Chapter 24 #2
My gaze roams over Madden’s face, taking in the way he’s holding himself. He looks like he’s about to take a dagger to the heart, and I feel guilty. “He said maybe my memories aren’t gone. What else could that mean?”
“I don’t know, Skully. Maybe he thinks they’re locked.” His hand squeezes mine one more time before reaching for his burger.
Following Madden’s lead, I grab up my BLT and take a bite before moaning at how great it is. Madden’s eyes snap to me, and he grins.
“Good as you remember?”
I nod and swallow before smiling at him. “Yup. I do remember this.” We both laugh and keep eating. I ask him about swimming, and he asks about my photography. We keep it light and forget for a while about what is waiting for us in our world.
A vibrating buzz sounds from his pocket, and Madden brings his phone out. Concern flashes on his face as he answers it. “Aero. What happened?”
I flag our server for the check, and she brings it over. I try to give him space as they talk, but I can hear the urgency in Aero’s voice down the line.
“Call Heath too,” Madden says, his gaze lifting to mine. “Skully and I will head there now.”
He grabs the check and throws down cash before helping me out of the seat. Madden’s hand rests on my lower back while he escorts me outside. Snowflakes fill the air, and there’s a dusting already covering the windshield.
“What happened?”
“The Gate was punctured. Someone did this. A few demons escaped. The hounds are hunting, but it’s all hands on deck. The less the council knows the better,” Madden explains while we walk to the passenger side of the car.
“Are you sure you want me there?” I ask, feeling nervous about what this could mean.
“Yes, we need you, Skully,” Madden answers.
I take a step around him then freeze. Red. A pair of red eyes are materializing on the road. “Madden.” I manage to get his name out right as the rest of the black, solid looking body forms in place. It growls, low and viscous. Madden moves in front of me, pushing me behind him.
“What the fuck?” he breathes out, his body tensing. “Stay behind me, Skully.”
“This isn’t normal, is it?” I ask, my fingers curling into his jacket.
Madden shakes his head, still never taking his eyes off the Hell Hound. The hound takes a step toward us. “I want you to run, Skully.”
“I can’t—”
“You can. When I say run, you run. Get inside a church or something considered sacred. Then call Aero.” He cuts me off, his body already shuffling backward, pushing me farther away from the hound.
“What about you?”
His hand squeezes my arm. “I just need you safe.”
My breath hitches in my throat, and the dog barks. His paws prance against the snowy road. It bares its teeth.
“Run.”
I turn, sprinting away as fast as I can.
The skirt on my dress whips around my legs while my boots clack against the road.
The chilled air burns my lungs and melting snow drips down my face, but I keep going.
Pumping my arms, I let the muscle memory of my runs in California take over, seriously wishing I hadn’t given it up when I moved here.
A dog’s barking and growling follows me, and I push harder.
My heart screams for Madden, but I force myself to keep going.
I’m miles down the road when the noise stops.
My eyes bounce around, realizing I’m completely alone on a deserted town road.
Time seems to stop; the snowflakes in the air hover.
A bark grabs my attention, and I whip around.
In the middle of the road, the Hell Hound is watching, me and I’m all alone.
My eyes meet its eerie red ones. Its large head cocks to the side, watching me too. My pulse hammers so loud in my ears I can’t hear anything else. My hands ball into fists, but it does nothing to stop my magic from sparking between my fingers. The hound takes a step back.
“Oh, you don’t like that?” I ask, flipping my palm up and creating a dancing flame of magic right in my hand. The hound’s head moves up and down, but it still doesn’t move.
“Run along, puppy,” I tell it. Its teeth push forward, almost as if in a smile before it disappears.
“Skully!” Madden’s voice is ragged, my name sounding like it was torn from his throat when he finds me.
My hands reach for him, but he’s already pulling my body to his.
One of his hands fists my hair, and the other wraps under me, hoisting my body off the ground.
My arms wrap around his neck, and I let him hold me.
“Are you okay?” I breathe against his neck, feeling his heart racing against my chest.
He sets me down on my feet, his hands moving to cradle my face. “I’m fine. Are you okay? Please tell me you’re okay, Angel.”
I nod, wrapping my arms around his waist. He holds me tight, breathing deeply. His phone vibrates against my stomach. Without moving out of my hold, he plucks his phone from his pocket and answers it.
“No, it’s gone. At the Gate?” Madden practically growls. “Are you sure? So all three of them went through?”
Madden glances down at me, his lips gently touching the crown of my head. “I’m taking Skully home. Let me know if anything comes up.”
They hang up, and Madden holds onto me while we shimmer back to his car. I get in, and he guns it back onto the road back to River Falls.
Madden walks me to my door, and I still refuse to let go of him. Not that he’s stopped touching me, reassuring himself that I am still with him, the entire drive back. “I need to stay with you tonight, Skully. I can’t.” He shakes his head, dropping his forehead to mine. “I can’t be away from you.”
“I want you to stay,” I tell him, letting another piece of my shield fall away.
Madden places his hand against the lock on my door, and it pops open. My eyes widen, but he just smirks before his hands band around my waist, lifting me off my feet. My legs wrap around his waist effortlessly. “My room’s that one.” I point over my shoulder.
He carries me down the short hallway and into my room.
Once my door closes, I let my body slide down his, feeling every hard ridge of him.
He pushes closer until my back rests against the wall.
His head drops to the crook of my neck, his lips softly pressing against the sensitive skin.
“I should walk away. I don’t deserve any part of you yet, but fuck, Skully, having my hands on you again is the best thing in the world. ”
Shivers break across my skin from the low rasp of his voice. I can feel his need tinged with desperation in the way his fingers dig into my thigh. He is holding me possessively, reverently, like he doesn’t want to ever let me go. My magic practically preens inside my chest.
“Let me taste you, Angel,” he growls, voice thick with emotion. “Let me have just that again.”
My body trembles in his hold, every nerve in my body is screaming how right this is.
How much I want him too even if I shouldn’t.
Madden slowly lowers to his knees in front of me, lifting my dress just enough to press a kiss to my stomach.
My muscles quiver under his touch, and a soft whimper leaves my lips.
His hands slide to my hips, his fingers curling under the band of the silky black panties I had put on only hours before.
My hands make fists against his broad shoulders; yet, I don’t push him away.
Madden’s fingers start to drag my panties down my legs to my feet, where he helps me step out of them. My hands reach for the top of my thigh-high stocks, but his hand closes over mine.
“Those stay on, Skully.’
My head drops back against the door right as a moment of panic takes over. “Wait, Madde. I—just… have I, or have we… I’ve never done this before.”
Madden’s body stills. “Look at me, Skully,” he demands, his voice raw, dark, and gritty. My eyes snap open, and I look down at him, feeling my cheeks heat seeing his head between my thighs. “That’s my girl,” he praises me, and I swear I’m going to pass out. “It’s only ever been you, Angel.”
I swallow past the emotions thick in my throat and the relief I feel at knowing this part of my past. Before I can process or ask anything else, Madden pushes my dress back up, baring me to him.
My teeth sink into my bottom lip, never taking my eyes off of his.
The first brush of his tongue against my bare pussy makes my knees tremble; my stomach heats and pools lower in my belly.
“Fuck, you taste as good as I remember,” Madden groans, gripping my thigh tighter, placing it over his shoulder and spreading me open, so he can taste me better. I moan again when his tongue finds my clit, flicking and sucking until my hips are writhing against his face and my legs are shaking.
My hand fists into the material of his shirt and the other twists in the silky strands of his hair. “Yes, Madden, please don’t stop.” I’m begging and holding on for dear life.
“Never,” he murmurs against me, his lips grazing my sensitive skin. “Nothing could ever make me stop. I can never get enough of how sweet you taste.”
I love every word he says to me as he builds me up only to fall apart with pleasure. His mouth on me is electric, and it sends shockwaves through me. My magic pushes out, touching his, greeting his shadows as they both seep into the room with us. Uncontrolled and free.
“Come for me, Skully,” Madden orders, his voice raw and demanding. His eyes are pitch black when we make eye contact, his face absolutely destroyed by what he’s doing to me. “Let go, Angel, and let me taste your cum.”
His fingers dig so hard into my skin, I know I’ll have bruises, but I don’t care.
My body gives into Madden’s order and I shatter beneath his ministrations.
My body shakes, and my knees start to buckle as waves of pleasure crash over me.
Madden’s mouth stays on me, licking me through the most intense orgasm I can remember.
When he pulls away, I’m boneless, sinking into the wall.
Madden’s arms slip under me, lifting me again like I weigh nothing and bringing me over to my bed.
Setting me down, he kneels in front of me, removing my boots and my stockings before reaching for the hem of my sweater dress.
I let him undress me completely, my body hungry for his.
I’m surprised and almost disappointed when he stands and takes off his long sleeve shirt only to drop it down over my head.
I blink up at him and find him smirking at me.
“I… what about you?” I shift on my bed, my hands reaching out for him.
His hand grasps my jaw, bringing my gaze back to his. “Next time. Believe me, Skully, giving you pleasure was just as good for me as it was for you.” He glances down and I follow his stare to the small wet patch on his jeans. A blush floods my cheeks.
“I’m sorry, I should have taken care of you too.”
Madden leans down and places a gently kiss on my lips.
I can taste myself and the intimacy of that is almost more than what we just did.
I can barely look him in the eyes, but Madden doesn’t give me the chance to hide.
His hand moves from my jaw to my neck, his fingers spreading out wide, holding me in place. My eyes widen and snap back to his.
“Stop overthinking it, Angel.” He leans down so we’re eye to eye. “We have time. Plenty of time to relearn how good we make each other feel. I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
“Will you still stay with me tonight?” I ask, feeling slightly vulnerable. Madden’s lips turn up in a smile.
“You couldn’t make me leave now even if you tried. Let me just clean up quick, and I’ll be right back.”
I nod, watching him walk toward my door and to the bathroom across the hall.
I listen to the water run before it turns off again.
A few minutes later he’s back, without his shirt on, and up close, I can finally take in his various reaper markings.
My eyes trace over the different swirls, the designs, the black raven posted broadly on his back shoulder blade.
“Like what you see?” He quirks a brow at me, obviously knowing I’ve been checking him out.
I dip my head, biting my lips nervously. “Yes.”
Madden smiles smugly before tossing his body on the bed next to mine. I roll toward him, so we’re facing each other. His arm slides around my waist, pulling me closer.
“I was looking at your reaper markings,” I tell him, while he watches me intently. My hand moves and raises his shirt on my arm to where my marks sit, surrounding the faint scar. “What do they mean?”
“Mostly they’re just family representation. Things we’re passionate about. There’s always a symbol of our power and position, and any bonds we have. Everything that makes us who we are, written in flesh,” he explains. My eyes look over my own marks.
“You have a purple star,” I point out to him.
Madden nods, his eyes never leaving mine.
“I do too.” My fingers trace over the little row of stars that sprout from my wrist to my elbow.
All of them are black except for one. Just like his.
I want to ask him more, but my eyes are already growing heavy.
“Sleep, Skully,” Madden whispers against my temple. His arm tightens around me and he places a kiss in my hair. “Sleep. I’ll never let anything hurt you ever again,” he whispers.
My mind shouts at me, but everything inside me is already relaxing, turning sluggish, giving into his command. I do want to sleep, and with Madden’s warmth and his scent surrounding me, my body gives in.