Holy hellhounds, Death tasted as sinful as he looked. This brooding dark angel was turning out to be a rollercoaster of excitement. Deirdre linked her hands behind his neck, pulling him closer, and man oh man, did his body feel good pressed to hers. He was hard all over, especially the rod in his jeans, which she had every intention of impaling herself with once she got him home.
His lips were soft as silk, and as they parted, her tongue brushing his, she caught the faintest hint of cinnamon, warm and inviting. He wrapped his arms around her and glided one hand up to cradle the back of her head. For a hot minute, she thought he was going to be a gentle lover with how soft his touch was. Then he slid his other hand down to her ass and squeezed, a deep, masculine groan vibrating in his chest as he tangled his fingers in her hair.
Game on.
She pulled away, smiling playfully, and ran a finger down his chest. “You promised to take me home well before daylight.”
Azrael arched a brow, his gaze wandering down her body before returning to her eyes. “What about your car?”
“It’ll be fine in the lot. I can get it tomorrow.”
He narrowed his eyes, considering her.
No way in hell was she letting this fine specimen of a man get away without having her way with him first. He was too scrumptious to pass up. “You could fly us to my apartment. There’s a secluded alleyway we could land in, and no one will be the wiser.” She bit her bottom lip and flashed him her most seductive look.
His full lips curled into a crooked smile. “A woman after my own heart.”
“I’m not interested in your heart, cher. The rest of your body, though…” She brushed her fingertips along his wing, and he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply as if her touch was the most exquisite thing he’d ever felt.
As his eyes opened, he clutched her shoulder, turning her around before picking her up and taking to the sky. She gasped as they ascended, the wind in her hair and the feel of his arms wrapped around her exhilarating to no end.
A human would have been terrified soaring to such heights, but not Deirdre. One: this dark angel had the strength of an immortal, and for some unknown reason, she trusted him not to drop her. Two: even if he did drop her, as long as she didn’t end up impaled on a fence post or without her head, she’d survive the fall. Sure, it would hurt like hell, but the hint of danger added to the rush.
“Where do you live?” His lips brushed her ear as he spoke, and she shivered.
“555 Maple. Ground floor.”
He angled his wings, taking them across town before dropping quickly into the alley between buildings. Her knees wobbled, and she clung to his arm to steady herself.
He didn’t seem to mind, as he nuzzled into her hair, inhaling deeply and sliding his other hand down her hip. “This is the part where you invite me inside.”
She grinned and stepped from his embrace, turning around and brushing her hair behind her shoulder. “What if I’ve changed my mind?”
He chuckled. “You haven’t.”
“But if I had?”
He cupped her cheek in his hand, brushing her skin with his thumb. “Then I would bid you goodnight and fly away. Is that what you want?”
“Hell no. Let’s go.” She clutched his hand and led him through the building entrance toward her door. With a sly grin, she unlocked it and let it swing open. “Now this is the part where you rock my world.”
“Get ready for one hell of a brush with Death.”
As they crossed the threshold, he kicked the door shut and shoved her against it before crushing his mouth to hers. If she were human, the act might’ve been too rough. But, being a vampire, she could withstand just about anything he could dish out, and, Lilith have mercy, his forcefulness heated her body to the core.
She fumbled for the lock and twisted it before taking his face in her hands and kissing him like he was the last drop of blood on Earth. Speaking of blood…she’d never tasted an angel before.
Breaking the kiss, she glided her lips along his jaw before swiping her tongue down the side of his neck. She could practically smell the warm, coppery liquid through his skin, could almost taste it…
Nope. She couldn’t. Well, technically, she could if she wanted to—and boy oh boy did she ever want to—but she shouldn’t. She’d ruined one too many nights of fun by biting too soon when she was younger, and she had learned her lesson.
Sexy times first. Snack time later.
Okay, and maybe since he was the Angel of Death, she’d get his permission before she partook in the delicious life force pulsing through his veins. Whatever. A girl’s gotta eat.
Azrael found her mouth with his once more, and he squeezed her ass with one hand while cupping a breast in the other. The warmth of his palms penetrated the fabric of her clothes. There was too much fabric between them…and not enough penetration.
She yanked his shirt out of his pants and undid the buttons before pressing her hands to his chest. Soft skin, hard muscles. Yum. Running her fingers over his shoulders, she tugged his shirt downward, but it got hung up on his wings.
“How on earth do you get dressed with those things?”
He chuckled and grabbed the collar behind his neck, pulling it up over his head, and she glimpsed a breakaway panel with a cutout for his wings.
“Clever,” she mused, “but with a body like that, I don’t know why you bother with clothes.”
“I’m sure it would make my clients uncomfortable to be counseled by a half-naked angel.”
“Counseled? I thought you reaped souls and delivered them to the Underworld.”
“I’m also a grief counselor for the dead.” He reached for the zipper on her corset and yanked it down in one swift pull.
She let it fall to the floor, a little shiver running up her spine as his pupils dilated and his tongue slipped out to moisten his lips. Sweet Lilith, he’d practically devoured her with his eyes alone.
“Why would the dead be grieving?” She unzipped her pants and shimmied out of them, kicking them next to her corset.
“Because they’re dead.” He cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples with his thumbs until they hardened beneath his touch.
The sensation tingled through her body, and she tipped her head back, closing her eyes as he dipped his head and took a nipple into his mouth. “Mmm…” She unbuttoned his jeans and worked them over his hips and down his thighs before palming his dick through his black briefs.
He sucked in a sharp breath and toed off his shoes, kicking his pants aside. Now it was Deirdre’s turn to lick her lips. The man had a body that was sculpted like a…well, like an angel. Gliding her hand up then down, she slipped her fingers into his underwear, wrapping them around his cock. Damn, talk about a bone. She couldn’t wait to help him bury it.
Azrael let out a masculine groan and lifted her from the floor before carrying her deeper into the apartment. She clung to his neck, kissing him with everything she had as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He stopped in the kitchen and planted her on the countertop. His hands felt hot against her death-chilled skin, the moist heat of his tongue blazing a trail of fire across her chest. She ran her hands along the tops of his wings, and he shuddered, pulling away and looking at her with passion-drunk eyes.
“Tell me what you want.” The deep rumble of his voice vibrated through her soul.
“I want you to ram your stake so hard inside me, I forget my own name.”
He grunted and slid her off the counter before turning her around and yanking her panties down to her ankles. Kicking them aside, she spread her legs and bent over, peering at him over her shoulder. He ran a hand down her back, trailing his fingers around her hip to brush her clit.
Electricity ricocheted through her core as he circled her nub, and when he slipped two fingers inside her, she gripped the edges of the counter and leaned into him, taking them deeper. He stroked her sweet spot a few more times before pressing his tip against her and sliding in with one swift thrust.
She moaned as he filled her, his thick shaft stretching her to a pleasurable ache. Gripping her hips, he slid out slowly and slammed into her again. The feel of his skin slapping against hers nearly made her come.
“You are so fucking beautiful, Deirdre.” He pumped his hips, the delectable friction making her scream his name.
“Oh, Azrael!”
His wings unfurled, stretching nearly from wall to wall and sending a crystal vase on the far counter tumbling to the floor. It shattered on impact, and he froze. “I’m sorry. Sometimes my wings have a mind of their own.”
“No worries.” She straightened, his cock slipping out of her as she turned. “Let’s take this to the bedroom. I feel like going for a ride.” She gave his dick two firm strokes before making a come-here motion with her fingers and leading him to her bed.
He took her in his arms and kissed her again, his warm cinnamon scent filling her senses and creating a sort of calm she couldn’t recall ever feeling before. She leaned into him, backing him up until his legs met the mattress. They fell to the bed together, his wings outstretched beneath them, giving him an ethereal beauty that took her breath away.
She straddled his groin, and, rising onto her knees, she guided him to her folds and sheathed him. His eyes smoldered as she rode him, his gaze never straying from hers. With a wicked grin, he licked his thumb and pressed it to her clit, stroking it in gentle circles along with her movements.
Her orgasm coiled inside her, tightening her muscles in exquisite agony before releasing in an explosion of ecstasy. She cried out his name again, and he gripped her hips, thrusting harder and faster until he joined her in heaven.
Panting—and it took a lot to make a vampire pant—she rose and then lay by his side, resting her head on his shoulder. His feathers felt like down beneath her.
“Is it okay if I lie here on your wing?”
He inhaled deeply and turned his head toward her. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he lifted his wing, moving her closer to his body and angling it forward to wrap around her. The strange sense of calm washed over her again, and she draped her leg across his hips.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” She gently clutched one of his feathers, running her hand down to the tip.
“Yes.” He let out an unbelieving chuckle. “Oddly…yes.”
“Why is it odd?” She traced her fingers along his stomach, and his muscles tightened with her touch.
“An angel’s wings are one of the most intimate parts of his body. They’re full of nerve endings, and we don’t let just anyone touch them.” He lifted his wing and brushed his feathers up her leg. “But you aren’t just anyone.”
Her stomach fluttered at the idea that he found her worthy, which was utterly ridiculous. He hardly knew her. “I bet you say that to all your one-night-stands.”
“I assure you I do not. Nor do I have many one-night stands.”
She lifted her head to look at him. “How would you keep someone you’re sleeping with from touching them?”
“I would tuck them into my back and use my magic to make them disappear.”
“But you didn’t do that with me.”
“I didn’t feel the need.”
“Why?”
“I wish I knew the answer to that.”
“Hmm.” She rested her head on his shoulder. This dark angel was sexy enough to keep around for a while, but she didn’t dare. Anytime she felt this strongly about a man in such a short time, it meant he needed to be a one-and-done deal. She’d given her heart away once. It was a mistake she would never make again. She rose from the bed and slipped on a pink silk robe.
Azrael sat up and folded his wings behind him. “I am sorry about your vase. I’ll replace it for you.”
She sank onto the edge of the bed and kissed his cheek. “No need. It’s not real crystal anyway. I bought it at Target.”
She rested her palm against his face. “It’ll be daylight soon, and then I’ll be dead to the world for eight hours. If you want me to walk you to the door, you better get dressed.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “What if I want to stay?”
She smiled and shook her head. “You don’t.”