Redemption (A NOVEL OF THE SEVEN SIGNS) (43 page)

Enraged, she swung at him again, and landed a fistful of feathers. So silky and crisp and hot. She yanked them, hard.

He growled, muscles swelling all over. He was so big, his body tense and burning against hers. His strange dark-light aura licked over her, a hot velvet tongue.
I did this!
The last scrap of her reason howled, broken.
He’s cursed because of me. It’s all my fault
…

“You can’t,” she whispered.

“I can.” He trapped her against the wall, one hand either side of her head. His metal-clad chest crushed her, a dangerous thrill that fired her blood wild. “I made my choice. I’ll live with it. And for once in my life…” He brushed a hot kiss over the corner of her mouth, and warm tingles spread down her neck, into her breasts, all the way to her fingertips.

God, he was so hard all over, muscles and metal. So brutally male. Her breasts ached for his mouth, and she couldn’t help but arch her throat, offering. “Mmm?”

He teased his lips over her throbbing vein, just a tiny sting of teeth, and heat spiraled inside her, exquisite hunger for more. “For once in my life, Rose Harley,” he whispered, “I’m going to take what I want.”

CHAPTER 39

Her insides melted, aching with cruel desire. It was mad. It was stupid. The world was ending, Bridie was a prisoner, Fluvium would curse everyone in Babylon before the night was through…but rage and desperate guilt ravaged her blood like fiery liquid vengeance and all she could think about was sensation, ecstasy, sweet oblivion…

She grabbed two fistfuls of feathers, and yanked him closer. “Me first,” she snapped, and ambushed his mouth with hers.

Her lips bruised. She didn’t care. She kissed him harder, hungrier. He tasted of fire and blood. His scent drugged her, hot male skin and the rich flesh-fire of the demon’s curse. Ash stung her nose. She buried her fingers deep in his feathers, so crisp and warm. She wanted them all over her, stroking her naked skin, teasing her nipples, brushing between her legs…

She groaned as he responded, tongues mingling, fighting, the sharp sting of his teeth drawing blood. He sucked on her tongue, hard. Sweet Jesus, that felt good. Faintness washed her thin. Already, he attacked her bare midriff with hungry hands. His thumbs stroked her ribs, slipping under her knotted t-shirt to search for her breast.

She arched, wrapping one thigh around his hip, and he growled and tore her t-shirt in two.

The warm air kissed her bared skin, a fevered dream. God, she wanted him to touch her. His mouth scorched her throat. He tortured her straining nipples with his thumbs. Pinched them, cruel and sweet. She groaned at the sting, that delicious pleasure-pain, just what she needed.

Just what she craved. And when he ripped her thin lace bra aside and suckled her nipple deep into his mouth, she gasped and writhed and delirium swallowed her whole.
There’s no heaven. No forgiveness. There’s only us
…

Crimson flame flashed, engulfing her in bitter ash…and her back thumped into something soft and firm. A quilt. His bed, the soft down lights shimmering blue.

He crouched over her, wings flared, aglow with strange dark fire. She grabbed his fiery hair and pulled him down to her breasts. His kisses tortured her, his tongue drawing her hard into his mouth. God, she wanted him inside her. He was already undoing her jeans. She raked hungry nails over his hips, drawing blood. The smell of it only fired her desire hotter. She fumbled in haste for his buttons. His cock sprang into her hands. She gasped at the feel of him, so smooth and iron hard…

She stroked him, squeezing, and he growled and nipped at her. Blood trickled between her breasts, hot and stinging. He licked it up, a swathe of shuddering delight. “There’s only us, Rose. I want to swallow you. Be with me.”

“Yes.” Her sex ached hard, tight, wet. She wanted to swallow
him
, take him inside her any way she could before this fragile magic broke…

He yanked her jeans down her thighs. The fabric caught on her boots, and with a grunt of frustration he tore those off, too. He’d probably broken her laces. She didn’t care. Urgently, she wrapped him in one naked leg, flexing her hips to feel him. He thrust a hand between them, caressing her swollen wet flesh. God, she couldn’t breathe. She still had her panties on. Damn, clothes were such a nuisance. She struggled with them, fingers knotting. The fabric tore. Whatever. She dragged the ruined satin away, and at last, her slick heat connected with his hot hard flesh.

Oh, fuck.
He was only rubbing against her, and it felt… She squirmed, desperate. Tension already throbbed deep within her, a taut wire ready to snap. It’d be a miracle if she lasted more than a few seconds… Bracing himself on flaming violet wings—fuck, he could do this with no hands—he pulled her legs around him and filled her with a single hard thrust.

Oh, my God.
So deep. So hot. She arched into him, straining for him, locking her legs around his smooth hips. He eased back, and drove deeper, and gave a half groan, half wicked laugh. “Rose Harley. So perfect.” And he flexed powerful thighs, and rocked back onto his knees, taking her with him.

She landed astride him, and he plunged deeper, hotter, right to her very core… Hell, yeah. Hot dizziness washed over her. His cock was fucking perfect. Her female muscles rippled around him in delight, already tightening… His wings wrapped her in eerie dark flame, and it sank into her skin, glorious warmth tingling deep.

She gripped his shoulders, lifting herself, sliding back down. He slid his big hands on her hips, helping her ride him, and she closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of his crisp hair, drugging herself senseless on his glorious hot flavor…

“Look at me.” Breathless, shaking. Like he didn’t have much time.

“No.” She buried her face in his shoulder. She didn’t want to look. Didn’t want to remember what she’d done to him…

“Rose…”

“Don’t talk.” Her nipples brushed his metal-clad chest as she worked him inside her. She shuddered, tension building swiftly. He felt so raw. So wild, guiltless, free…and on the third thrust, her pleasure exploded.

She cried out, dizziness and exultation. Her flesh pulsed around him, an explosion of tension and rage and sweet desire. He kissed her, tasting her tongue, crushing her against him…and then he groaned, deep and primal, and sank his cursed teeth into her shoulder.

Blood spilled warm, and he licked at it.
Oh, yeah.
She moaned, helpless, insane with dark delight. And then he
sucked
. Her blood boiled, hot and cold at the same time, flowing,
pulsing, loving. Her pulse sang, delirious rhythm. That glorious pressure, pulling like a burning tide, surrendering… He swallowed, and shuddered, and with one more, impossibly deep thrust, he growled and spilled himself into her. She felt it, heat pulsing, his cock pumping inside her, and it felt so good…

It ambushed her, hot on the tail of her first orgasm, so intense her vision shorted out. It soaked her, twisted her, wrung her out in throbbing shockwaves. She rode it, gasping, pain and pleasure mingling in sweet delirium.

Holy fuck-a-duckling.
She fought faintness, trying to catch her breath. He eased his sharp teeth from her flesh, licking her softly. His tongue felt so good on that bite. She wanted him to delve it deeper, ease himself inside her torn flesh, swallow her…

He crushed her close, folding her in his strong arms. His lips brushed bleeding and raw on hers. Sweet kisses, breathless, hearts pounding in unison. “More,” he whispered.

And she wanted more. His flesh still pulsed inside her, the sweet rhythm of shared blood still pumping pleasure through her body. She didn’t want to move. Not now. Not ever.

Stupid tears burned behind her eyelids, and she cursed and fought them back.
Jesus, don’t cry
…

But he just kissed her tears away, impossibly gentle, and her heart overflowed. His feathers caressed her spine, slid along her naked flank, and he eased his hand between her legs to find her wet. She flinched in anticipation. Surely, she couldn’t take more. But when he found her clit, and slowly stroked it, gentle pleasure bloomed inside her all over again.

“Oh…” She arched into his hand, dizzy. His cock was still inside her, and her flesh rippled softly around him, squeezing, clenching… God, she couldn’t come again…

Violet strangeness gleamed in his eyes. He smiled, secret, so beautiful it hurt. “More.”

She shuddered, close to that delicious edge. Oh, yes, she wanted more. Wanted to taste him all over, bury her face in his feathers, get drunk on the wine-dark fragrance of his hair. Slide his cock between her lips, make him moan, lick the vein in his thigh until it pulsed hard against her lips, and then bite
down and let the blood spill, into her mouth, over her face, her breasts. Spread her legs and let him taste her there, lick her, suck her clit until she broke apart and then lie down beneath him and have him fuck her to oblivion.

But discomfort wormed under her skin. She’d done this to him. Her precious angel had lost his faith. They were together only because she’d let him fall…

What the hell did it matter? After what she’d endured, she deserved some indulgence.
There’s no heaven. There’s only us
…

Fierce anger fired her blood hotter. She eased herself against his fingers, rubbing, drawing ever closer. He was still half-hard, and the feel of him inside her stroked her to selfish pleasure. God, he felt so good…

But her ears clanged, the evil discord of
wrongness
. He’d unlocked her shackled conscience, and try as she might, she couldn’t lock it up again.
I can’t. I shouldn’t. It’s not right
…

*   *   *

Rose shuddered in his arms, and pushed his hand away. “No. Stop it.”

“Uh.” Japheth barely had sense to understand her. He still couldn’t breathe. His pulse still jerked wild, his skin still burning, his flesh still exulting with the insane delight of loving her.

Sweet heaven’s grace, he didn’t remember it being like this.

Her magnificent scent licking him all over, jasmine and flame and gorgeous woman. Her honey-smooth skin under his palms, the curl of her lashes on her cheek, her breath warm on his lips as she sighed in pleasure, the delicious throb of her hot slick flesh on his. She’d been so tight as he entered her, such delicious resistance, enfolding him, clamping down on him…the taste of her blood, slicking over his tongue, that was…and just the feel of her strong, lithe body as she moved, taking her pleasure…

His cock stirred within her. Already, fresh blood pumped there. He wanted to take her again, push her onto her back and pin her down and take his sweet time in making her scream…

But he gulped in a cold breath, and let her push his hand away. “What? What did I do?”

“Nothing.” She scrambled back, off him, dark eyes sparkling wild. “Everything. We can’t do this. It’s not right.”

His heart skipped. Hell, she was beautiful, those long naked legs, taut stomach, smooth breasts, the nipples still hard and pink from his mouth. Her tangled hair shone. She had a tiny brown freckle on her belly, just below her navel. He wanted to kiss it. Blood trickled down her shoulder, over one breast. His teeth marks glistened crimson where he’d bitten her, and the thought of
that
was so fucking sexy he wanted to dive on top of her and take her all over again…

“It feels right, Rose Harley. That’s all I care about.”

“Don’t say that.” She was crying now, tears shimmering on her lashes. She climbed off the bed, searching for her clothes. She wouldn’t look at him. Like she was pretending he wasn’t there.

His heart tore raw. “But—”

“It’s all right, don’t you see?” Her panties were ripped—had he done that?—and she tossed them aside and fumbled her naked legs into her jeans. “It’s not too late for you. It was my fault, what we just did. I seduced you. You’re not to blame…”

“Blame?” He laughed, breathless. “Rose—”

“Don’t you see?” She tugged on a fresh t-shirt. Now, she did look up, and her eyes blazed, desperate with denial. “It wasn’t your fault. They’ll forgive you. Everything will be like it was. You’ll see.”