Hell's Phoenix (35 page)

Visible prickles scattered across her flesh.

“You think that’s too much to handle, Mads?” He caressed the goose bumps on her wrists and dragged his hands down her body to grip her hips.

“Sounds like a challenge.”

That was not what he expected to hear and he wasn’t altogether certain she teased. “Your succubus will be tame when I’m finished with you.”

A ghost of a smile tweaked her lips and she tugged a hand free to slide her fingers through his hair. “Phoenix Birmingham, a sugar substitute. I like the sound of that.” She licked her lips and ran her hand down the tattoos of his arm. “I’ve been fascinated by these since meeting you.”

She kissed a design on his bicep. A star received a lick next and Nix’s cock jerked inside his jeans. “The dragon that saved your life,” she said, flicking her fingers lightly over the dragon head.

Nix did
not
want to talk about Kur. “How about this one?”

He lifted his left arm and anchored his hand on the back of his head. On the underside of his bicep he’d inked her sigil, interwoven with a vine of roses and her nickname in swirly lettering. It was the prettiest piece on his body, but he’d wanted to honor her with something beautiful.

Her awed gaze slashed up to his. “Nix,” she whispered, as her fingertips traced the design.

Nix’s senses came alive when she touched him, every square inch of his body hummed.

“When’d you get it?” she asked, her voice gruff with emotion.

“A little over a year ago.”

“You never told me.” He shrugged and her serious expression didn’t lessen. “I’m honored you trust me enough to bear my sigil.”

“Why wouldn’t I, baby? I would walk into Hell for you.”

“You walk into Hell for me again and I’ll kill you, Nix Birmingham.”

“Ditto.”

Mads skimmed her lips over the tattoo and onward to lick the scar on his shoulder that heralded his active covenant with her. Nervous like a schoolboy in the flush of puberty, he worried he’d screw everything up. One certainty, though, he could grow addicted to her tongue on his flesh.

She turned her head. Her sugary-scented breath fanned his chin, the first of many succubus attributes he hoped she allowed him to discover. “My mark on you is such a turn on, Nix,” she said, her Southern accent more pronounced. “And yet, it shouldn’t be because you’re wearing a demonic mark of protection.”

Nix grinned and she set her thumb against one of his dimples. She came in fast then and captured his mouth with hers. Her other hand slid around his neck and she wrapped her legs around his hips, snugging their pelvises together. Severing their embrace, she pressed moist kisses down his throat and the center of his chest.

She leaned back and watched as she ran her palms down his body. Nix clutched her hips, eager to be inside her. But he wanted her wet and needy before he entered her. She wasn’t there, nowhere close…yet.

Her fingers fumbled at his button-fly jeans, slipped one, then a second button free.

“Wait,” he groaned and plucked her hands away from his pants, planted them palms down on the table.

“No more talk, Nix. Make love to me.”

“I plan to, but not here in the kitchen where anyone can interrupt.”

Blinking, Mads scanned the room. “I forgot.”

“Creatures like me are already watching,” Zen said from behind them.

Nix twisted toward the man, as Mads’s legs slid down the back of his. The immortal leaned against the doorjamb, arms crossed over his chest, and observed them.

“Go away, Zenny.”

“How long you been peeping, Zen?” Mads asked with a fierce glower.

“Long enough. Madison, retire to your room. The Ark of Heaven and I need to speak. I’ll send him to you momentarily.” Zen didn’t flinch away from Nix’s irritated glare.

At her encouraging push, Nix stepped backward for Mads to jump to her feet. She tamped down her hair, but he hadn’t had his fingers in it near enough to tangle it. That would be remedied soon.

“Does this concern me, Zen?” she asked.

“No. I wish to caution him on his behavior toward you.”

Mads scrunched her nose at Zen. “
Riiight
. Off to my bedroom I go like a naughty little girl while Zen tells you how bad I’ve become.” She flashed a grin at Nix.

I’ll show her naughty in bed
. He tugged her into his embrace before she walked off. As a reminder of his passion, he kissed her. Never had he wished someone to leave as much as he did Zen. But he could tell by the man’s grim expression he had something important to say.

“I’ll follow in a few minutes.” He whispered against her ear. “I’m impatient to undress you, baby.”

“I know what your power tastes like.” The pad of her finger hit his lips and rubbed back and forth. “I’m impatient to see how different the man tastes.”

Nix groaned. Mads smiled and sashayed out of the kitchen.

He glared at Zen. “Speak fast or you’ll be talking to yourself.”

The immortal chuckled. “You’ve been anticipating sampling her for a while?”

“You don’t have a clue.” Nix fastened his scrutiny on the silver-eyed, dark-haired, unimposing looking man.

“I do. I’ve read your mind. I know how you feel about Madison and for how long.”

“You in my mind now?” He’d learned some tricks in Hell and he would take special care to lock his mind down.

“No. I can block thoughts unless the individual is stressed.”

“Good to know.”

“She’s special,” Zen said.

“Very special.”

“Unique, too, Phoenix.” The immortal moved away from the door.

“One of a kind.”

“Lynx is a dangerous breed of succubi. You have no idea what she’s capable of. At present, she’s a ticking time bomb.” Zen indicated the ice cream bucket. “Sugar will suffice for a minimal period of time. She’ll require large doses of sex. That alone won’t be adequate to tame the demon she is.”

“You’re not suggesting she’s not worth saving, are you, Zenny?” Because if Zen suggested they needed to kill her, taking their chances and living in Hell might be an option.

“No.” He placed the ice cream in the freezer. “She can be our greatest ally or our worst foe. She’s a powerhouse, but she needs to consume paranormal energy in order to maintain her focus. I’m in a unique position, uncertain if I could kill her if I wanted. I could trap her in Pandora’s Box if I had it.”

Nix possessed the Box and he wouldn’t be fessing up to owning it.

“Micah knew what he was doing when he crafted her, Phoenix. Even as one of God’s archangels, he was an exceptionally bright and sneaky angel. Put nothing past him. Anything is within his ability. If he survives, he will come for Madison. Sooner than we may expect, possibly before we can claim her for our side. With Madison on his team, mankind will not stand a chance against them. With her on our side, Hell has already lost.”

Nix let the words ramble around in his head. “You don’t think Micah is dead?”

“Doubtful. I attempted to execute him the day he transported you into Hell. I failed. Entrusted to keep the balance, I should possess the ability to exterminate him. He’s gained too much power for me to cause him more than flesh wounds.”

“So, you’re saying Mads will need sex? That’s how I keep her loyal to our side?” Nix resented the immortal’s suggestion.

“She isn’t a creature capable of surviving off just sex. She’ll need to feed on power, Phoenix. Potent magic. Tiny demons will be snacks for her. A satisfying meal can only come from a very powerful source.”

“Micah’s seraph? My messian?” Zen nodded and Nix put his fingers through his hair. “You’re saying she’s a power junkie and she’ll need juicing up on my messian often?”

“If you cooperate, she’ll be a Phoenix addict instead of a power junkie.”

Nix glared at the immortal. “What you’re suggesting is I keep her O.D.’d on me, so we can control her?”

“Affirmative.”

“Fuck you.”

“You either addict her to you or Micah will, and he’ll suffer no moral dilemmas over the choice. She’s Lynx succubus. It’s a part of her genetics, and she can deny it no more than she could demand a different eye color. She
must
consume power, or her instincts will overtake her and force her to seek it out. If Micah’s alive, he’ll be waiting to give her what she needs. If he’s dead, may God help us all from her wrath. She’ll burn the world in search of sustenance. When she feeds, she’ll feast to the point of death. I’d force my power on her if I could, just to sway her to our side. I attempted to give her my energy when she came through Hell’s doorway. She shunned it. I understand from her she accepted yours and Micah’s with vigor. If you want to keep her on our home team, you need to keep her fed with your magical flavor. You love her? Then take responsibility for meeting her needs because if Micah feeds her, she’ll be lost to us forever.”

Contemplating the immortal, he shoved his fingers through his hair. He needed a haircut, but he had bigger worries at the moment. “Why didn’t you want her to hear any of this?”

“Madison has damned herself already and is convinced she’ll cave beneath her desires. I need her addicted to you before Micah decides to venture through the doorway to claim her. If that happens, the final showdown won’t end well.” He sliced his finger across his throat.

“I’m uncomfortable keeping something of this magnitude from her.”

Zen watched him, like a mountain lion eager for entertainment to break up a boring afternoon, but he sensed the man’s seriousness. “Do as you wish. My advice would be to wait until after you’ve had her—”

“Made love—” Nix corrected.

“At least once. Maybe more. If you worry about how she feels toward you…. The night she busted me out of my crystal prison, she called you. Yes?”

“Yes.” Nix nodded unsure of the immortal’s meaning. “I was worried about her and wanted to join her.”

“She was extremely jealous of the woman you had with you. Find comfort in knowing her heart’s been yours as long as I’ve known her.” Zen walked off, his tread as silent as a ghoul’s.

Chapter Forty-five

Madison was no fool. Whatever Zen wanted to say involved her. Maybe Nix would tell her, maybe he wouldn’t. Tomorrow would be soon enough to worry about any problem presented.

Tonight she would focus on Nix and if she had the nerve to take what she wanted. Could she even pull off pleasing the man? Unsure, she stressed over what he liked and disliked. What would he expect of her? No longer would she settle for lying back and just being a receiver. With Nix, she wanted to participate, even if she flubbed it up.

She left the door open to her bedroom so Nix wouldn’t have to decide if he should knock to gain entrance. Should she undress and wait in the bed for him? No, he’d mentioned wanting to remove her clothing.

Butterflies scattered through her belly. She had fleeting thoughts of Nix undressing her, touching her intimately in a way she’d only dreamed of.

What have I agreed to do
?

What you’ve wanted to do for a long, long time
, her demon reminded.

Dear God
. She sat on the end of the bed. Succubus tendencies shifted strategically within, like a man in a bar with smooth-talking one-line come-ons. How would she be able to manage the demon if she actually went through with this?

Nix had already forfeited his life for her once. What would happen if Micah returned? How much more would his life be in danger? How far would he go to ensure her safety again? Endangering him wasn’t optional. There was no guarantee she wouldn’t fail, and succumb to Micah’s intentions. She wanted Micah’s power. She’d ingest him to his death if she could, but she held no doubt he’d stop her before it escalated that far. But if Micah returned and she couldn’t resist him—as she guessed would happen—it’d put everyone she loved in danger. Including Amos.

She collapsed against the bed and stared at the motionless ceiling fan. A woman determined to save everyone would walk into her closet, pack a bag, and leave before anyone had a chance to stop her. With thirty miles in her rearview mirror, Zen might teleport into the passenger seat, but he wouldn’t stop her from finding the nearest cliff and throwing herself off. Or putting a bullet through her brain.

I can do many things, but I still cannot fly or survive a gunshot
.

Madison dragged in a shaky breath and expelled it as she mentally touched the switch to turn on the ceiling fan. The blades began to rotate, growing in speed as the motor kicked into high gear. Yesterday, that would’ve been impossible. She had too much power at her disposal.

Nerves on edge, the dark mojo shifting inside fed her grave scenarios of an apocalyptic future. She could commit to Nix and guarantee his damnation when Micah returned. Or Elias. One of them
would
come. A fact. Micah would bring a new world order; Elias would bring justice.

Without Nix’s hands on her, a little bit of sanity returned and logical options began to present themselves. She wanted Nix, but were her desires enough to damn his soul? She
had
to get him to release the covenant.

“You in here trying to think how to back out of our relationship, Mads?”

A slow smile curled her lips as she rolled her head to look at him. He knew her too well. Give her breathing room, and she’d reassess everything a dozen times.

“Sort of,” she admitted, pushing up on her elbows to focus on him.

“What’d you decide?”

“That my head’s not clear when your hands are on me.”

He grinned, kicked the door shut, and locked it. “That works in my favor.”

He walked toward her. Prowled would have been a more accurate description. The way he moved, with confidence and control, his special blend creating a unique cocky swagger she found as sexy as his freaking tattoos. Knowing he wore her sigil, possessive emotions skittered through her.

He marked himself as mine
. That fact axed so many internal arguments.

Nix touched her knees, pushed them apart, and moved between them. “Are you going to act on that promise I see in your eyes?”

“What’d Zen say?” She identified a tattoo, a basic squiggly mark, nothing special about it, but it needed kissing. Maybe a lick, too. She hadn’t decided.