Page 68 of Asmodel

Asmodel’s heart ached at the sight of the grimace of disgust on her pretty face. Where did his soft, agreeable female go? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Now that she wasn’t in his arms, the stench of smoke and ruin of the city filled his lungs. He opened his eyes, and her unwavering stare held him hostage. Her determined, blatant intent seared into his soul. He only wished he was strong enough to deny what she demanded. But he was man enough to admit he wasn’t. The bleak thought of separating from her made the decision for him.

“Alright.” He hung his head. May the goddess of the underworld, Ereshkigal, grant him mercy in the afterlife. “We’ll face this together. But please, understand why I wanted to take you to Earth in the first place. It’s not because I don’t need you. It’s because I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you. If you got hurt, it’d be all my fault.”

Izzy ran into his arms.

He tightened his hold on her and rested his head on hers before she pulled back, loosening the hug for her to look up at him. The pain in his stomach went away when her disarming smile replaced the pinched expression thinning her lips.

“Oh gosh, Asmodel. This isn’t just about you. Don’t you see I feel the same way about you? I can’t stand the thought of you being away from me when all this is happening.” She wiped a lone tear from her eye. “I can’t imagine being anywhere but at your side as we fight for our lives. Without you, I’d be lost, my love.” She sniffled.

He didn’t have the words to refute that statement. No, wait. There was only one word that mattered. She’d called him “my love”. No one ever said that to him… justhim. While he and his brothers had a deep and abiding love for each other, they never went around saying it. His only response was to pull her back into his arms, where she belonged.

As they held each other in the ruins of Panterion Prime, Asmodel allowed a flicker of hope to spread. Maybe she was right. The only way to defeat evil was together.

Izzy relaxed in Asmodel’s secure embrace. She grinned at the conflicting expressions crossing his handsome face. Typical man. It must be hard for him to verbalize his feelings, so he relied on the physical. Not that she cared. She hugged him tighter. Physical was good. There’d be plenty of time to guide him on the freedom of expressing his feeling verbally later. Once things calmed down and the threat to their way of life was gone, then she’d take off the PsyShields and encourage him to use his psychic mojo and merge his consciousness with hers.

She shivered. What would that be like? Making love in real life instead of inside what he called a Dreamwalk. She licked her lips and snuggled her face against the hard hills and valleys of his wide chest. That would be a fantasy come to life. She’d read many a paranormal romance where the two lovers enjoyed such a thing and longed to experience something like that herself.

“What are you thinking of, Bella, to make my body react like this?” Asmodel captured both of her buttocks in his large hands and pulled her close enough to feel his hardness pressed against her stomach.

Izzy buried her nose, her face heated. “Oh, my stars. Are you reading my mind?” His firm pecs muffled her mortified voice.

He leaned back and put his finger under her chin.

Her eyes widened at his sensual smile that made her womb clench.

“I don’t have to read your mind when your luscious scent tells me everything I need to know.” Still keeping her in his arms, he whispered into her ear, “I know of a perfect place on Raxx’s ship where we can explore each other to our hearts’ content.” He nipped the lobe of her ear. “If you’re willing, that is.”

“Willing?” Izzy took a deep breath for courage. “Oh no, I insist.” Her internal shivers intensified. Lordy, she wasn’t normally a demanding person. What if she drove him away?

“Oh, myalma gemela. You take my breath away.” Asmodel’s voice was rough. Then he kissed her. His lips drifted over hers in a sensual exploration.

Without hesitation, she peeked her tongue out to run over his lower lip, tasting his masculine musk.

Asmodel’s tongue slid against hers in an erotic dance.

Izzy groaned at his demanding kiss and rubbed her aching breasts against his ironclad chest. Her core spasmed harder, dampening her panties.

“Damn, people. Wait ‘til we get to the ship, will ya?”

Izzy gasped and pulled back at Raxx’s laugh. She put her fingers over her wet and swollen lips. She’d forgotten where they were. Her face burned as she regarded Asmodel. His sharp, almost flawless features were relaxed, his eyes glowing with adoration.

“We’ll take you up on your offer, Raxx.” Asmodel answered the man standing behind him without taking his dilated hazel eyes from hers. He brought the back of her hand up to his mouth for a light kiss. “Isn’t that right, my Bella?”

Mute, the only response Izzy could give was a nod.

He placed her hand into the crook of his arm and turned to face Raxx.

“Raxx—” He walked them over to the smuggler and followed him back to the scikvak. “How fast can you get us to the chancellor’s palace? We’ve got to tell them what Prisma-Solara told us that would turn the tide against Lord Baelon.”

Raxx nodded, for once his expression serious, as he scratched the five o’clock shadow on his chiseled jaw. “Well, that all depends. The QLR is low on Etherium. Don’t suppose you got some around here, do ya?” They reached the other group, but he directed the question to no one in particular.

“We have a very limited supply,” Jaltaar supplied. “What do you need it for?”

Raxx’s expression turned blank. “My ship. Can’t leave home without it.”

“He needs it for the QLR installed on his ship.” Prisma-Solara studied the smuggler with a knowing look in her eyes. “To show my good intentions, I can create as much Etherium as you need.” She glanced at Jaltaar. “That is, if you don’t mind showing me where you house the mineral.”

“Hey! How did you know that?” Raxx’s jaw clenched.

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