Angel of Chaos (Imp Book 6) (2 page)

That seemed more in keeping with what I knew about elves, but still the whole scenario was as believable as alien–abduction stories. Invasion of the Elves. It would make an awesome B movie.

“Okay. Let’s say they’re right — why would one or two elves decide to cross
now
, after so long? And what do they do when they cross? Sneak around hugging trees and committing grand theft auto with a demon?”

He waved a dismissive hand and placed his empty coffee cup back on the counter. “Just keep your ears open for anything that might confirm this on your side. Let me know if you find anything out — even if it seems inconsequential.”

Bossy. Although after billions of years bossing his siblings and the other angels around, it was probably a difficult habit to break. I glared at him. “Yeah. I’ll do that. Sure. Uh–huh.”

Gregory caught the sarcastic tone in my voice, and his face relaxed in an unexpected smile. I couldn’t help but respond in kind. I’d do just about anything for him when he smiled at me like that. I didn’t resist as he took the coffee cup from my hand and placed it beside his own then once again pulled me into his arms.

Our spirit–selves joined at the edges, tantalizingly close to ecstasy, and oh–so intimate. I rubbed my physical body against him, running my hand down his arm. Tanned flesh followed in my wake, warm and sensitive. The angel shuddered, and I was unsure whether he was enjoying the physical sensation he’d always found so painful before.

“Show me your wings.” The command was weakened by the huskiness of his voice.

What was it with the damned wings? It’s not like they all didn’t have the same things attached to their backs, although in different colors. The whole fascination reminded me of human males’ constant imploring for women to ‘show me your tits’.

“I should at least get some cheap plastic beads out of the deal, or dinner at a fancy restaurant. I think you need to give me something in exchange.”

“Maybe I will.”

He lifted my chin with a finger and bent his lips to mine. It was almost too much — the feel of his spirit easing into me as his tongue scorched my mouth with the sharpness of a thousand needles. Pleasure and pain, physical and beyond. I burrowed my hands under the edge of his shirt, scratching the sensitive sides of his torso with my nails. I felt him bite down with piranha teeth into my lower lip, and I did the same to him, tasting him, merging as our spirit–beings were — as I hoped our bodies would.

I broke our kiss, needing the air that he never seemed to need. I felt his arousal against me, and I reached up a hand to touch his face; a perfect replica of tanned flesh. There was a pulse that beat strong in the hollow of his throat, and his muscles shivered as I explored them with my fingers. He was so close, his vibration level nearly on par with mine. I looked into his black eyes, feeling drunk as I swayed against him.

“I want you.”

He leaned his forehead against mine. “And I want you.”

Then why were we not naked and grinding away on the kitchen floor?

“But I need to get back to Aaru.”

Fuck. Or rather not–fuck. Damn it all; this angel was the worst tease. He might have the patience of Job, but I sure as hell didn’t.

“You’re killing me, you know. Killing me.”

He laughed then kissed me again. I felt like I was falling into him, one half of a whole. It had been far too long since we’d been together. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could wait.

“Tomorrow morning,” Gregory said, stepping back. I caught my breath, thinking for a moment he meant that we’d be angel fucking at sunrise. Then I realized he was talking about my punishment in Aaru. “Be ready.”

I was ready now — for other stuff having nothing to do with my punishment. Gregory caught my pouty look and pulled me toward him, tempting me again with the caress of his spirit–self.

“Perhaps tomorrow will hold more than just punishment.” His voice was deep and silky smooth. I closed my eyes, falling into that voice, into him. “You’ll be naked and restrained. How could I resist my very own imp in such a compromising situation? Surely I’ll be forced to take advantage of you while you’re so vulnerable.”

The panic I usually felt at the thought of being non–corporeal in Aaru faded. He’d be there, with me. And it sounded like that one rotation cycle could be a lot more fun than the others had been. I leaned against him for a few more precious minutes, savoring our connection and wishing life and duty didn’t have to constantly tear us apart.

The angel rubbed his cheek against the top of my head and stepped back. His reluctance was palatable, and his hands lingered as they slid down my arms.

“Be ready,” he reminded me.

He gated away, and I ground my teeth in frustration. I
was
ready, right now. But not for a rotation cycle in Aaru. If I didn’t get it on soon with this angel — like tomorrow, I was going to explode. Or jump him. Duct tape clearly wasn’t an option, but I’d picked up a few things in Hel that might be as useful on angels as they were on demons. Lust raced through me as I envisioned having Gregory bound and helpless at my mercy. Or me bound and helpless at his mercy. Yeah — a much better scenario.

Arrrgh! I slammed the coffee cups in the sink and rinsed them, frustrated beyond words. A cold shower was in order, then perhaps a trip to the gym after lunch. A good five miles on the treadmill might do something to drive this terrible need from my body. If not, there was always Leethu’s sex toys still upstairs in the guest room.

–2–

I
was freshly showered and eating lunch when I heard the knock. My friends just walked on in, and Gregory seldom used the physical entrances to my home. I went to answer it, hoping it was one of the local missionaries — the day begged for some comic relief.

An angel stood at my front door. A few years ago I would have crapped my pants, but now I just took a bite of my sandwich and looked him over. This one was less androgynous than the others, although still the typical fair–skinned blond. Clearly masculine, he was dressed in jeans and a navy polo shirt. I noted that he didn’t look nearly as good in the signature clothing as Gregory did.

“Yeah? What do you want?” I took another bite of sandwich.

“I’m requesting asylum.”

Well, that was a new one. I knew things had pretty much blown up in Aaru while I’d been banished, but I hadn’t realized the situation was bad enough that an angel would choose Hel over his homeland.

“The demons will kill you in two seconds flat.”

“The asylum isn’t for me. It’s for her.”

He motioned, and a woman came from the shadows of my porch. A human woman. She was in her early thirties with the tanned skin, black hair and angular features that hinted at Native American or mixed Spanish heritage. She was also hiding what I assumed was a curvy figure under a very unflattering, extra–large blouse. And she was very carefully not meeting my eyes. I crammed the rest of the ham and cheese into my mouth.

“She’ll probably last more than two seconds, especially if she’s a screamer.”

My words were muffled by the food, but the woman clearly understood. She paled and took a step backwards. The angel laid a firm, restraining hand on her shoulder. She snarled, dislodging his hand with a jerk of her arm. Interesting.

“Not in Hel. I’m asking for her to have asylum here.”

I choked a bit trying to swallow. “Here, as in this plane of existence? Dude, I don’t have any authority here. Per our contract, this is part of your holdings. I’m just a guest with special privileges. Talk to the big guy.”

The angel was beginning to look irritated. Or maybe he was nervous. Either way, the constant looking around or the glare coming my way weren’t adding to the peaceful calm of the fall morning.

“Your house. Asylum for this human woman and all she carries into your house.”

I looked over at the large purse draped across the woman’s shoulder. Asylum for her and her purse. I wondered if the request included the rocking Steve Madden boots she had on.

“How long?” I already had Nyalla living with me and often served as a hotel–for–demons when members of my household came over. I didn’t relish having another human, one I didn’t know, living here, no matter how awesome her footwear.

“For the remainder of her natural life.”

Fuck. Humans didn’t live very long, but that didn’t mean I wanted one shacked up in my house for life. I quickly calculated the likely term and swore. Damn, that would really put a cramp in my lifestyle. I opened my mouth to say “no” then looked at her boots once more. They were distressed brown leather, with a hint of a biker look about them. Brass studs decorated the toe and the back of the heel. She’d laced them halfway up then wrapped the excess lacing around her ankle to tie at the back. The tops flopped open with the sort of casual defiance I admired. Her blouse might look like a giant sack, but she had great taste in boots.

“Do I get to keep her stuff after she croaks?”

The angel didn’t hesitate. “Yes. All she carries will be your responsibility, now and after her death.”

The woman didn’t seem too happy about any of this, but she kept silent. I looked down at the Steve Maddens. I could be responsible for a pair of boots. It’s not like they were going to run around causing trouble — at least off of my feet.

“This is a significant favor you are requesting of me.” With angels, demons — it didn’t matter which — everything boiled down to favors.

He nodded, trying to hide a wince and not succeeding. “What can I do to repay you for this, Iblis?”

That was the fastest capitulation I’d ever witnessed. Either this angel was the worst negotiator in Aaru, or the woman had done something particularly heinous. What could a human possibly have done that she’d require demonic protection? Did she piss off an entire continent of werewolves? Kill a family of vampires? I eyed her with sudden respect and actually began to get excited about what her presence might bring to my door. I had enough to do with the continued elven shit storm in Hel, my onerous Ruling Council obligations, and my dwindling financial empire, but the prospect of pissed off vampires storming my house lightened my spirits considerably.

“Three favors. No restrictions. No time limit.”

“Done.”

What the fuck? Well, I’d just bought myself a human and all her baggage, which, thankfully, included a sweet set of boots. I stood aside, and the angel put a hand on her shoulder to urge her forward through the doorway.

“Get off me.” The woman yanked her arm away. She glared at the angel a few seconds before crossing the threshold. I noticed he remained on the other side.

“Which choir are you in, and how should I contact you?” I knew better than to ask his name. Angels were worse than we were when it came to that sort of thing. I doubted I’d even get any info on his choir out of him, but it was worth a shot.

“You don’t need to know my choir.”

Yeah, just what I’d thought.

“I’ll contact you,” the angel continued.

Like hell he would. “That’s unacceptable. If I’ve got a troll chewing off my legs, I want to be able to call in my favor right then — not two months later when you happen to show up.”

His eyes darted past me to the woman. “I’ll be back in a few months to visit. We can work out the details then.”

“I don’t know who you think you’ll be visiting, but it won’t be me,” the woman snapped. “Or anything I’m ‘carrying’ either.”

Wow. Pretty hostile when an angel had just granted three favors in return for her asylum. I wondered again what the woman had done, and why she was so pissed off at her benefactor.

“That’s fine, but I still want a way to contact you in the meantime. There’s a good chance I’ll get into some kind of trouble before you come back to visit. I’ve got a premonition I’ll need to cash in at least one of those favors in the next few weeks.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Then take this bitch and go on home.”

The angel looked around the bushes, as if the bad guys were ready to spring on him at any moment.

“Come on, dude. Ain’t got all day here. Things to do, and all that.”

Instead of responding, he handed me a glass bead and vanished. Okay, that was a level of paranoia I hadn’t seen before. I examined the glass bead, noting the flecks of gold that swirled through the green before sticking it in my pocket and shutting the door.

“What’s your name?” The woman was standing by my dining table, rigid as a fence post. Her hands were white fists by her side. I got the distinct feeling she desperately wanted to stick a knife in something. Maybe me, maybe that angel.

“Harper.”

Her voice was strong and unwavering, but she remained tense, her eyes averted. I sighed. “Okay, Harper. You can call me Sam. Take the first room at the top of the stairs for your own. Will your angel friend be sending over luggage? Clothing? Personal items?”

“No. I left rather unexpectedly and have nothing but the few things in my tote and what I’m standing in.”

As interested as I was in acquiring what she was standing in, the hostility in her voice drew my attention away from her shoes. I could practically hear her teeth grinding from across the room.

“No big deal. Make me a list, and we’ll go online later and order stuff.”

Nyalla had wreaked havoc on my cash flow with her altruistic gestures and ghoul–related repairs. Now I had another mouth to feed.

“Can I have your shoes?” I might as well get something out of this deal right now.

She removed them and extended the boots toward me. “Everything I carry is yours to guard and protect.”

I hesitated, wondering why the hell I was supposed to protect a pair of Steve Madden boots. Her expression was resigned, but her voice still held a note of fear … and a whole lot of anger.

Screw it. I snatched the boots. Then I shooed her upstairs, taking note of her size so I could get her the bare essentials on my way back home.

“Who was that?”

I spun around, putting the boots behind me. Shit. I hope Wyatt didn’t just see me take a woman’s shoes literally right off her feet.

“A house guest.” Damn, I’d put the woman in Leethu’s old room. Hopefully she liked all the sex toys and magazines.