Fallen Embers (Fallen Guardians #9)

Chapter 19

Chapter

Nineteen

Fall together?

At the profound statement, Lore grunted as she moved on him, her tight sheath clamping him like a vise.

Stars! He was so deep inside her, and he still couldn’t get enough of her.

Slumberous gold eyes met his. He slipped a hand to her nape, drew her down, and kissed her deeply again, her hair falling over him, concealing them in a silky, caressing black curtain as his tongue curled around hers.

With a soft whimper, she pulled back and continued riding him, their bodies moving in perfect rhythm. The sound of wet skin slapping skin filled the room, driving his desire higher.

She leaned back, gripping his thighs, and he could clearly see her nether lips stretched around his shaft—the carnal sight had him moving his hips, shuttling harder, faster into her.

“ Yesss ! Just like that,” she groaned.

Sensation flooded him. Overwhelmed and consumed him. This female consumed him. His body tightened as he neared the edge?—

Her passion-glazed eyes met his. “Let go,” she whispered again, straightening and moving faster and faster on him, her breasts bouncing. Her inner muscles squeezed his cock.

By the dark skies! He shunted into her slick core with no finesse, just needing the end that awaited.

With a whimper, her nails dug into his abs, and she shut her eyes.

“No, open your eyes, Nia. I want to see you,” he growled.

Brilliant gold irises seared him. Her breaths quickened. “Lore, I’m coming?—”

Whatever was happening to her had his own body responding. His wings broke free from their shielding and fluttered open over the bed.

“So beautiful,” she breathed as he started thrusting harder and faster, reaching for that pinnacle?—

She cried out. Her inner muscles clenched around his shaft, releasing and clamping back even harder. A trigger to his own soaring need. A flare of white flashed like lightning, sweeping through him. He tried to hold his damn powers back.

His release barreled down his spine to his groin and exploded. Lore grunted and hung onto Nia, indescribable pleasure swamping him in a massive wave?—

His entire body—his mind—shattered into a million pieces, dispersing into the universe before it all came back, atom by atom, realigning and settling into him once again…

And he was no longer the same.

Breathing hard, he sat up and buried his face against her neck. He ran his palms over her smooth, warm skin, reveling in the tactile sensation…

“Lore,” she said huskily, and he eased back.

Some of his power blazed in her irises, streaking the burning amber with white. He wasn’t surprised, considering the way the energy stormed through him, though he’d fought not to let it all free.

“Are you all right?” she asked softly.

Words deserted him. “You…”

“I know.” She smiled.

He dropped his brow to hers. “I could stay inside you forever.”

Nia laughed. “I’d love that, but it’s not doable. I’ll need food soon.”

She reached behind him, stroking the sensitive arches of his wings, stirring him again. And he let her, knew what would happen if she continued to caress his extremities, but he wanted to see her face. He eased back a little?—

Her mouth dropped open. She blinked at the shimmering red and gold dust stuck to her fingers. “Wow. So pretty.”

He fluttered his wings, letting more angel dust shower her.

“Hey!” she squealed, hiding her face in her arms. Her shoulders shook with mirth as the glittering dust settled over her. She shone like a human’s holiday tree.

She lifted her head, eyes gleaming with merriment, her gaze skimming her arms, breasts, and his torso. “Wow, now we both sparkle. You do that often to yourself?”

“Yes. I bathe myself in angel dust during the small amounts of free time I have between jobs,” he shot back.

Her laughter broke free. The sound enfolded him in a wave of happiness, causing his heart to pound as if it would escape his chest. He didn’t understand these changes, didn’t understand himself, either. But it felt amazing, freeing…

Freeing? Lore stilled.

With a slight shake of his head, he shut all negative thoughts out and concentrated on her.

He nodded to the glimmer all over her, him, and the bed. “We never let anyone touch our wings because this happens. And public notice is the last thing we want. It can have a hypnotic effect on mortals.”

“Is that so?” A feminine eyebrow lifted, teasing laughter curving her kiss-swollen lips. “Consider me hypnotized then.”

This female. “With the Watchers’ blood in your veins, unlikely.”

Her smile lingered as she stared at the iridescent shimmer on her hands. “The last time, I barely caught anything.”

His brow furrowed. “The last time?”

“Yep.” She wiggled her fingers, and the dust scattered. “Down by the river, when the other angel appeared, you pushed me behind you. I touched your wings.”

Yes, he remembered that and the first stirring of his body. He cast her a fake-shocked stare. “And you weren’t instantly drawn to me?”

She snorted. “I think that’s a given. I mean, after I got past your impossible?—”

“Charisma?”

She huffed, then grinned. “Yeah, that, too. I meant the whole, Oh, I’m divine. I know what’s best for you …” she teased, imitating his low timbre.

“I do not sound like that.”

“See, right there!” She chortled, eyes brimming with amusement.

Stars, she was so beautiful. Still, she wasn’t getting away with that.

He pinched her butt, and she jerked. “Hey!”

Her movement caused his cock, still snug inside her, to go from semi-erect to rock hard once more.

“Really? Again?” She attempted to rise off him, but he gripped her hips, keeping her in place.

“Why? Is there someplace else you have to be?”

In a flash, he tipped her onto her back, his cock thrusting deeper into her. Her laughter resonated in the room and swept into him. He was a being of light, and yet, that sound was the purity of light itself. “It seems I can’t get enough of you.”

He slipped out of her and slid down her belly, trailing kisses along the way.

“Lore, wait-wait.” She grabbed his hair. “Give me a sec. Bathroom.”

He groaned. Wings concealed, he rolled onto his back. She scrambled off the bed and darted for the bathroom. The water ran…

Then she was back, minus her bra, which was good.

He grasped her hand and pulled her onto the mattress and beneath him. Her skin seemed a little cooler now.

He frowned, the scent of their love-making fainter. “You cleaned yourself?”

She arched a feminine brow. “Yes. But I’m sure you’ll fix that soon enough with your tongue and cock.”

Laughter rumbled free. He never laughed. She had gifted him that, too.

“Then let me put that right…” Lore moved down her body, shifted her thighs apart, and thumbed her core. She groaned and grabbed his hair as he delved his tongue between her folds, desperately wanting her again…

Afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, brightening the kitchen as Nia flipped the French toast in the pan the following day. Her muscles were pleasantly sore, a reminder of their passionate night that brought a smile to her face.

With all the energy spent after the first intense lovemaking last evening, then during the night, and this morning, she wasn’t surprised she’d gotten up so late today.

Heck, he’d taken her so many times, on the bed, against the wall, in the shower, even on the small table in the room, only stopping for food, bathroom breaks, and a short nap for her before he woke her up with his mouth again.

Who knew her angelic lover, once started, could get so creative?

Lore was insatiable.

She’d finally trudged downstairs when hunger pangs gnawed at her. Lore didn’t need food, but she certainly did. Ugh, angel stamina.

She’d left him showering, something else he seemed to enjoy.

At least he’d cleared the room free of all the angel dust?—

Light footsteps sounded as she flipped her French toast again. Nia smiled, aware that he did it so she’d hear him.

She looked over her shoulder, and her jaw slackened. Black dress pants covered his long muscular legs, and he was shirtless. His muscles shifted over the sculpted dips and ridges of his abs.

He rubbed his palm over his chest.

“I know you can just summon a shirt, and it’s instantly on you, so this…” She waved a hand over his naked chest. “Is for me?”

His metallic green eyes glinted with amusement.

Emotions, even a smidgen of them, suited him. They transformed her coldly stoic angel from handsome to drop-dead gorgeous.

“Is it working?” He joined her at the stove.

“Hmm…” She tapped her lips.

He cocked an eyebrow.

With barely an inch between them, she put her hand on his warm chest, and his fresh male scent enfolded her. Watching him watch her, she couldn’t resist, and she licked his sternum. He stilled.

Hiding her smirk and enjoying his sharp intake of breath, she lifted to her toes and kissed his jaw since she couldn’t quite reach his mouth. With a growl, he picked her up and set her on the table, his hands braced near her hips. His face close to hers. “You were saying?”

She tried to stifle her smile. “I wasn’t talking.”

“Indeed. But your eyes say everything. You are an imp.” He scooped her up into his arms, and she locked her legs around his hips.

He kissed her.

A moan broke free, and she forgot what she wanted to talk to him about as his mouth devoured hers…

An acrid odor wafted to her, hauling her out of the sensual daze.

“Oh, no, my toast!”

“It’s safe,” he murmured, sucking on her lower lip.

“Lore, let me down. That was my breakfast, I mean, lunch! It will continue to burn in a hot pan.”

He let her slide slowly down his hard body, and she rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop her smile as she darted to the stove. The frying pan had already been moved off the hot plate. Lore.

Carefully, she lifted one of the piping hot, eggy slices. The bottom was burnt to black, but the other piece was crisped to brown and edible.

“There’s food in the fridge,” he reminded her.

“I know, but I wanted this.”

She slipped the slice onto a side plate, grabbed the cup of weak coffee she’d made earlier, and reheated it in the microwave. She took a bite of her egg toast, relishing the taste, and glanced back.

Lore leaned against the counter, back to his immaculate self in all black. Even his hair was tied in a ponytail. Sadly, the shirt concealed his lickable body.

“Don’t you want something to eat?” she asked. “You’ve been here a while now and haven’t eaten anything.”

“I’m fine for now.”

Okay, then. She grabbed the coffee from the microwave, sat at the table, and sipped some of the steaming dishwater, grimacing at the flavor.

“So…” She eyed him, setting the mug down. “How exactly are angels born? You, specifically?”

A hint of a smile. “I was not born.”

“Not born?” She frowned. “Then how?”

“Angels are created. It has been eons…” His brow furrowed. “But I was formed around the same time as the Watchers.”

“Jeez, you’re old.”

Amusement glinted in his silvery-green eyes. “Yes.”

Oh, boy, those barely-there smiles were going to drive her crazy. She took another bite of her French toast and focused on her situation. “Now what?”

“Now we wait for Michael.” His gaze skimmed over her. “Do you feel any changes?”

Man, that was a loaded question.

She set her toast down. “If you mean my powers, yes, the buzz is still there, and the temperature hikes…” She scrunched her nose. “Though we did burn off some of that rioting heat and energy last night and this morning, you ambushing me without a shirt moments ago didn’t help. I’m hot again.”

“Later, we’ll work that out of you,” he said without even a hint of his usual teasing, as he walked over, pulled out a chair near her, and sat, his expression back to serious.

She eyed him warily.

“After you eat, we should work on those powers. Try and let them come forward so you know how to wield them.”

She groaned. “Must I? Why can’t we just snuggle on the couch and watch a movie on my cell? Or better yet, I’ll teach you how to play those arcade games in there?” She stuck her thumb out toward the living room. “That’ll be fun.”

“How about this? We work on your powers first. Then you can have me all to yourself.”

“Really?” She couldn’t stop her grin as possibilities rose. “You’re on.”

Ten minutes later, wrapped up in the gray puffer jacket she’d bought in town, Nia followed Lore to the front courtyard.

“Dematerialize us down to the river.”

Right. She grasped his hand and shut her eyes. From deep within her, she drew on energy that felt different, but within it, she touched a warmth so soothing that it was like a hug enclosing her. For the child who never had such closeness, she sighed, wanting to revel in its embrace.

“Nia?” Lore shook her hand, bringing her attention back to him.

“I know, I know. I wasn’t daydreaming,” she grumbled. “It’s just that I…” Tell him how happy being with him made her feel? Yeah, no. With him still adapting to emotions, she didn’t want to spook him into spreading those gorgeous wings and taking off, never to return. “I’m trying to feel for something…something different.”

“All you need to do is just follow whatever is heightened in you currently. It will happen.”

“You’re very sure about that.”

“Nia, stop arguing. Get us down to the river.”

She shut her eyes and drew on the point of surging energy within her like she had the last time she imagined the riverbank. The sensation of moving like air took hold, and a moment later, they reformed in the soft snow.

She grinned and punched the air. “Got it!”

“Now about the ruined pillow?—”

“I don’t know what happened there, okay?” Her joy faded. “I had a bad dream. Kas had caught up with me and grabbed me. I was frightened and shoved him. Sparks crackled through me. I think that’s when the pillow burned. I must have been holding it.”

She flexed her fingers, the buzzing in her palms stirring. “What type of power do you think this could be?”

“With your bloodline, it could be anything. We’ll have to see if it happens again.”

Frowning, she tramped along the riverfront, trying to make sense of everything, from what was revealed during the will reading to what Lore had said about who she was. But nothing gelled or gave her answers.

She stopped and loosened a stone wedged in the damp ground with the toe of her boot. Ugh. Possessing demon genes made more sense than having angelic ones.

“You know what?” She spun back to where he stood, watching her. “I’d rather wait for Michael to confirm this.”

“Nia, you are not of demon DNA.”

“Lore, please. Let’s just wait. Now…” She planted her hands on her hips. “Tell me what happened in the courtyard last evening. Who were those angels that attacked you, and why? Because I don’t think they know about, well, you know…” Us.

“They were testing me.”

“For what?”

“To see how far I’d go to protect you.”

Her jaw dropped. “And you killed one of them!”

“They should know better than to test me.” Cold, so cold.

She hurried back to him. “Won’t it get you pulled off guarding me? Or, worse, punished for breaking your laws?”

He shrugged. “They’ll try.”

“Dammit, Lore!” She grabbed his shirt and tried to shake him, but it was like moving a mountain. “Don’t be so blasé. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“It won’t.” He covered her hands with his. “Now, let’s try this again.”

“You’re impossible!” A burst of anger erupted at his dismissal of her concerns. She stomped back to the damp bank and glared at the flowing water with bits of ice crashing against the boulders in its path.

“Nia—”

“I’m too mad at you to talk to you right now.”

“Listen…” He touched her arm.

With a frustrated growl, she pivoted. “Don’t you get it? You could die!” She slapped her hands against his chest?—

Power slammed into her, and she flew back, hitting the ground hard, energy sizzling within like she’d touched a livewire. Nia lay there shocked, a crushing pressure in her skull causing her brain to fog with darkness. All she could do was gasp for air. A splutter of light crackled through her?—

“Damn,” she moaned as darkness threatened at the edges of her vision. He actually tasered me for smacking his chest?