Underworld Lover (A Guardian Angel Romance #2) (14 page)

“Yes, but I like to get permission anyway. I like my friends willing,” he said.

“And how does that work for you, sir?” Her pointed question did not appear to go over very well with the director. He scowled and fumbled for his case, made a show of clipping off the end of his long cigar, wetting it by inserting it into his mouth, which Audray found disgusting, then lit the end. Billows of light gray smoke hit and bounced off the carved wooden ceiling in the office. This whole process seemed to relax the director.

Audray could see him as a stubborn child of five or six. She guessed he had literally worn out his parents. And she knew he did not know how to be soft and that joy and ecstasy probably brought him great pain.

Perhaps that’s the point.

There were a few things she could help him with. She kind of liked it that she wouldn’t have to be very gentle with him.

“So, tell me why you decided to grace my morning,” he said, holding on to the cigar with his teeth. He leaned back and put his black snakeskin boots on the polished desk surface. Though he was making a good attempt to show her he was relaxed, Audray figured she was a lot more comfortable in the metal chair than he was behind the desk.

“I spent the day before yesterday with Joshua Brandon.” She saw his eyes flinch but pretended not to notice.

“You two—”

“No. Never. Not that he hasn’t asked.” She smiled, glad to be finally saying something that was true.

His eyebrows rose, reacting to the information.

“And here I thought he would bed anything that could walk.” As Peter chuckled, Audray saw another reason Peter hated Joshua. Joshua was not only a legendary dark angel; he was a legendary lover as well. And Peter probably wasn’t. She thought she would use that information.

“I am particular. I like to choose the men. I don’t need them to choose me,” she said to him, straight-faced, then curled up the edges of her lips. “I love the hunt.”

“I see.” He had stopped midway between drawing the cigar up to his lips for another drag. When he remembered himself, he sucked deep and hard on the cigar while looking at her with his coal black eyes, as if making a point. A huge amount of smoke filled the ceiling as he slowly exhaled, blowing it out. He watched every part of Audray, especially the place where she knew her breasts bulged a bit over the top of the V made by the lightweight suit.

Audray saw she had an open invitation any time she wanted to exercise it.
“Joshua and I turned Beau Bradley. I’m here today to return him to the human population.”

“Yes, I heard about this. Glad to hear you were involved. But I was told Joshua was his sponsor.”

“Well, that’s technically true. I probably couldn’t have done it without him. We would have missed him if I hadn’t intervened. You remember, I complained to you about Josh being distracted with other business.”

“I remember, yes.” He leaned into the desk, removing his boots from the surface. “Audray, you can call me any time. Any time.”

“Thank you. That’s why I’m here now. I have some things to do up top. Beau’s passage is being delayed by the paperwork. I thought you could streamline it for me.”

“Where is Joshua? He’s always the wiz at getting things done when it comes to paperwork—”

“He sent me.” That was partially true. Audray knew the real reason Joshua was occupied. “And besides, Beau likes me better than Josh, if you know what I mean.” Audray gave Peter another one of her sultry smiles, sure to pierce his heart. Sexual energy was always strongest in newly turned dark angels. Professional companions in the Underworld often lined up at the Reader’s offices, waiting for new recruits to be released unless there was a particular sponsor, like in the case of James and Angela. Audray had not yet made love with a dark angel. She preferred human men. Beau would be her first Dark. She thought that maybe she should share this tidbit.

“Sir, I would be…”

“Please call me Peter.
Please
.” He said it with careful, velvet tones.

“Peter”—she flashed him a full smile—“I would be extremely grateful if you could help him along. He is expecting me to greet him. I could send a substitute.” She saw he didn’t understand her point. “I have not yet bedded a dark.”

“That so?” Peter sat up straight, adjusting his legs.

“I was looking for someone to teach me about the finer points. I originally thought Beau and I could experiment together. He would probably never know the difference. We were lovers off and on in the human world.”

“Yes, I knew that.”

“So, Peter, sir, I was thinking I could make an exchange. I need his help up top. He will be a very prolific dark angel, sir. He has many friends just ready to take the leap, almost ready to do it without the promise of immortality.”

She uncrossed and crossed her legs again. Leaned into the desk so that her breasts bulged out, making them impossible to miss.

“I was thinking we could do a trade. You expedite Beau and we send him to Undertown for a little R and R for a day, and I will be your slave for that same amount of time. That is, if you don’t have someone else already on your schedule.”

It was all Peter could do not to leap up and grab her, she could tell. With a measured gait caused by the fullness in his pants, Peter stood, came around the desk, and pulled Audray up from her chair.

His dark eyes were so close to her face she almost felt her eyes cross. “You would do this for me? Anything I desire for twenty-four hours? Willingly?” His voice was husky.

“Willing? I would be
devoted
to you.”

He sniffed her and then bent down and planted a kiss on her lips. His lips were cold and stiff. Audray knew she would have to work at it, but she would be able to make him her slave in time. And although the kiss was loveless, the future loomed in front of her and filled her with unspeakable pleasure.

She stroked the sides of his face and into the temples at his hairline. “I warn you, sir—”

“Peter, call me Peter.”

“No, after you own me I will have the right to call you by your Biblical name. Until then”— she kissed him languidly, sucking on his lower lip and then teasing him with a smile—“you will have to order me around and I will call you ‘sir.’”

“Yes. Yes, I see,” he said urgently, anxious for another kiss.

“But sir, I warn you. When you are done with me, you will want no other.”

“Impossible,” he said.

“Is that a challenge? No one else in the universe will be so starved to be your slave. No one.”

“Good.”

“And you will dream about me for eternity.”

“You will be exclusive?”

“If you order it so.”

“I do.”

“Not even a quickie for my sponsor?” she asked, smiling.

“Especially not your sponsor.” Peter clutched her back as he rammed his tongue down her throat.

“You don’t have to take what I freely give. Fix the problem and I am yours.”

Audray separated herself from the director’s strong arms and placed a kiss on her forefinger, then touched it to his lips. She almost floated out the room, looking back at him standing in front of his desk, hair disheveled and not smoothly coifed as he usually was. One part of his shirt was untucked in his tight pants and she had left red lipstick at a distinct angle on his lips and on one cheek.

She smiled to him just as she closed the door behind her. She knew he was ruined.

Chapter 19

Josh woke up with a start. He’d been dreaming of drowning, experiencing the sensation of water filling his lungs and as he inhaled, nothing but cold liquid rushed in. He was in panic mode. He could feel his immortal life waning away from him, drip by drip.

Just as he flipped open his eyes to the bright sunlight, he experienced the same drowning feeling. He did not know where he was for a second. Then he remembered his night of passion with Melanie, his intention to leave and never come back. But she had reached for him, begged for answers he wasn’t prepared to give. One thing led to another.

He just couldn’t resist her then. Those eyes tethered him to her little human body that lit him up unlike anyone else had before. They made love again and, instead of leaving, he stole another hour of passion from her. Just one more hour he wouldn’t have to think about…

He flew into a panic, sitting straight up.

What have I done?

Precisely what she had asked of him last night. It took him awhile, but he was able to convince her that they could wait until morning to discuss the meaning of his outburst. But Melanie had tossed and turned all night, and, in the end, had left the bedroom. He woke up again when she came back to bed. Her little body snuggled close to him. He wrapped his arms around her and smelled the salt water of her tears on her face.

He couldn’t tell her he would protect her. He didn’t know how this could be done. Never before had he felt so guilty about a promise he made. It weighed like lead in his belly. The only action he could take was to turn her on her other side and warm her back with his chest, draw her waist and rump to him with his arm. And try to sleep.

But now it was morning, and she would expect an explanation. He was alone in the bed, but could hear sounds of an ordinary day beginning just outside Melanie’s little apartment. He heard morning birds, like the canary in Helena’s house.

Damned little creatures.
A wave of revulsion coursed over him.

Josh listened for signs of her presence and heard the shower running. He danced naked to the bathroom, then pulled back the curtain, which scared Melanie. She reflexively crossed her chest with her arms and bent over, away from him.

“You scared me. Don’t do that!”

She was irritated. Josh decided not to push it and sat on the closed toilet after wrapping himself in a bath sheet. She turned off the water and slid back the curtain that hung on tiny stainless steel hooks. “Are you all right?” she asked.

“Yes, I’m fine. You?”

Melanie shrugged, smiled, and stepped out onto the rug, covering herself in a large fluffy blue towel. Josh realized the bath sheet on the floor had been intended for her use.

So, I can’t seem to get anything right. So what?

“It’s all yours now,” she said as she gestured to the curtain.

Josh stepped in and turned on the warm water. Over the steam he heard her ask, “You want me to make some eggs for breakfast?”

“Don’t fuss over me. I usually skip breakfast.” He remembered the long lazy days several months ago when he would sleep in until noon. As a dark angel, he could sleep and enjoyed it immensely. That was reason enough to be dark rather than a Guardian, he thought. Guardians never slept. Josh considered it a flaw created by Father, the big man himself.

Josh especially liked waking up with his human lovers. He didn’t like the idea of watching them all night long the way Guardians did. Too much thinking was dangerous. It caused them to act in strange ways. Gave their consciences time to grow, expand their influence. Josh found this to be an unnecessary complication.

Until last night.

Last night had changed everything. A delicate golden thread to the waif known as Melanie tethered his conscience. And it wasn’t only his conscience. His wrists and ankles were bound as if he were being sent to the gallows.

Well maybe I am.

He dried off, placed the large towel around his waist, and secured the fabric. He padded in bare feet to the kitchen, where Melanie had turned on satellite radio and was making scrambled eggs. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He gave her a kiss on the back of her neck. He followed the opening of her bathrobe to insert a hand over her bare breast.

“Good morning, love.”

“I’m fixing you eggs anyway.” Melanie didn’t react to his touch. “You like coffee? With cream?”

“Yes, both. Lots of cream.” He wondered why women liked to feed their men after sex. It seemed to make them hungry. He was only hungry for another romp with her. He went for another feel. This time she turned and pulled his hand from the bathrobe, retying the self-tie.

“Josh, I have to get to the shop early this morning. Travis is gone today.”

“Of course.” He caught the gentle rebuff.

Melanie poured him a steaming mug of dark coffee and handed him a carton of cream. She set a square white plate of scrambled eggs accompanied by a sliced kiwi on the dinette table.

“Toast?” She had two pieces of multi-grained bread perched over the shiny toaster top.

“Sure.”

She dropped in the bread and pushed down on the black lever. Silence permeated the kitchen as the tick of the toaster drew her full attention. She added both pieces to her plate of eggs and joined Josh at the table, slipping one of the pieces onto his plate.

“Thank you. I didn’t expect this.” He watched her face as she concentrated on her coffee and spread butter on her toast, her eyes downcast. She ate her eggs in four large forkfuls in between bites of toast.

Josh had a bite of eggs, but although delicious, his appetite evaporated. Even the coffee, now lukewarm with the large amount of cream he added, tasted especially bitter. He suddenly felt ridiculous, sitting in her kitchen in a blue towel, chest bare, eating eggs.

“You’re quiet this morning,” he said at last.

“I’m not sure what to say.”

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He reached out, covering her hand on the table, but she withdrew it. “Wow.”

Finally she looked at him. “Are you surprised? Really surprised?”

Josh shrugged. “I don’t understand, love.” As soon as he said it, he wished he hadn’t.

“We have a wonderful dinner, and then you have some strange encounter with two men you said you would tell me about later. You say you will see me at the shop, and then you show up at my apartment. We have sex, my first, by the way, in case you’ve forgotten. As I’m feeling all blissful, you tell me you think you’ve just killed us.”

Josh looked down at his coffee and nodded.

Melanie continued. “You going to make me connect all the dots here, or are you going to tell me what’s going on?” When she looked at him again, her eyes were watering.