Her Dangerous Desires [Notorious Nephilim 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (2 page)

“Tell you what,” she said, “I’m not really in the mood to dance anymore. Why don’t you get me another drink and tell me more about this place.”

Demetrius signaled the bartender to refill Paige’s drink then pushed his stool closer to hers. “What would you like to know about Lilith’s Playground?”

“One hears a lot of rumors.”

“Such as?”

“Aside from the one that you’re all cousins, I’ve heard this place was started during Prohibition and was a front for mob activity.”

Demetrius glanced around, but Paige didn’t think anyone was close enough to hear them. Still, she took advantage of the opening and made a split-second decision. Taking a sip of her drink, she glanced at him from under her lashes. “Would you feel more comfortable answering my questions in a less public setting, Demetrius?”

He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, as if scrutinizing her question. “Did you have someplace specific in mind?”

“Your suite. I’m told each of the owners has one, and they’re on a private floor.” Paige didn’t blink. If he didn’t catch her drift, he was dense or he wasn’t interested in her. And if he didn’t agree to take her back to his suite, she was done with this party tonight because that would mean she’d have struck out twice in one hour. Her ego would take the entire two weeks to recover.

He tossed back the rest of his drink and fixed her with a molten stare. “You were told the truth. I think my suite would be the perfect place to continue our conversation. Let’s go.”

Paige practically squirmed in her seat. She finished her drink slowly, not wanting him to think she was eager to just hop into bed. A little seduction would be nice after the dry spell she’d had lately. Even Phil had taken her out to dinner occasionally. When he hadn’t been busy on his computer or out drinking with his friends, that is.

Demetrius led her to the back of the room and into a dark, dingy corridor. “This is the backstage area,” he explained. “There’s still an elevator here that goes directly to the top floor.”

“Ashamed to parade me through the lobby?”

He chuckled. “No, of course not. But this way is faster.”

Paige grinned as they stepped into the car. She took a deep breath, puzzled by the fact she could still smell pumpkin pie. Was it coming from him? She wondered why he smelled like food, and she wondered how she’d keep her hands off him long enough to ask questions about this place.

When the elevator stopped, they exited into a hallway with expensive-looking wallpaper and carpeting. He led her to a door about halfway down the corridor and swiped the key card. The sitting room to his suite was decorated in rust and gold—perfect colors for him. Soft lights illuminated the space, and the aura was inviting and warm.

Paige walked to the center of the room and twirled in a slow circle. “Very nice. I feel comfortable here.”

“Good. Would you like another drink?” He walked around a partition, and she heard ice clinking into glasses.

“Sure.” Paige took a seat on the leather sofa, inhaling the scent. It had never been one of her favorite smells, but in this room it seemed to blend perfectly. As Demetrius walked toward her, Paige admired his long legs and lithe frame.

He handed her the glass then took off his tux jacket and tossed it over the back of an armchair. “Always hated these damn monkey suits.” He loosened the bow tie at his throat and laid it on top of the jacket then opened the first two buttons of his shirt.

When he took a seat next to her, she had to tear her gaze away from his chest and arms. The shirt couldn’t hide his muscles—muscles that looked strong enough to hold her down and spank her good. Paige shivered as she took a sip of her drink. She’d better slow down so she could enjoy him.

“So, you said you heard this place was a front for mob activity?”

“Was it?”

He grinned, and her clit began to throb again. At this rate she’d never find out anything about the resort, but would that be such a terrible thing?

“No, but we did have trouble from a mob boss once. He tried to muscle in on the business.”

She took another sip. Something in his tone sounded personal, as though the “we” he’d referred to had included him. “When was the resort built?”

“It was started in 1919 and opened in 1921.”

“So the part about Prohibition is true, at least.”

“Quite.” Demetrius leaned back and crossed one ankle over the opposite knee. The muscles in his thighs bulged against the material of his pants, distracting Paige once again from her curiosity about the resort.

“Are you a reporter?”

She nearly choked on her drink. “What? Why do you think that?”

“You ask a lot of questions.”

“Do none of your other guests ever ask about the place?”

“Sure, but the look in your eyes is intense. Like you know something already and are trying to think of a tactful way to lead up to asking about it.”

Paige had to avert her gaze. Was he a freaking mind reader? Nothing about this place would surprise her. Should she just come clean and tell him what she’d found? What harm could it do, after all? If it wasn’t true, he’d laugh it off and then she could relax and enjoy his company.

But what if it was true? Would he admit it? And did she really want to know?

Demetrius uncrossed his leg, planting both shoes on the carpet. He leaned forward. “Just ask, Paige.”

Paige snapped her gaze back to his face. His eyes were darker now, and as she watched they seemed to grow larger and become infused with their own light. His hair stood on end, and the air in the room felt charged, like the place was full of static electricity. She couldn’t tear her gaze from his face.

Erotic images filled her head, and she had no idea why or where they’d come from. Paige moaned softly as the pictures danced and writhed in her mind. Naked, raw, and so hot she felt like she was melting into Demetrius’s very presence.

“Go on, Paige.” His voice came from the air around her. Had his lips moved? She wasn’t sure. “Just ask it.” His mouth hadn’t moved this time. She was sure of it.

A sliver of fear pushed its way in. What the hell was going on here? When she forced herself to blink and avert her gaze, the images were gone. The air suddenly felt cooler and when she dared to glance at Demetrius’s face again his eyes were no longer large or filled with light. He sipped his drink and regarded her with a slight smile.

“What the hell did you just do to me?”

He placed the drink on the table and leaned so close Paige thought for a second he was going to kiss her. Instead he cupped her face, forcing her to hold his gaze. “Let’s get everything out in the open, okay? If you ask me questions, I’ll tell you the truth. No games. Promise.”

Demetrius’s self-control was hanging on by a thread, but first he had to figure out what this woman knew. They’d had plenty of guests over the decades who were more sensitive to their Nephilim powers than others, but never had one come here dropping hints that she already knew their secret. How did she know? Had someone told her?

They’d been in business ninety-one years and all their current and former staff knew, at least those who had worked for them as far back as the forties, when they’d first been forced to tell the staff their secret. They’d always said it was only a matter of time before someone talked, but this was the most blatant indication of it having happened that Demetrius knew about.

“Okay,” she said, blinking a few more times. “Just give me a second to collect my thoughts.”

He’d pushed hard with his powers, but it had been purely for self-preservation. With Reeve and Niko now practically living with a guest named Sofia Fillipone, he and Gregory were the only two of the original twelve still alive who had a chance at holding on to their Nephilim status. If Reeve and Niko became mortal—and there was no doubt in Demetrius’s mind that they soon would—he and Gregory would one day be running the resort on their own. What hope did they have of staying in business then? Their carefully orchestrated world was falling apart, and Demetrius didn’t know what to do about it.

He pointed toward her glass. “Need another one?”

“No. I’m done for tonight.” She placed it on the table and studied his face. He’d always preferred blondes, and this girl was stunning. Her eyes were a delicate shade of hazel, and he loved the fact that her body was curvy like a real woman, not skinny like a twelve-year-old boy. He liked something to hold on to when he was fucking them. But his throbbing dick would have to wait a while longer. First he needed to get past her defenses and find out what she knew.

“Take your time, Paige. We have all night.” He gave her a smoldering stare, hoping he didn’t have to push again. He wasn’t sure she could handle it.

“I read things online.” She held up a hand. “I know, I know. Never believe anything you read on the Internet. But I’m on a lot of occult sites, and this particular message board isn’t known for having trolls or players like most of them.”

“What did you read?” Gregory would be rolling his eyes right now and ranting about the Internet if he were here. As far as he was concerned, the Internet was the work of demons. Zach and Emmett thought it was a godsend because it made running this place so much easier, but Gregory and Demetrius had both always believed it would also be their downfall. Too much information instantly available to everyone and anyone. It was a miracle they’d been able to keep their secret for this long.

“That this place was a front, and that the owners running it were…”

She cut her gaze to the tabletop, and Demetrius bit back a sigh.
Patience. She’s almost there.

He lowered his voice. “It’s okay, Paige. I won’t be upset, no matter what you say.”

She looked into his eyes again. “Promise?”

Demetrius bit the inside of his cheek, but he couldn’t stop the twitch in his jaw muscle. She’d see it, of course. “I promise.”

“I read that you weren’t human. That you’re all some sort of supernatural beings.”

He let out a slow exhale. There was a time when telling a guest their secret without the consent of the others was considered the ultimate betrayal. Leo and Andras had first done it with Blair. Granted, they’d had a damn good reason to tell her, but Demetrius still remembered the outrage the others had expressed before they heard what had brought Blair to Lilith’s Playground in the first place.

Then when Hugh and Sterling had told Caleigh, it hadn’t had quite the same impact. They had all known for some time that they’d be forced to tell their staff, and Caleigh was part of their staff at the time. By the time Blade and Cristian told Joelle, the outside world had already begun to impact their business.

“What exactly did you read that we were? What sort of beings?”

She no longer looked confused or reluctant to talk. Her eyes lit up, and she leaned forward, her body language more open now. It would be easy to tell her the truth, because clearly she had an interest in the occult. The ones who did were always more willing to believe them and accept them for what they were.

“Some say demons, some say angels. I’ve even seen a few posts to suggest you’re vampires or ghosts.”

“What do
you
believe, Paige?”

The question hung in the air as he watched the emotions cross her face. Things were crashing down around them so quickly that Demetrius didn’t feel he was on sure footing. He’d never experienced this tilting sensation before. It had only been a few months since Zach and Emmett had become mortal. Abigail had been a guest here, just like Paige was now. In two short weeks Abigail had fallen in love with Zach and Emmett, and now she lived here with them.

Then Sofia had shown up, and the fact that she was the great-granddaughter of Frankie Fillipone, the mob boss from whom Blair had been hiding, had caused quite a stir. But that was nothing compared to what her ex-husband had almost done to her and to the resort.

Had Reeve and Niko told Sofia their secret yet? Demetrius still couldn’t believe that four of them had fallen in love with mortal women within the past few months. It was a shock partly because, after Joelle had chosen to stay here with Blade and Cristian in 1952, they’d gone back to business as usual for sixty years. Now, it appeared they were nearing the end of their run. What would happen to him and Gregory?

“I don’t think you’re vampires or ghosts,” she finally said. “And I don’t think you’re demons.”

“So what does that leave?” Maybe she had it all figured out and he wouldn’t have to do much explaining. That would make things easier.

“Angels.”

“It sounds like you’ve studied this quite a bit.”

“I’ve always been interested in the supernatural.”

* * * *

Paige still had no idea what he’d done to her a moment ago, but that question could wait for a while. And so could the sex she’d been hoping to have. Being this close to discovering the secret of Lilith’s Playground was more of an aphrodisiac than his scent or his muscles right now.

“What do you know about Nephilim?” he asked.

“Not much. No one does. You have the Biblical accounts on one hand, and a lot of legend and folklore on the other, but not much anecdotal evidence, and no scientific evidence that has been proven authentic.” She bit her lip for a second, feeling slightly embarrassed. “At least, none that I’ve come across. But I’m certainly no expert.”

“What do you do, Paige? For a living, I mean?”

Didn’t he know? She’d had to fill out a ten-page questionnaire just to get approval to book a vacation. Then again, maybe not all the owners read them? “I’m a marketing consultant. I do freelance work for online as well as brick-and-mortar businesses that cater to the occult.”

Demetrius grinned, and Paige squirmed in her seat. So much for not thinking about sex right now. The man was so freaking hot it was impossible to turn off the hormones, even for a few moments. “Why did you ask what I knew about Nephilim? Am I right? Is that what you are?”

Her pulse raced. Was it truly possible, after all these years, that she’d finally come face-to-face with a being she’d only dreamed of meeting one day? She forced her breathing to slow down, wishing she’d stopped at one drink. She felt dizzy. If she passed out she’d miss the entire thing and who knows if or when he’d be this open and willing to talk again?