Good Intentions (68 page)

“And manipulative, and selfish. I may have ulterior motives in wanting to be the woman who runs your schedule.” As if to il ustrate her point, she trailed kisses up his neck while her fingers reached up to massage his temples. “Hey,” Alex said slowly, “you’re supposed to let me take care of you tonight.” He reached around, found the washcloth and soap again, and went back to his gentle, tender work. Lorelei obediently let herself be indulged. Alex was no longer the least bit shy. He had bathed her here before, exploring her body, but on that day there was no actual work to be done. It was al just in fun. Tonight he took diligent care of her, cleaning her wounds and her body from head to toe. He stared at her naked beauty al the while as he washed her hair. Even with the marring of cuts and bruises she was still an incredible sight. As he came to her long devil’s tail and washed that, too, without complaint or hesitation, Lorelei felt a new wave of happiness wash over her. Alex went from that to her wings, which faded in and out of substantiality as they moved around in the tub. There was a strange convenience to them. When they weren’t at al in the way, they were perfectly solid. When they became an obstruction, they faded. Yet when Alex reached for them, caressing and cleansing the dirt and grime and blood from the leathery flesh, they were quite real. “You spoil me,” Lorelei smiled with her back turned for him. “Oh, but you’ve been stingy with me, right?” When he finally finished with the wings, he went back to fondly stroking her back and her sides. There wasn’t any further need to wash her there, real y. He was just being affectionate. Eventual y, the wings faded away again, both to the touch and to his sight. He couldn’t complain; it made it easier to touch the rest of her. Lorelei began to purr as her lover’s touch became increasingly familiar. He was still very gentle with her, with her wounds closed and clean but not at al gone. For al her pain, though, she was capable of enjoying his caress. They were both on their knees in the center of the tub. “Alex,” Lorelei murmured finally, “you know what will heal me.” “Is that an invitation?” He leaned in close, brushing her wet hair aside to kiss the back of her neck. One hand slipped around her side, moving up to the underside of her breast to softly cup it. Her nipple was gently brushed on either side by two fingers.

“We haven’t really used this tub yet.” Lorelei continued to purr as he played. “I thought sex in water wasn’t that comfortable for women.” “I’m no ordinary woman.” Lorelei reveled in the nearness of him, his hand on her breast and the feel of his breath on her neck. The only trepidation in him now was over her injuries; everything about his demeanor tonight had been comfortably, lovingly possessive, and that thril ed her. It was even in his voice, which up against her ear was a very wellcome turn-on. He had gotten much, much better at al this. There was real confidence here. Real control. She started to tremble. “Who’s seducing who now?” Neither his tone nor his roaming, arousing hands indicated any shyness. “You’re a very naughty woman, Lorelei,” Alex grinned lovingly. “You knew what would happen if Rachel and I went to bed together, didn’t you?” Lorelei’s next breath shook. “You knew the ritual wasn’t finished.” Her body was on fire. She was already forgetting about the pain visited upon her this evening. “I did.” “You knew I wouldn’t go to bed with her if I knew it would bind her to me, didn’t you?” Alex asked. His voice was calm, patient. His touch became increasingly intimate. “Yes,” Lorelei rasped. It was such a thril to hear and feel this confidence in him, and yet so maddening to be teased like this. She knew how this was affecting him, too. His self-denial was incredible. “You know you can lie to me. Don’t you?” Alex asked. “Yes,” Lorelei confessed. “I knew that it was becoming easier to deceive you.” “Why would you want to do that?” He didn’t sound bothered in the least. “Only because I love you,” Lorelei whimpered. She gloried in the torturous feeling of his hands and more between her legs. “I wanted you to have her.”

“Are you going to lie to me in the future?” She grinned wickedly. “Only if you wish it.” “Glad we can be honest with each other.” Lorelei surrendered to him with a loud, grateful moan. They were slow and gentle and consumed with mutual desire. Her condition forced them to control themselves, but that hindrance became a blessing of its own. Animal passion had to be restrained; deep, abiding love took its place instead. They were together this way for a time, with Alex holding her steady and control ing everything but her intense emotions. Lorelei’s submissive streak only heightened the moment for them both. “I want to face you,” Alex said finally. They slowed, holding together for a long moment before Lorelei withdrew and turned. “My love,” she murmured. There were joyful tears in her eyes. Lorelei slipped her legs around him while their gaze held. Alex held her up in the tub, letting her control their pace with her hips. Lorelei’s hands came to the sides of his face as she kissed him. Somewhere in that kiss and the intensity between their legs, their embrace and their heightened emotions, they both began to ignore their surroundings. Neither of them heard the rustle of black pants and a faded black t-shirt fall ing to the ground behind Alex. Nor did they hear the newcomer’s breath, heavy just like theirs. Nor did they notice the pair of bare, shapely legs that entered the tub behind Alex. Swept away by their intimacy, they only gradually became aware of Rachel’s presence. Alex felt the hands upon his shoulder, but didn’t realize at first that Lorelei’s were both already occupied. The succubus was similarly distracted, and wasn’t aware at first of the difference between her lover’s touch and the angel’s caress along her arms. “Don’t you dare stop,” Rachel breathed into Alex’s ear as she melted up against his back, arms and legs sliding in around him. Her voice was shaky with bliss. Rachel stayed wrapped around him, occasionally daring to stroke

Lorelei’s arms or shoulders. Before very little time had passed, the succubus took one of the angel’s hands in hers. The rush subsided. Tension slowly passed. The three sank physically and emotionally into one another’s embrace. “Holy fuck,” moaned Rachel, easily the loudest of the three in their shared passion, “you two are incredible.” Alex still held Lorelei, with Rachel clinging to him from behind. She rested her head on his shoulder. “Welcome,” Lorelei whispered finally, giving Rachel’s hand a slight squeeze. The angel heard it as it was meant, both seductive and heartfelt. There was no mockery there, nor irony. “Thank you,” Rachel said, kissing Alex’s shoulder. “Hi,” Alex mumbled. “Hey. You don’t have to let her go, y’know,” Rachel murmured. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m good either way.” “Excel ent,” Lorelei smiled cool y. She kept her legs wrapped around her lover and, shamelessly, around Rachel. “I hoped we would be able to share space peaceful y.” Alex opened his mouth to say something, straightening just a bit as if to pul away, but Lorelei’s hands running through his hair ruined his train of thought. “Sssshhhh, lover,” she hissed. “Remain with me. ” A shudder ran through him, and through Rachel. The angel wasn’t so susceptible to the demon’s powers of suggestion, but she still experienced the sensations it drew from Alex. She raised her head curiously, enjoying the continued intimacy but wondering at Lorelei’s game. The succubus smiled wickedly at her while she spoke into their man’s ear. “Slow down. Enjoy me. Enjoy us both. ”

Rachel’s eyes fluttered. Everything Lorelei did felt very good to Alex, and therefore to her as well . The suggestive influence seemed unnecessary. “Why are you doing that to him?” Rachel asked. “To make a point. I will never give him up, Rachel,” Lorelei said in smooth, quiet, even comforting tones. Alex moved against her, keeping al three of them riding on a physical high, but Lorelei was more than able to think and act clearly regardless. “Alex is my love, my first and best friend, and my prey. The question is whether or not you can accept this?” Rachel opened her mouth to speak, but found her words overcome by a groan of pleasure as Lorelei’s embrace tightened around the mortal between them. “Lydia spoke one truth,” the succubus hissed. “I’ve been holding back on Alex. At first, it was out of weakness, but now I simply don’t want to break him. There’s less worry about that with you here…but I must know if you can accept me for what I am.” The angel was as utterly helpless as Alex was. She knew it, and so did the demon. “I know you love him,” Rachel whimpered. “I’d never come between you two.” “But you must,” Lorelei countered. “Alex and I share total intimacy. Would you not have to take away from some portion of that in order to have yours?” “No.” Alex was hardly even a part of the conversation. His mind was there, but his body felt too good to do anything but cooperate with Lorelei’s urgings. Rachel had no doubt that Lorelei could control him like this at her whim. That she hadn’t done so already said a great deal about their relationship. “We can have ours without taking from you. I don’t want to take from you.” “What of his other relationships?” Lorelei asked. “What if he continues with Onyx? Or Mol y? I suspect that was bound to happen even before we appeared in his life. Do we al ow that to continue?” “Doesn’t bother me,” Rachel exhaled. “Consider, then…He dreamt of marrying me once. A sexual fantasy, but the thought exists nonetheless. Yet he could not if it would hurt you. He couldn’t let you go. Would you consent to that? Would you still be his lover?”

Rachel realized that it could have been her arousal talking, but she didn’t see anything wrong with that at al . “You’d have to…write…pretty unique vows…” “And if the situation were reversed? If he married you, would you tolerate me as his lover and mistress?” “Yes,” Rachel groaned. She honestly couldn’t tel if that was better than the previous proposition or not. Lorelei tauntingly licked the side of Alex’s neck before she looked at Rachel again. “How can you be so sure that you will be able to accept al of this?” The angel’s eyes widened. Mustering every bit of will power she had, Rachel pul ed Alex off of Lorelei and pushed him aside in the spacious tub. Lorelei had just enough time to blink before Rachel planted a deep, passionate kiss on her mouth. Lorelei had never been meant to enjoy the embrace of a benevolent soul. Al her long life, men and women of virtue were predisposed to avoid her, while pursuit of her purpose as a succubus steered her away in turn. She discovered in Alex al the joys of real, genuine, selfless love. It held al the al ure and excitement of forbidden fruit and al the warmth and comfort that defined good in contrast to evil. Then she learned what it was like to be kissed by an angel. Alex sat alone in bewildered bliss as the angel and demon attacked one another with increasing passion. By the time the pleasant fog cleared from his mind, things between Rachel and Lorelei had become escalated considerably beyond kissing. He watched in stunned silence as his biggest problem resolved itself in front of him. *

“Sun’s about to come up,” Alex mused. He lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. “You should have at least a little sleep,” Lorelei told him. Her head rested against his chest just below his right shoulder. “We will not leave you.” Rachel sighed against his left shoulder. “Fuck. Actual y, that’s not true. I’l have to go in a couple hours,” she said. “You never told us what happened with Lydia,” Lorelei noted. “That’l be part of it. Lydia gets judged. And so do I.” “I still don’t see how you can be in trouble for this. You can’t just decide who you will and won’t fall in love with.” Alex scowled. “How are you supposed to control that?” “There is what happens in one’s heart, and then there is what one does about it,” Lorelei said. “The notion that everyone is at the mercy of his or her heart perseveres mostly because it excuses irresponsible behavior. I’ve exploited exactly that for longer than I care to remember.” Rachel nodded a bit. “I wasn’t supposed to fall for you,” she said, “and I damn sure wasn’t supposed to go to bed with you.” “What about Lorelei?” “Oh, there’l be scandal and shitloads of angels will be just fucking aghast,” the angel sighed, “but there’s not much precedent for someone like her.” Rachel’s words were matter-of-fact, but her glance toward Lorelei was both affectionate and reverent. “I can defend my actions. I’m comfortable with what I’ve done with you both. I’m in love. That’s not going to change. And they won’t take me away from you, Alex. Don’t worry about that.” “But?”

“But there are things that wouldn’t be a big deal to a mortal that mean a lot to an angel,” Rachel frowned again. “Censure by my peers. Looking like a jackass in front of everyone. Ostracism. I’ve never been what you would cal popular, but it was…it was nice to have the guardians have my back once this whole mess got rol ing and you started making a real difference. It’l hurt to lose that. I’m not so hung up on the opinions of others that I’d do things differently to win approval, but it’s not like you just pissing off co-workers or classmates over a debatable matter of principal. These are angels, y’know? “What really scares me is that I could also be removed from my post altogether. Being named as a guardian angel has meant a lot to me. It’s a real honor. There are a bunch of posts that are ranked higher in the hierarchy, but guardian angels do real work. It’s the real thing. If they take that away…I’l be crushed. I’m gonna know forever that I was a guardian angel for a whole week and I fucked it al up, and everyone else will know it, too.” “Even after al you have done?” Lorelei asked. “They would remove you after al that has changed as a result of your actions?” “Like I said, this is al unprecedented.” Rachel sniffed and cuddled up to Alex more. “I gave up worrying about pleasing everyone with how I acted a long time ago, but this…hel , after the way I made such a fool of myself over Vincent for so long and then al the dead-end stuff I’ve had to do ever since because of those choices, I’ve felt like a complete loser. “It’s been nice to feel like a winner for once. And I have because of you two.” “Your involvement has been pivotal,” Lorelei said. “Who knows how this would have turned out had you acted differently?” “God knows I’m grateful,” Alex huffed. “I know you’re not a loser. Not at al .” Rachel smiled a bit. “There’s what God knows and then there’s what others decide to see and what not to see.” She kissed his chest, then settled back against it. “Anyway. I’l have to go face the music.” “Do you have to go alone?” Alex asked.