didn't know why I wasn't combusting in an explosion of rampant desire.

Hang the red roses and just fuck me now
.

Ash started walking, his hips moving between my thighs. Rubbing and pressing and generally diving me wild.

Thankfully, my apartment was small. It wouldn't take him but a dozen steps to reach my bedroom.

My back hit the wall.

At first, I thought he'd been so caught up in the moment, he'd been walking blind. But then Ash leaned forward, using the weight of his body to press me against the wall. Pinning me.

He reached up and dragged my arms down from around his neck and held them next to my shoulders, his hands caging my wrists.

He pulled his head back and I wanted to scream. He couldn't possibly want to stop now. We'd been walking ever closer and closer to this fire for weeks. Building up the tension between us. Finding release in a brief orgasm here or there, but the water kept boiling.

I was at my breaking point.

"Slow down, Kate." Ash leaned down and caught my earlobe between his teeth. He bit down, just enough so I felt the edge of his teeth without the pain.

He breathed his next words directly into my ear. A deep rumble that vibrated right through me. "I won't be rushed. I'm going to take my time with you."

Oh hell. The dominant demon was making his presence known. I was screwed. I mean, I hoped I would be literally, but I wasn't sure how long he planned to make me wait.

And I didn't know if I could hold it together until he was ready.

We were both ready right now. Beyond ready. He couldn't possibly get any harder and if I got any wetter, I'd start dripping.

"Ash." I didn't know what I was going to plead. I didn't have a single thought. They were all bunched together, swirling and swirling.

"No." He tightened his grip at my wrists as he spoke. My entire body went into overdrive. Hyper alert. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. No rushing."

The dominant demon was out in full force. The one who liked to control everything. Control me.

I think I had a mini orgasm right then and there.

25. Passion. Passion. Passion
.

Ash thrust his hips forward, pushing me up the wall with his movement. All of my lower extremities clenched in desperation, trying to hold him in just that spot.

He was right there. The perfect spot. Why did we have on clothes?

He shifted. Lower arm holding me up, he gathered both my wrists in his other hand and held them together at my back. He walked like that towards my bedroom.

His powerful body controlling mine. I loved it. My inner witch couldn't get enough of being dominated by this demon.

Ash knew this. He'd probably known it before I did. His sin allowed him to see, and use, a person's inner most desires against them.

I'd been ashamed in the beginning. I'd felt used and betrayed by my own body. I wasn't sure what it said about me.

Now I could have cared less.

This demon could tie me up any way he wanted. He loved me. His sin might give him an extra advantage, but who the hell cared?

Ash elbowed open my bedroom door. The movement twisted my body. Rubbing my breasts across his chest. I groaned.

He removed his arm from under my hips and I slid down his body. Every nerve in my body whimpered in frustration.

"I'm going to release your arms now. Don't move." Ash's chest pumped like a bellows and I knew he was trying to maintain his control by ordering me to stay still.

I didn't want him to maintain his control.

The moment Ash let go of my arms, I reached for him. My fingers dug into the hard muscles of his chest. I kneaded his skin like a cat. I wanted to purr and rub all over him. I moved forward to do just that when I heard my blouse rip.

I looked down, slightly shocked, to see my purple bra valiantly trying to contain my breasts while I breathed just as hard as Ash.

Ash folded his big hands over my shoulders and dragged his hands down my arms. I realized too late what he was doing. Before I knew it, I was caught. Trapped in my sleeves, unable to touch him.

I had a release spell on the tip of my tongue when Ash growled, "I said don't move, Kate. I'm in charge."

That worked for me. I swallowed my spell. And shimmied my shoulders.

My breasts took care of the rest.

Ash's eyes were drawn immediately to my exposed skin. He growled again. Deep and primal. I could hear his inner demon  rising. Blue hellfire flowed over his shoulders and chest, down his arms. The tips of the flames coated in a ruby so deep and red, I expected to catch fire from the color alone.

Instead, it sparked my nerve endings, sending tingles and ripples of heady excitement over my own shoulders and chest. Shadowing his hellfire.

I'd put on Flame Away as usual after my shower. I was safe. At least my skin wouldn't burn. But the way I felt, it might start its own fire.

My nipples were so tight the silk of my bra hurt. My stomach and womb both clenched continuously. Over and over until it was like one smooth motion, neither ebbing nor flowing, just winding and tightening, drawing me closer and closer to the brink.

And between my legs . . . Just one touch was all I needed. A simple brush of his hand. His finger. Hell, the zipper of his fly would do it. I was so primed, I was shocked I hadn't lit my own fuse.

Ash snarled, set his hand between my breasts and ripped both the underwire and silk. The bra cups fell to the side and my breasts sprung out.

He continued to move his hand down, over my stomach and to the waistband of my jeans.

He hooked two fingers over the top edge of my pants. "You've lost weight." I looked up to see him frowning at me. For once, I didn't care about losing weight and I
certainly
didn't want to talk about it right now.

Ash bumped my nose with his. "I don't like it."

Bless this demon. He really did love the chunky witch.

His fingers tightened and then he yanked my jeans off. The breath left my lungs and then rushed back in when he shoved his hand between my legs and cupped me.

Just the soaked material of my panties separated my skin from his hand. I squeezed my thighs, trying to force his hand inside me despite the underwear barrier.

We'd barely begun, but I was on the far side of desperation already. I needed him and wanted him in ways I'd never imagined.

"Ash." His name came out more of a growl than a plea.

"No rushing." He removed his hand and I almost screamed. Then I did scream when he tossed me onto the bed. My arms were still held by my blouse, not allowing me to control my own movements, and I bounced several times.

I shook my head and blew at my curls to clear my line of sight before I planned to scream again . . . At Ash.

The view in front of me stuttered the breath right out of my lungs. And made me forget my own name much less what I'd planned to say.

Ash dropped his other boot and straightened. He stood in front of me completely naked.

Oh sweet Glinda and all the little munchkins.

He was beautiful. Just beautiful.

His pewter horns emerged from his dark, tousled hair in trademark demon fashion. I wanted to lick them up and down. And hear his rough groans while I did.

His amber eyes were completely focused on me. Inspecting my body, inch by inch with laser beam intensity.

I should have moved a leg or an arm to hide the worst parts of my body. Large breasted, chubby witches are not best displayed tangled in their own shirts and wearing a pair of too small, very wet panties.

But under Ash's gaze, I stretched, rolled my shoulders, arched my back and spread my legs. He made me feel like an exotic queen.

Ash growled.

The light from my bedside lamp caught the scars running along his neck down to his shoulder. Some thick and raised, some shiny and smooth. Next to them lay the markings of his sin. The Celtic-looking tattoo scrolled over his shoulder, down his arm and across the upper left half of his chest.

Courage and punishment, side by side.

His shoulders stretched a mile wide. Strong and powerful. The muscles in his arms and chest rock hard and so layered, every time he moved, another muscle appeared.

The eight pack in his stomach made me want to swoon.

I could look at this demon all day long and never come up with my favorite part of his body.

The sapphire flames flickering over him only enhanced his beauty.

Even his hipbones were gorgeous. Sleek and smooth,   delineating the way down to the planes of his lower stomach.

And . . .
Oh. My. Hell.

I'd forgotten. Somehow, I'd completely forgotten how incredibly large his cock was.

My hormones had totally sabotaged my brain, planned for the joyride of their lives and failed to account for certain details. Like the fact we would never fit.

I didn't know how I could have overlooked something that significant. Seriously significant. Enormously significant.

I certainly couldn't now with it pointed right at me.

"Um."

Ash stepped forward, reached the edge of the mattress and lowered himself over me. His arms braced on either side of my shoulders, his knees planted firmly between mine.

I managed to push myself up on my elbows. "Maybe we should discuss this." Despite my fears, my voice was just a breadth above a moan.

I was so turned on, so fiercely excited, I didn't want to stop. My mind was telling me one thing and my body was reacting, purely reacting, to the need Ash created inside of me.

I looked down the line of our bodies where his cock was caught between my soft stomach and Ash's ripped one.

I'd even forgotten about the callouses. The ring of hardened  nubs that surrounded his cock below the thick head. If Ash actually managed to get inside me, those nubs would . . .
Oohhh.

Ah. Hmmm.

Maybe . . . I peeked again. Nope. That was not going to fit.

I looked up at him, intending to plead my case and instead became ensnared in swirls of molten lava.

Everything Ash was feeling was right there in his amber eyes. Desire. Need. Lust. Love.

All of it, right there for me. Only for me.

My elbows weakened, wobbled and I fell backwards. Ash followed me down. His big body totally covering mine, pressing me into the mattress. Surrounding me so completely, I couldn't tell whose parts were whose.

Then he started to move.

Inching his body up mine, rubbing his chest over my breasts, his thighs over mine. His cock pulsing against me.

He moved a few inches up, then reversed and eased back down. One slow, full body caress. Arms, legs, chest, stomach and thighs.

Bound like I was, trapped beneath his weight, I couldn't move. Couldn't do anything, but lay there and feel. Utterly at his mercy.

His hellfire lapped at every nerve ending, sending tingles racing down my spine, my stomach and straight into my womb.

Ash pressed upwards and shifted his weight just enough to cup one of my breasts in his big hand.

"Look, Kate."

I did. Ruby-tipped flames jumped from his hand to my skin and circled my nipple. Like the lash of his tongue, they licked and circled. I gasped. Loudly. Again and again as his hellfire caressed me over and over.

He squeezed my breast. Increasing the pressure of his hold until it bordered on pain and then he let go.

He reached down, grabbed the blouse at my wrist and ripped it free. My hands shot to his shoulders.

As soon as I touched his skin, his sin began to come to life. The complicated twists and lines of the tattoo reaching up to wrap around me. Latching onto my hand and pressing it snug to his shoulder.

His sin always reacted this way to my touch. Moving with a magic all of its own. As if it wanted to keep me close. Chain me to Ash.

I didn't try to pull free. It somehow reassured me.
Every
part of Ash wanted me.

Ash nudged my knees with his, pushing my legs wider apart. His hand moved briefly between my legs and then I heard another rip and felt cool air move across the most intimate part of my body. Heat immediately followed.

Ash moved his hips, thrusting forward and opening me for him. The warning bell before the invasion.

The hot, broad tip of his cock was suddenly at the entrance to my body.

Ash leaned down, pressed a hard kiss to my lips. "Cast your spell, Kate"

I had to cast a spell before he could enter me. Hellfire burned all over his body. Flame Away protected my outer skin, but that was all. If I didn't cast a spell, Ash could do some serious damage.

I took a deep breath and cast my spell.

Immediately, Ash began to inch forward. The thick tip of his cock pushed against me. Seeking entrance. Pressure began to build as my body resisted his size.

I knew he wasn't going to fit.

The pressure grew and grew. Tears welled in my eyes. To come this far, overcome so many obstacles, only to be stopped now. At this most precious moment.

I wanted to scream.

And then I did when the broad tip somehow managed to push inside. Sweet Spirits was he big.

I knew Ash was inside me, an inch or two at most. I was stretched to my limits, bordering on pain, every nerve ending tingling. And yet I still couldn't believe he was there. Inside of me.

Ash began to thrust forward. A slow steady push, easing more and more of him into me. I didn't doubt it anymore. I could barely think. I was so caught up in feeling. My entire body one giant nerve centered around Ash, pushing into me.

He went slowly. Very slowly. Never stopping, but allowing my body to adjust to his advance. I was very wet which was very good. My body stretched and widened and accepted every hot, thick inch of him.

And those nubs.

Sweet Spirits. They did just what they were supposed to do. They caressed every inner nerve. Ramping up my excitement and tension. Tighter. And tighter. And tighter.

Ash went still and I marveled. He was all the way inside of me.

Every single inch of him.

As deep as he could go.

Ash tilted his hips back. Just a slight movement. His hard, thick length and calloused nubs moved inside me, a brush of heat and overwhelming sensation. That was all it took.

I exploded. Caught up in a fiery burst of pleasure so intense my entire body shook.

Ash groaned. Thrust once. Twice.

And then hellfire consumed us both.