Chapter 11
D ani walked into my room and started changing her clothes as if nothing had transpired in the last thirty minutes. She would occasionally look at me, throughout her trips from my dresser to the bathroom, but other than that, there was silence. I didn’t want to bother her until she spoke first, so I leaned against the wall near the door and watched her.
Her face was the picture of contentment, like she had had a normal day doing everyday things. For some reason I was prepared for the fight first, ask questions later attitude, but this—I didn’t know how to handle this. All this did was tell me that years from now she would still find ways of surprising me.
Morgan Lakes wasn’t somebody I’d thought I’d see anymore besides the obvious times I’d pass her at The Skies. We’d dated a little over four years ago, I’d all but forgotten about her. The relationship wasn’t something I cherished, nor was it something I would classify as life changing. It was honestly the kind of relationship I would have seen myself in at nineteen. She was ambitious, to the point where her confidence boiled over into being underhanded and mean.
None of what she said earlier had surprised me, but it had floored me that her sweet girl mask had come off so quickly. I had wanted so much for my career and life back then that what she’d painted as the picture of my future with her was something worth salivating over. She was an attractive guardian angel, and I was my father’s child, one of the best sentries and swordsmen. A perfect pair picked out of an angelic social magazine. I shook my head at the idea that I had, at one time, wanted a life with her; I had missed all the signs that I was just a good-looking trophy that Jonah was keen on.
Did I think I would have a future with a demon or a hybrid? No, but when I peeked through my lashes at her as she trudged around my room, well, she was really all I could ever consider wanting. And with whatever was going on in the sky had me sending Morgan back to being an afterthought and sending Dani to the forefront of my mind, where she belonged.
“How long did you date?”
I blinked over to her, narrowing my eyes, not understanding. “What?”
She tilted her head to the side, repeating herself. “How long did you date?
“Uh...almost two years.”
She nodded once and clapped her hands together. “Was she just as wonderful as she was in Oculus?” The sarcasm in her tone was far from subtle.
I sighed. “Honestly, she was much more reserved about it back then.”
“That’s shocking. She spoke to all of us like she had some personal vendetta.”
I pushed away from the wall. “She likes positions of power and being overtly close to Ariel gives her that. Her loyalty is fickle.”
“No shit, babe.”
“I wouldn’t give her anymore of your energy, like I said before, she isn’t worth it.”
She rolled her eyes, turning around and walking over to my bed, but turning on her heels before she laid back on it. It was right then that I realized she had changed into one of my shirts and…that was about it. I had a number of things that turned me on, but this girl, wearing my shirt that hit right above her knees and nothing but probably panties on… yeah , that would do it.
“I wish she just hadn’t been thrown in my face. I’m not blaming you but like fuck, I was riding a really big high and then bam! A surprise gets thrown my way in the form of some girl you used to fuck.”
The words tumbled out before I got a chance to rephrase anything. “I also got blind sided by Dimitri, a guy you used to fuck.”
Her mouth opened as she reared her head back, thrown off guard. I hadn’t said it in a rude way, but what I’d said was still valid. “Okay, well, Dimitri and I never dated, it was just…”
“For fun and a good time, yes, you’ve told me. It doesn’t make me feel any fucking better about knowing that he, at one point in time, had his hands all over you.”
“I don’t like knowing Morgan had her precious little princess hands all over you either.” She clucked her tongue, raising an eyebrow at me. Her brown eyes weren’t trying to get a rise out of me, but Dani had this way of protecting herself with these back-and-forth verbal altercations.
She wasn’t upset, just territorial.
So was I.
“I’m not mad at you about Dimitri, you’ve had a past and so have I. I had no idea she would even show up. We’ve talked about the Dimitri thing and that’s behind us. You said you trust me, so just trust that my hands would rather be on someone else.” I smirked at her and she stuck her tongue in her cheek to hide her smile.
She fiddled with the end of my shirt she wore. “I’m not making excuses whatsoever or trying to find a loophole, but there is one solid difference between Dimitri and Morgan.”
I took a step towards her as she continued, “yes, Dimitri and I were just fun, there were no real feelings involved, at least on my part. You and Morgan had an actual, legitimate relationship. I’m not jealous of her because I know what we’ve got, but things just run deeper between you….”
I took longer strides to get over to her, tipping her chin up with my fingers. “Okay, please stop. We did have a relationship, but that doesn’t mean anything when I look at you. Morgan would have never taken care of me the way you did in Purgatory, that just isn’t who she is.” I stroked her cheek with my knuckles. “It is who you are though.”
She slid her hands up my chest, taking hold of my shirt. “One last question.”
“Hmm?”
She bit her lip as if she was reconsidering what she wanted to say. “Did you love her?”
I leaned my head down to rest on her forehead. “I thought I did, but it isn’t the same as loving you. Frankly, it terrifies me how much I love you.”
“I’ve never loved anyone before, so lucky you being the one and only, Mr. Cassial.”
I kissed her forehead. “Despite everything, we both have a past. I don’t think we should let it define us, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.” I rubbed my nose against hers. “I think we have something fucking great, so I would rather not ruin it.”
She leaned back, giving me a bemused look. “Funny you should say to not let the past define us. I would advise you to consider those words when you actually talk to your father.” Her eyes turned softer and she leaned up, kissing my lips. “You never know, the past could be a good place to heal.”
She was beautiful and wise. And annoying.
I placed my hands on her hips and squeezed. I inhaled her cinnamon scent as it wafted off of her hair. Some of her curls took on a life of their own as they darted in a different direction than the rest. She hummed as she stood on her tiptoes and ran her lips over mine again but not quite kissing me. “I like knowing you’re all mine, you know that.”
“Is that right?” I moved my lips back over hers and the urge to just kiss her was strong, but she was teasing me. I couldn’t help knowing that I kind of liked it.
Her breath hit my skin as she moved her hands to hold onto my shirt tighter. “So, tell me, who do you belong to, Nicholas?” She yanked me closer to her, so that her tongue licked at my lips.
I sucked in a sharp breath before answering. “You.”
“Correct.” She let go of me and walked backwards to my bed. She sat down and leaned back, letting my shirt ride up her thighs as she scooted further back. “Now show me who belongs to you .”
I raised one of my eyebrows at her but placed my knee on the bed so that I hovered over her. I placed my hand by her knee and slowly grazed my fingers along her brown skin, seeing the goosebumps rise. I tilted my head down to kiss right below her ear. My fingers teased at the edge of her panties. I moved over the fabric but never touched her directly, just lightly playing with her until she bit her lip to the point where it looked painful.
She started to grab my hand and forcibly maneuver me where she wanted, where I knew she was already getting wet. I threaded my fingers through hers, moving her hand away. My teeth tugged at her earlobe hard enough to elicit a whimper.
“You’re such a needy girl, aren’t you?” A muffled please left her lips. I removed my hand from hers and slipped it into her panties, rubbing my fingers against her clit. She moaned loudly at the way I touched her and made her feel. She let her legs spread out wider as I continued to play with her, eventually slipping one of my fingers inside, watching as she moved her hips so my finger could touch her in the right spot. She reached down to take hold of my hand, trying to make it so I pushed in another one of my fingers. “Your pussy is so impatient, so fucking needy.”
Before she could answer me, I moved to kiss her, picking her up and carrying her so that her back was against the wall next to my door. She kissed me back, sticking her tongue into my mouth. I met her aggression with the same vigor, as she reached down and rubbed my achingly hard cock. She squeezed, sending a groan out of my mouth before I pulled away from her lips. I placed her back on her feet before getting down on my knees.
I slid my hands up her legs, hooking my fingers into her panties and pulled them down. I thumbed her clit as I brought one of her legs onto my shoulder, inclining my head so I could kiss the inside of her thigh, licking at her skin. She tasted like everything I’d ever want, and she was mine. She was my confidently sexy girl that I could please for hours and thrill at her look of disheveled satisfaction.
“Nick, please, put your fucking mouth on me.”
I chuckled against her skin as I hoisted her other leg up, settling my palms under her ass to steady her before burying my face between her legs. Her hand went into my hair, pressing her fingers in my scalp as she let out a moan.My eyes nearly rolled back in my head from her taste and the way her thighs squeezed me as I flicked my tongue over her clit. I sucked it into my mouth before releasing it and letting my tongue lap at her continuously.
She tried to move her lower body around, but I held her in place, devouring her like I wanted.Her free hand slapped against the wall as her breathing became erratic. “Don’t stop, please. Keep going, r-right there.”
I noticed the slight hint of light coming from her hands, but the one hand she’d moved to my shoulder didn’t give me the burning sensation like it did before. It hurt, but it was like there was something else keeping it from melting my skin off.
I stuck my tongue inside of her, letting her ride out her orgasm on my face. She pushed her pussy against my mouth, and I shot my eyes up to her as she came down from her high.Her chest rose and fell as she closed her eyes for a moment, opening them when I sat her legs down.
I gripped her chin when I rose from the floor, licking my lips and giving her a taste of herself when I kissed her. “Fuck, you’re beautiful when you come.”
Her face was flushed, her curls fell over one of her eyes in a messy way that made my chest nearly combust with pride knowing I made her feel and look this way.I wanted her to forget all about Morgan and anything else that plagued her mind enough to even cause an ounce of a doubt about where we stood.
Dani inspected my shoulder, seeing only tiny marks of charred residue, then looked over her shoulder. My wall had tiny burn marks, but nothing alarming. This whole thing with her just took time and I was happy to be the one to witness her progress firsthand.
She kissed me again, bringing my bottom lip into her mouth, biting down.“Then I beg you to please make it happen again.”
I gripped the front of her throat, pushing her away before turning her around. She placed both her hands against the wall, while I undid my pants. I kicked them away and spread her legs apart with my foot, pushing her shirt up so I could get a clear view of her ass and waiting pussy that was practically dripping for me. I lifted my shirt, hearing a small gasp when I inserted the tip. I took a shallow breath, taking in how good she always felt, even if I wasn’t all the way inside.
She pushed her ass back so she slid further along my cock, her perfect pussy wrapping around me like a fucking vice. “Your pussy was made for my cock, right ?”
“Y-yes.” Dani moved back harder and I watched, running my hands along her sides and upper thighs. Her curls fell around by the sides of her face and the ringlets and spirals bounced from her movements.
I spanked her hard. “Say it. All of it.”
“Fuck, my pussy was made for your cock. Nick, please .”
Fuck, the begging would be my undoing. “That’s my good girl.” I held her hips as I started to fuck her in a steady rhythm that had my pelvis meeting her ass at every thrust. I moved her with ease as if she was just letting me do what I pleased and she would enjoy it no matter what.
“Harder. Fuck me, harder.” Her voice was strained and vibrated with the way her body bounced back against me.
I grabbed a fistful of her curls and yanked her head back. Her back arched and she stood on her tiptoes to hold herself steady. I brought my hand down on the flesh of her ass so hard, I felt her legs tense up as I increased my pace.
“Oh fuck, yes.” Her mouth dropped open at the new angle and her pussy started to clench around me, making me hold her hair tighter and go even harder.
“Yeah, just like that, needy one?”
“Yes, just—just like that.”
I turned her head so that I could kiss her, deep and passionately. The kind of kiss that would leave her head spinning. “You always feel so fucking good,” thrust . “Every,” thrust . “Single,” thrust . “Time.”
I released her hair and placed both my hands back on her hips. I fucked her hard, the fervent slapping of our skin made any other sound outside of the room nonexistent.Any problem we’d had didn’t have place in our little bubble that we’d created to protect ourselves.
“Nick, right there, fuck. I’m…I’m...”She reached back to hold onto my forearm. I could feel the tiny sparks of heat from her palm.
I snaked my hand between her legs to find her clit when….
Knock, knock
“Nick, we have a problem.”
I knew that voice and I had never wanted to physically assault the person on the other side of my door more than I did right now.Personal space and my best friend never went hand in hand.
Dani panted underneath me as she blew her hair out of her face to look over her shoulder. She raised her eyebrows and pressed her lips together in a guarded giggle.I let go of her body to run both hands down my face. I was sweaty and still very horny, yet I knew just staying quiet wouldn’t make him go away.
Knock, knock
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I was annoyed beyond belief. “What!”
“Nick! We know you’re in there.” My eyebrows furrowed, knowing that voice didn’t sound like Reese at all. It sounded like Elise.
I swallowed down a groan as Dani moved her lower body, grinding along my cock that was still inside of her. If they would just give me five more minutes, I could easily continue fucking her until she…
Elise’s raspy demanding voice sounded again. “Nick, I swear if you…”
“Okay, fuck. I’m coming.” I pulled out of my enticing demon and searched around for my pants.
Dani let out a soft laugh. “We were both about to, but I fear we are left equally unsatisfied.”
I tossed her panties over to her, letting out a fake laugh. “Excuse me, you came at least once.”
“Hmm…only once, what a pity.”She slowly—agonizingly—slid her panties back on, bending down in the right ways and moved her mass of curls over her shoulder.
I bit down on my tongue, two seconds away from telling both of them on the other side of the door to fuck off . I shooed Dani away from the door, pulling it open to see Reese and Elise standing side by side.
I propped my hand on the door frame. “What?”
“We,” Reese motioned his index finger between the two of us, “have to go.”
I squinted at him, not understanding. “Go where?”
My best friend cleared his throat. “In the words of our supposed leader ‘did you and Mr. Cassial forget you also have a job still. Animus Seekings are still part of our society and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to let your fellow angels do your jobs now would you?’”
“I’m pretty sure we don’t go until next week.”
Elise scoffed. “Well, it certainly doesn’t look like he gives a shit.”
I gave a quick glance over my shoulder where Dani stood and gave me a small apologetic shrug. I sighed, nodding. “Fine, I’ll be there.” I focused my attention on Elise. “Why are you here?”
She gave me tight lipped smile. “While you and Blondie here are gone, I’ll be watching her.”
“Pretty sure she can take care of herself.”
She moved her gray eyes down my body and rolled her eyes. “This coming from the guy who harbored her in this room for weeks. Yes, Nicholas I am well aware she can do things herself, yet you have a mentally deranged ex-girlfriend floating around here somewhere, so I’m just making sure that bitch doesn’t come around.” She reached up and patted my face a little too hard. “Besides, that witch is getting on my last nerve with her rules, so it called for a change of scenery.”
Dani giggled and circled around me, so she was now in view of them. “It is her house, Elise. Although, you are very sweet for wanting to keep me company. That charred heart is just coming alive piece by deathly piece.”
Elise made a gagging sound while putting up her middle finger.
Reese picked at my shoulder, pulling at the tiny, burned pieces. “Get into a fire fight?”
Dani covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Elise took a step into the room, fingering the bottom of my shirt that Dani wore. “No fire, Blondie,” she sniffed the air. “Just fucking. Like I said, horny idiots.”
I turned around, ignoring them and grabbing my jacket. Reese whistled. “Wait, so did we interrupt…”
I pushed my hand into his face and shoved him back. “Yes, you fucking did.” I grabbed the door handle and looked over my shoulder at the two demons, particularly at Elise. “Take care of her.”
Elise rolled her eyes. “I like to think I’ve been doing that for a while now.”
“I’m so very happy you two could join us.” Ariel said, placing his hands on both our shoulders.
I shrugged him off, walking around him to get near more crowds of angels. I could feel people looking at me as if they wanted to ask a million and one questions about Dani. There were only a handful that actually came up to me and spoke about her. Most people wanted to speak about me, ask me about Purgatory and Lilith. It was like they were more invested in what I had to say and what I was planning to do when it came to next steps, rather than anything Ariel had to say.
I had concluded that these people, the majority of them at least, were playing a part when it came to Ariel’s personal brand of leadership. They didn’t actually think he was the best or worthy, they were just all he had. The worst part about it was that he knew that.
“Nicholas, as I told Mr. Diniel, you have a job still. Despite you pretending like you can do whatever you like and gallivanting off to play hero, you are still just a simple sentry who made an oath to be here and perform your duties. Or would you like to look all of your fellow angels in the eye and tell them why you think you are so special that you should be exempt?”
I turned around to see the red-headed angel brushing his hands down the lapels of his jacket. Reese was signaling for me to stand down, like making a scene wouldn’t help. I felt my fist itching to connect with his jaw and maybe someday it would.
“No, that’s okay. I’m here, aren’t I?”
“That you are. I also look forward to you assisting Miss. Lakes with some ceremony proceedings. She told me that demon of yours is coming along nicely. Walls breaking and whatnot. I am quite impressed. I do hope Morgan wasn’t a shock, I can’t be there to make sure you aren’t going to pull one of your little stunts, so I had to take some precautions.” I started to walk past him, but he caught my arm. “I stopped by your house to say hello to your father earlier today. I invited him to the ceremony and from the way he acted it was like he hadn’t spoken to his son in weeks, which tells me that when I asked you to speak to your father about Jonah’s powers, you did not. How you and that demon act reflects on both of you…I would advise you to not lie to me again.”
The mention of my father made my chest tight, and I immediately started taking small breaths in and out. Ariel didn’t even like my father, so that was just out of pure spite, wanting him to see everything he had achieved . I wish I could have been there and laughed at Ariel’s farce of a power play with my father. I wish I could sit on the couch and talk about our day like we’d been doing for years. I wish there wasn’t this cloud of information withholding over our heads. I wish simply forgiving him and moving all of it aside was easier said than done. I closed my eyes for a moment and swallowed, my skin feeling a tiny bit clammy from the minor panicked moment I’d had.
I took my hand and physically removed his hold on me. “She has a name, you know.”
Ariel nodded, giving his attention to someone else in the distance. “I’m sure she does. When she proves her usefulness, I’ll make sure to care to learn it.”
I ran a hand through my hair, pulling so hard it hurt my scalp. I sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly.
Reese came over, placing his hand on my back. “Hey, do we need to do those exercise things that the angels at the infirmary told you about? Focus on a spot or counting backwards, I can’t remember which one works better.”
I shook my head, appreciating his helpful nature. “No, no, I got it. He just…he’s…”
“A dick.”
I ran my hand along the back of my neck, feeling the tiny beads of sweat. “That’s putting it nicely. His sole purpose is getting under my skin.”
“Nick.” Reese lightly hit my chest with his knuckles. I gave his hazel eyes my attention. “I promise you that one day he will say something that will make punching him in his face so fucking worth it and I won’t hold you back. I might want to punch him as well, but I’ll refrain because it will be your moment.”
I laughed, feeling the tension in my entire body start to fall away. “You’ll make sure she’s all good, right?”
“Who?”
“Dani.”
Reese looked at me confused as he put his blonde hair into a high bun. I waited for the moment of his understanding, when his eyes widened, and he nodded. “Obviously. You keep your wits about you with Morgan and the tiny psycho and I will make sure that your girlfriend is being her best hybrid self during the few hours you're gone.” One of the executives that recently got appointed to Ariel’s old position stood in front of all of us. “You may not think so, but I do like her, not like that , but like for you. I did always tell you that you needed someone with more edge.”
I nudged his shoulder. “She’s not my girlfri…”
Reese shushed me. “Yes, she is.”