Kassern (Archangels Creed) (21 page)

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Troy couldn't wait for Kassern to wake up and give him more information about that thing back at the gas station. All he'd managed telepathically was
RUN!

Troy lost no time following that order.

Troy tried to get Kassern to reveal where they were headed, but either the telepathic link was too
weak,
or the archangel just didn't know, because resounding silence was the only reply. Apparently, they were supposed to just keep driving around until Kassern woke up and filled them in. 

On another note, Troy wanted to beat himself for how he behaved back there with that woman. Women like her, or like he’d thought she was, were hard for him to reject. And they all seemed to sense his weakness and used it. He figured women like that probably accounted for more men getting into trouble with wives or girlfriends than any other cause. They knew about, and used, their irresistibility, and other women were equally aware, and on guard against them, ready to smack down any man who paid too much attention. Like Devyn had done. He couldn't help but feel proud that she'd been so insulted. That meant she really liked him.

In the middle of the afternoon, Troy decided to stop. He needed to stretch his legs and back, have a hot meal, and sit on something besides the foam of his car seat. Halfway between the lunch rush and evening commuters, he pulled into a little drive-in diner with only one car pulled into a serving space. The place looked like something left over from the 1960s. 

“What are you guys hungry for?” He waited for Devyn and Karly to answer while he scanned the deserted restaurant. “There should be a bathroom inside.” He glanced in the rearview mirror and ran into Devyn’s glare. Again. She was so damn pissed. He wasn’t exactly sure why, but everything in him said it was over the same thing that had been driving him nuts with guilt.

“I’ll have the number six with a large coke and a large chocolate shake.” Kassern's
groggy
request caught them all unprepared.

A moment of stunned silence passed. “You eat?” Troy asked.

He slid a hand over his face. “Apparently, because I’m starving. Another human
perk.
” His head snapped back and he looked at Karly. Immediately he sighed before groaning lightly. “I think I have a blessed
headache
to go with that.” Karly’s hand moved to Kassern’s right shoulder. Something was going on with her and him. And Troy wasn’t sure he liked it. No, he was sure he
didn’t
like the thought of a junkie prostitute getting too close to the archangel. Of course he shouldn't think of it like that, or think of Karly in those terms.

But when he got right down to it, that's what she was. Certainly not the sort of person one would expect to associate with an angel. He ignored the little voice that asked exactly what other type of person should become close with an angel if not someone who needed support toward salvation. Kassern didn’t seem to be bothered with Karly's interest, though, or try and dissuade it.

Just as he thought it, Kassern reached and removed her hand. Karly's disappointment showed in the downward turn of her mouth, but she complied.

Troy glanced in the rearview mirror to see if Devyn noticed it too. All he got was her glaring gray eyes. That situation seemed to be getting worse, and he really needed to talk to her. “How about I walk you to the bathroom?” He met her gaze in the mirror.

“What-the-fuck-ever.”

Troy cringed inwardly, but opened the window
and
pressed the intercom button to place Kassern’s order. “What about you Karly? You want anything?”

“I’m still full. Maybe a medium coke. Extra ice.”

He finished the order and handed Karly the money before opening the door and reaching in to help Devyn out.

“I got it.”

Her cold tone caused his chest to clench, surprising him. No one in his adult life had the power to hurt him with words. Except Devyn.

As soon as they made it to the little hallway that led to the bathroom inside, Troy took a deep breath, preparing to walk unarmed into the lioness' den. He reached for her arm and stopped her. “Devyn,” he whispered.

She turned those hard gray eyes on him.

He shook his head. “What? Why are you so pissed at me?”

Her mouth opened with a sarcastic gasp. “Oh, so it’s back to the innocent preacher act, huh? Hitting on whores and pretending you want to save their souls while getting a hard-on?”

The
tears
filling her furious eyes hurt him. He never wanted to hurt her. “Baby, I
did not
get a hard-on."

His assurance fell on deaf ears. “Well you sure seemed to have a difficult time pushing her away.” Rage rolled off her in palpable waves and her lower lip quivered, threatening sobs.

“Devyn, I…I’m sorry, it’s just I’m used to—”

“Letting whores reach in your pants and play with your shit? Preacher boy?”

The vulgarity and nasty insults pouring from her mouth were supposed to make him uncomfortable. The technique proved highly effective. “Stop it Devyn. If you didn’t notice, my hands were sort of full. What did you want me to do, kick her?”

“Yes, that would’ve been better than standing there. How about move out of her fucking way rather than letting her paw all over you.” 

This was one fight he wasn't going to win. “You’re right, I should’ve. I’m so sorry, I love you.” Troy noticed she trembled. He pulled her in his embrace and she fought him. “God, please Devyn, stop, I love you.” He pressed his head to hers and held her close. She finally stopped struggling, but she didn’t return the embrace. Troy stroked her back, feeling how tense she was. “You’re the only woman I want, I promise. Forever. Please don’t hate me. I’m learning how not to be a minister and how to be a husband.”

A few seconds later, she gasped and her arms wrapped him tight. Troy sighed in relief, leaning his head and kissing her head until she looked up. He claimed her lips hungrily and Devyn’s own need seemed to explode.

She broke the kiss and turned to the bathroom door and knocked. When there was no answer, she opened it and pulled him inside and locked the door. She pushed him against the door and began undoing his pants with trembling fingers. “I need you, please.”

The whimper in her tone undid Troy and he jerked his pants and boxers down while helping Devyn get out of hers. The second she was free of her jeans, he pulled her into his body and slid his hand in her panties, groaning in her mouth when his fingers plunged deep into her moist heat. She clutched his shoulders, gasping.

“Please, fuck me. Now.”

Troy lifted her onto his waist and positioned her. The second she was in place, his hands latched onto her shoulders and pulled her onto his painful erection. Her fingernails raked his scalp as her cry filled his mouth and her legs squeezed his waist tight. His back against the door, he looked down and watched her riding him, holding her waist. His heated gaze rose to find her mouth open and her eyes closed in abandon.

Made him so damn hungry.

He turned and placed her back against the door, pulling her down lower for deep penetration. Holding her waist, he moved her over him, flicking his hips when deep inside her.

“God yes, yes, fuck me.”

Her desperate plea fueled that animal urge in him and he gave in to it, bucking his hips and yanking her T-shirt up. She pulled his hair as he sucked her nipple, his groans getting more feral with his approaching orgasm. He gasped and jerked her head back by her hair and sucked her neck hard while the wave of heat surged into his groin until there was nothing but the taste of her in his mouth and her heat wrapping his cock, sucking the orgasm right out of him. His hand slammed the door and his lips found hers, their cries and gasps mingling in the explosion.

The second he was done he dropped to his knees and shoved one of her legs up high and pinned it to the door. He used his other hand to pin her upper body the same while he sucked her clit and full lips greedily.

“Troy, yes, suck me.”

He groaned at the way she gasped the words, at the way she pulled his hair and rocked her hips against his mouth.

He flicked her clit erratically and mercilessly, commanding her orgasm with his lips and tongue. He felt it answer, trembling in her thighs, rising in her desperate moans.

“Oh God, oh God, I’m coming, I’m coming.”

He pinned her harder, wanting to feel every shudder passing through her body. He created a tight suction over her clit and turned up the intensity. Just hearing
her
, feeling her, had Troy hard all over again.

He stood poised to enter her again while her body still vibrated from her orgasm.
Troy!
Kassern's voice echoed through his head. With a deep shuddering breath, he ignored it.

TROY!
The bastard's roar shot painfully into his skull, the equivalent of being hit in the head by a baseball bat.

His hard-on waned.
What!
He gave the words a mental kick, hoping it was enough to make the bastard's headache worse.

"What's wrong, Troy?" Devyn's legs slid to the floor.

We have to move! NOW!
The concussion of the words sent him reeling, nearly making him fall. His cock decided it had no further interest in anything and shrunk.

Troy kissed her, mourning that he had to stop. Her hands gripped his face, kissing him back as though she too wanted more. God, he couldn’t wait to get her someplace where they could do that for hours. “We have to go. Quick. Kassern.” The words were breathless and filled with an unquenchable need.

She nodded, kissing him a few more times before they both dressed. Devyn pulled him by the hand as they exited the bathroom still straightening their clothing. Troy's cheeks flushed with heat as he tried to ignore the hostile glare from the heavyset woman at the cash register. Damn. She must’ve heard them.

In the car, they found Kassern in the back with Karly. “Figured you needed a break from the back seat,” Kassern said to
Devyn.

Troy stared at Kassern, aware that his worry over Karly showed clearly on his face.

The archangel arched a brow at him. “Would you like
Devyn
back here instead?”

Troy shook his head and dropped into the driver seat
.

“We’ve got company coming. Five miles behind us.”

Troy started the car and pulled out. “Another scout?”

“No. A swarm.”

“A swarm?” Devyn’s voice trembled. In fear, or from the aftermath of that amazing orgasm?

“Yes,” Kassern muttered. “As in a large group.”

“How large?” Troy wondered.

“About a hundred.”

Jesus. Troy met Kassern’s ruby gaze in the rear view mirror. “You’re all better?”

His brows rose. “Yes. Now that you two are.”

Troy and Devyn exchanged glances. Did she hear the meaning behind his words like he did? From the look on her face, yes. Kassern gained strength when they made love. Troy couldn’t help but
really
appreciate that aspect of their little threesome.

Chapter Twenty

Kassern couldn’t decide which was more difficult. Shutting off Troy’s voice or shutting out Karly’s…everything. Why did he have such a strong connection with her? Because he'd intervened in her suicide attempt? Or maybe it was rescuing her from Jake. Was it because he’d healed her while their little triumvirate was still processing? He heard her every need and thought, felt her feelings and…why in Father’s name didn’t
Uriel
warn him of this? He was
not
equipped
to handle this woman. Her needs went far beyond his angelic duties and there was
no way
he could help. He just could
not
give her what she needed. No matter how badly his human weaknesses wanted. Or needed even.

He hated it, but he had to distance himself from Karly. And that was proving to be difficult in this tic-tac car, especially when he needed Devyn and Troy close, keeping their connection strong. Their last spat nearly put him in a coma. Another unanticipated conundrum in their
little
tri-
germathon
that could result in the whole damn mission failing.

Karly laid her head on his shoulder and the need in her heart stole his angelic breath. Her soul literally shuddered with ache to be comforted. His eyes closed with a deep sigh as he stroked her head once, praying it was enough for her. Enough for him. Every human part of him demanded he ease her pain and fill her needs while the angel in him insisted that would take actions far beyond his capabilities.

His heart and body eased as joy flooded her system and overflowed into him from just his touch.

“Where to? Did you get word from your boss about where we’re headed yet?”

“Ah yes, good news on that,” Kassern said dryly, yet grateful for the distraction. “
Uriel
contacted me in a dream and reminded me. One of the
triumvirate
is unclean and cannot enter the holy sanctuary until said sins are absolved.”