Chapter Four #2
“Lethal?” she laughed, hopping off the stool. “Are you saying this outfit is dangerous?”
“It is,” he assured, locking gazes with her.
She widened her eyes. “You’re being serious,” she muttered, still smiling. “I’ll take that as a compliment?”
“It’s just a fact,” he said, not ready to admit his growing obsession. And her outfit was lethal to the unfortunate soul belonging to the eyeballs that dared feast on her.
She shrugged and her smile brightened as she spun and headed for the door. “Well, I’ll take it,” she said as she headed for the door. “As a fact, as a fable, as fury and folly.” With every step, her plump ass blew teasing kisses, and his Lust packed all of them in his cock.
“Wait,” he called, making his way to the adjoining door and unlocking it. “Through here.” He opened it and she strolled her way over, her joy lit up and locked on him.
She stopped before him and stared up.
He stared back.
The proximity brought an explosion of human chemicals, all demanding his powers to taste and discern.
He resisted.
“You’re protecting me?”
The question was simple and yet his Lust and Rage clashed in his mind over the answer. I was created to protect what’s mine. Are you mine? Or are you a fleeting fantasy? “It’s my job,” he said, opening the door for her.
The roll of her eyes as she went in said his answer wasn’t safe—it was stupid.
Then his gaze lowered to her ass and everything that might matter no longer did. The longer he stared with his human gaze, the more urgent the chemicals churned, creating something that felt like an emergency. One that demanded immediate, precise actions, and zero words. From him. And only him.
She glanced back, catching him in mid-Lust-Rage again. She smiled and decimated the brief fear that had risen in him. He studied it, realizing it wasn’t just a smile. It was an invitation. To follow.
His muscles loaded with obedience then locked up at the buzz of his phone in his back pocket. His gaze devoured every second as she slowly turned and took that smile with her. But the invitation remained. Trailed behind her like fire and dreams.
He realized his breaths trembled in his chest as he slowly shut the door to the temptation. He wasn’t ready for that fire. Not in his human form. Not yet.
He pulled the phone from his back pocket and headed for the patio, looking at the screen. Kildare. How was he showing up right at the wrong time if he couldn’t read his mind? Once outside, he dialed him back.
“My Darkling,” he answered.
Kaos launched into his dilemma. “I asked her if she wanted to go to dinner when it became clear my pathetic human faculties weren’t capable of two tasks simultaneously.”
“Ahh,” he mumbled. “Which was to cook and to?”
Kaos felt his little probe right in his Rage. “And to juggle my human dysfunctions.”
He laughed outright at that.
“Without dropping everything I’m juggling.”
“Oh fuck, you’re fun,” he breathed.
“Or knowing what the fuck I’m juggling. Are you sure I can’t use my power for anything? ”
He gave a ragged groan. “Nothing intimate, nothing sexual.”
Fuck. “So nothing.”
He sputtered barely. “Are you saying everything is intimate and sexual with her?”
He paced on the patio, sorting through the human mess inside him.
“If there’s a doubt, then it’s a no,” Kade informed. “You can’t take that chance. You do this as a human, or you don’t do it at all.”
Kaos’s legs went rigid at the threat. He held his jaw shut when his Rage and Lust fought to set the seraphim straight.
“You can do it.”
“I don’t want your encouragement. I just want to know how I’m supposed to take her on a date with no vehicle, no driving experience, and no money.”
His sigh held a fat grin. “Big Brother’s got you covered there,” he said airily.
“And to be sure, the Kings do not drive. They’re chauffeured.
I’ll text you the name of your personal driver.
He has everything you need—money, wheels, and all the time you want.
Let him be your Alfred. Like in Batman?”
“I know what it means,” Kaos said.
“So where are you taking her?”
He froze at yet another human folly. “I have no idea.”
“Your driver will. But you’ll need to know so you can dress accordingly.”
Right. Humans varied their fashions for different occasions. He entered the apartment again.
“Just go casual. Something that fits in with whatever she wears,” Kildare advised, his joy like a rash on his nerves. “Unless she dresses formal, then match her.”
Kaos glanced toward the adjoining door, briefly considering asking her directly. “Noted. Anything else?”
Kildare’s chuckle filled the silence. “You’re asking me for dating tips now?”
Kaos tightened his grip on the phone. “I’m asking for operational guidelines.”
“Operational,” Kildare echoed with a grin.
“Operational guideline number one—relax. Operational guideline number two—enjoy yourself. Operational guideline number three—remember that humans talk about themselves when nervous. So, ask questions. Let her do most of the talking. That’s a direct order from your commanding officer. ”
His jaw worked against the urge to hang up. “Anything else? Commander?”
“Just don’t break anything you can’t fix. Especially her.”
Kaos’s eyes narrowed. “ Nothing or nobody will break her. Especially me.”
“Just remember what you’re capable of. And that tonight, you’re just Kohl. No more, no less.”
He forced himself to thank him then ended the call, his mind already shifting into next-step.
He turned at the soft knock on the adjoining door and made his way to it, slapping away his spiritual discerning powers and locking onto his human instincts.
His pulse raced as he opened it, then tripled at finding Jaxi, smoothing the fabric of a soft, flowing floral dress to her knees, face lit with tentative wonder on him.
Kaos followed the sensual caress of fabric along her beauty. Delicate and fragile. A single flower standing in a field before a storm, looking right at him with hope and hunger.
Beautiful .
“Better,” he said, forcing said storm inside him to step aside for the little flower.
Her sunny smile broke through. “Thank you! I wasn’t sure if it would be too simple.”
“Simple suits you,” he muttered, turning before she could see the chaos she created in him with just her eyes.
She entered and sat on one of the living room chairs like she belonged there.
“I’ll only be a minute,” he said, heading to his room, digging through the clothes provided. On his second pass, he paused, frowning. Nothing seemed right. He regarded what he wore, deciding it was neutral enough not to clash with... pink and purple blossoms.
He retrieved his phone and saw a new message from an unsaved number: Good evening. I’m Fredrick, your chauffeur. Heading your way now. I’ll text you when I arrive.
Kaos saved the contact under “Fred” and made his way into the living room where Jaxi sat at the edge of the seat inspecting the décor. Her forearms rested on her bouncing legs, hands clasped, fingers wiggling.
He barely remembered to use only his human instincts to read her. Nervous. The itch to check his answers with his power was disrupted by his phone buzzing in his pocket. He paused, pulling it out: Your car is ready, Mr. King. I’m parked near the back entrance.
He pocketed the cell and found Jaxi looking up at him from where she sat.
“Our ride is here,” he said, diving into her blue eyes as she stood.
“Ride?”
He slid his hands in his pockets, gaze lowering to her mouth. “The Kings don’t drive,” he said, watching her perfect plump lips spread in a smile.
“So you’re a Mr. Fancy Pants?” She hooked her arm in his, and he stiffened at the unexpected physical touch. “Oops,” she whispered, jerking it back. “Sorry, I need to learn boundaries.”
He mentally stumbled for what was appropriate to say. “I’m not accustomed to… touch,” he said, remembering to be honest with her. She was the first female that wasn’t… her. “But I don’t mind it. From you.”
Her curious look slowly melted as she hooked her arm back in his. “Well, that fixed that,” she said softly, filling him with her giggle that felt like tiny angel wings made of glass.
Kaos opened the back entrance where a sleek black sedan waited, engine humming with a suited man holding the rear door open.
Kaos gave a nod of acknowledgment to him then allowed her to enter first.
She slid in with a soft gasp, hands smoothing her dress as Kaos followed and settled beside her. Fredrick shut the door gently, circled to the driver’s side and climbed in.
The car pulled forward and a few seconds later, the partition separating them lowered halfway, revealing a clean-shaven host with calm eyes in the rearview mirror.
“Good evening, Mr. King. Ms. Jaxi. Any preference on where you'd like to dine tonight?”
Kaos hesitated. He glanced at Jaxi, who lit up at the question but waited for him to answer.
He looked back at the mirror. “Recommend something,” he said.
The driver nodded once. “There’s a private rooftop bistro about ten minutes from here. Quiet. Romantic. Secure.”
Kaos gave the barest nod. “Yes. That will do.”
The partition began to rise again.
Jaxi leaned toward him slightly, grinning. “A rooftop bistro? You really are Mr. Fancy Pants.” Her eyes sparkled with something soft. “And romantic? Is that part of the mission, or are you improvising?”
He turned his head slightly, his voice low. “Improvising. Poorly.”
She chuckled, hooking her arm in his again. “I think you’re doing pretty good.”
Kaos drew in a breath, filling himself with her scent. She’d added something to her skin. Something soft and floral, like her skin and dress. “You smell like…”
“Crap,” she gasped. “Is it too strong?”
He looked at her and their gazes locked in the darkness. “A bouquet of sin,” he finished quietly.
She didn’t gasp or laugh this time. She lowered her gaze then looked out her window. “And you smell like… an angel of redemption.”