Green Tea and Black Death (The Godhunter, Book 5) (26 page)

   “
I...” he stammered, “you are so...”

   “
I know,” I purred, “right back at you.”

  
He reached behind my back and undid my bra, slowly dragging it over my skin. My whole body reacted, clenching and jerking up toward him. He stroked me, brushing the crest of each breast lightly before trailing his hand over to the pool and dipping his fingers in. He rubbed the honey into first one nipple and then the other, taking his time and massaging them like he wanted my skin to absorb it. It tingled a little, sensitizing my flesh even further. Then he put his finger to my lips and I sucked at him greedily as he lowered his face to my chest.

  
I moaned around his finger, biting him lightly, as he suckled me with increasing intensity. He licked and bit till he was certain there was no honey left and then moved on to the other. It was sweet torture and my pelvis rocked against him automatically, needing more. My hair was tossed around me, my head rocking in abandon, when he pulled his finger from my mouth and sank lower.

  
My panties went flying, my legs spread, and he settled himself between them but he paid no attention to the core of my pleasure yet. No, he was intent on exploring me first. More honey dripped across my belly and his mouth followed it, sucking it away with effective ease. He kneaded and rubbed, his hands sending little tingles through me, wherever he touched.

  
Finally, oh gods, finally, his honey-laden finger touched me there. Splitting me in two, he rubbed it into my folds and then licked his own fingers clean. I watched him avidly as he lowered his head to me and licked me lightly. I threw my head back, the pleasure was unbelievably intense for such a gentle motion. He licked me more, his breath warm on me, the honey sparkling, and then covered me with his mouth and laved me clean.

  
I came over and over, my legs shaking around him as his arms held them tightly. When I had finally calmed, he quickly removed his clothes and lay back over me. I wanted to repay the favor and cover him in honey too but he held me back and just smiled down at me.

   “
I can't wait any longer,” he said as his wings rose behind him, spreading out over us like a tent.

  “
Then come inside me now,” I pulled him down to me and reached between us for the hard length of him, reaching out to me.

  
I guided him to my opening and held his eyes as he slid against me. He inhaled sharply, body tensing at that first touch, and then his pelvis came forward an agonizing inch and he slid inside. I angled myself up, needing more, but he held out, prolonging the experience. Slowly he moved forward, savoring every centimeter. Finally he was all in, his pelvis flush to mine, and I felt the rapture of being complete.

   “
Vervain,” he groaned into my ear. His face had fallen to my shoulder. “I feel so much when I'm with you,” he raised his head up and pulled out a little. “So much more than this,” he drove himself home and we both cried out. “But this is wondrous.”

  
Then his pace quickened and he was driving into me full on. I cried out and wrapped my legs tighter around him as I came again. Suddenly, the ground was falling away and we were rising into the air. I gripped his shoulders in a panic.

   “
What are you doing?” I watched the garden fall away beneath us.

   “
I believe I promised you a ride,” he laughed and continued to slide into me as he flew us up higher and higher.

  
His hands came to my ass, holding me still so he could drive deeper more easily. Clouds drifted around us, cooling my bare skin as my angel pleasured me in Heaven's sky. I looked down, the garden spread beneath me like a quilt, vibrant patches of color sewn to the green background of land. My hair drifted back in the breeze, the only cover I had falling away from me. It was one thing to make love in the cover of the garden but quite another to be out in the clear sky on display.

  
But Azrael felt so good inside me and the thrill of clinging to him as he flew was unbelievable. I leaned back a little so I could see him sliding in and out of me with the backdrop of Heaven beneath us. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. My normal fear of heights was gone, replaced by an intense rush of excitement. Faster and faster, higher and higher, until we both finally crested together in a brilliant burst of passion. He yelled out his release and fell back, dropping us a few feet before he caught the currents again. I screamed and held on tighter, my whole body clenching around him.

   “
Don't do that,” I yelled at him while he laughed, gently floating us back toward the ground.

   “
Oh but you tightened so nicely when I did.” He nuzzled my neck.

   “
Brat,” I slapped him as our feet met the earth and he smiled as he laid me back where we started.

   “
Never trust an angel,” he kissed me again, with the laughter still on his lips.

  
I felt him slide gently from me and he rolled to the side, one wing curving down over me protectively. His hand brushed down my face, and then my neck, before swirling over the top of my breasts. I sighed, content to let him touch me, feeling secure in the fold of his wing.

   “
Are you hungry?” he whispered.

   “
Starving,” I stared at his mouth and he knew immediately what I hungered for.

  
The black of his wing curled lower as he leaned down to me, the food would have to wait.

Chapter Thirty-Six

   We made love three more times in the Garden of Eden before we were finally sated enough to eat the meal he'd prepared. Like everything else I'd found in Heaven, it was sublime. Now we were roaming his home and he was showing me of all the other things he was passionate about.

  
Azrael was a connoisseur of fine art. Go figure. When I told him I was an artist, he was delighted. I had to promise to invite him to my next gallery show. Hopefully, it wouldn't be in Chinatown like my last one. It may be safer now but I still didn't want to visit for awhile.

  
His collection was, of course, unbelievable. He had original works from all the great masters. Renoir, DaVinci, Rembrant, the list went on and on. He had long halls with walls covered in artwork. It was like walking through a private museum. Then there was the statues. They were plenty of angels but there were even more gods and I wasn't surprised to see the mix of pantheons he had collected. I'd learned to never limit gods by the myths humans created about them and I assumed angels were no different.

 
Then we found a nice, comfy room, sat, and just talked. We talked for hours and hours. You ever have a deep conversation with a lover where it seems like it's all so kismit, that everything you love, they love, and that they share your opinions on everything of import? There's usually a lot of
exactly
and
I feel that way too
used. It's like the Universe made this person specifically to be with you.

  
That was the conversation I had with Azrael.

  
The more we talked, the more I knew I hadn't made a mistake. This was a man I'd have chosen for myself, without magic influences. We just clicked. I connected with him intellectually, much more than I had with any of my other lovers. In a way, it was an even deeper connection than the one I shared with Odin. I spent a lifetime with Odin, knew him like I knew myself, but we weren't of the same mind on most issues.

  
I'm not saying my love for Odin was any less for this lack of similar thinking. Opposites attract and all that but there's something to be said for finding a kindred spirit. By the end of the night, I felt like I'd known him my entire life. And as similar as we were, there were distinct differences that attracted me too.

  
He told me of his responsibilities and from the telling, I could see another side of him. He was so compassionate in his work, part of his duty was to comfort the bereaved who had lost a loved one, and he told me stories of wrapping his wings over grieving widows to help them cope, or laying a hand on a troubled child and helping them sleep. He shared their pain and aided them as best he could. It was this compassion that had led to him carrying my soul to Hvergelmir, without it I wouldn't be there. I wouldn't have been in the well for Odin to pull me out.

  
But for all this human interaction, he was alone. He was never seen, never spoken to, except by others of his kind who had their own responsibilities and were often absent from Heaven. He mainly did his job and then came home, no sightseeing along the way, no talking to strangers. He did have an avid curiosity though and he watched, listened to, and read all about humans. He had a huge movie collection, a human wardrobe, and loved our music. Humanity was a great draw for him but he'd always been on the outside, looking in.

  
Not anymore, if I could help it. I was going to pull this angel into my world and let him experience all those things for himself. Most of all, I wanted to introduce him to everyone. I wanted to end his loneliness, not just with my company but with lots of diverse company. There was no reason for him to be alone anymore.

   “
I wish I had brought my sketchpad,” I looked him over from my perch on the couch next to him.

   “
Why?” He looked so amazing, sitting there with his wings curled to the side, in nothing but a pair of jeans.

   “
So I could sketch myself an angel.”

  
He beamed at me, got up and rooted around in a drawer. Then he was back with a pad of paper and a pencil.

   “
Will this do?”

   “
Perfect,” I grabbed them and went to work.

  
I was almost done when we heard footsteps coming down the hall. I stopped and looked up at him in surprise. What happened to the whole alone thing? But he looked just as shocked as I and got up to investigate. A clear voice rang out, calling his name before he made it past the doorway, and Azrael's expression cleared.

   “
In here,” he called, then looked at me. “It's my brother, Mike.”

   “
The Archangel Michael, you mean?”

   “
Yeah, Mike,” he shrugged and sat back down.

   “
Azrael, you're gonna laugh but I could have sworn I just saw you flying while you were fu-u-u....o-o-oh hello,” Mike amended as he caught sight of me. “ Then again, maybe you won't laugh,” he looked over at Az with big eyes.

   “
How are you?” Azrael gave Mike a hug.

  
Michael's wings were hidden but I'm sure he had some, since Az did. He was wearing sweats and a T-shirt which read
Holier Than Thou.
His hair was blonde, his body nicely built, and he had a beautiful face but he did nothing for me. I didn't even feel a twinge of attraction. I was so relieved, maybe the lioness magic was finally satisfied.

   “
This is Vervain Lavine, Goddess of Love and Lions,” Azrael introduced us and I put the sketch pad down to stand and offer him my hand.

   “
Nice to meet you, Vervain,” he shook my hand and looked at Az with disbelief. “Since when are you dating?”

   
“Since now,” Az grinned and took my hand.

   “
And she's an artist,” Mike gestured to the sketch I'd made, “that's kind of perfect for you.”

  
Azrael picked it up and looked it over, smiling. “Indeed, she is.”

   “
Well, the Host is home,” Mike grinned and wagged his brows. “So you might wanna be a little more careful in your outdoor activities.” I felt my face start to heat and Mike quickly waved it off. “No, no, only I saw you, don't worry, and I only caught a glimpse.”

   “
Oh, thank you,” I sighed.

   “
No, thank you,” he chuckled as he went for the door. “It was a hell of a glimpse. See you in a few years, brother. Got to go torture some assholes.”

   “
Keep flying,” Az called after him.

   “
Well that was abrupt,” I raised a brow.

   “
And now you see why I don't have a lot of social interaction,” he chuckled. “Angels generally have a lot to do, especially the archangels.”

   “
At least you're able to take some free time for yourself every once in awhile.”

  
The more I spoke with Azrael, the more I admired him. The simple fact that he did his job at all was admirable. Just like Anubis, he'd been handed a heavy role and he didn't shirk it. Both of them could have just said, screw it, and gone their own ways but they didn't, no matter how difficult it made life for them.

 
Most of the gods I knew didn't really have a lot of responsibilities anymore. In fact, a lot of them had jobs among the humans. Thor had a line of cruise ships and Brahma sold luxury cars. Even Persephone owned a landscaping business, Little Western Flower.