Page 1 of Unshaken

Prologue

“Fuck. I love the sounds of debauchery at night,” I say to myself as I inhale a deep soothing breath, then release it steadily as a smile slowly spreads across my face. I can almost taste the depravity on my tongue. The syrupy sweetness of lust coming from the whores parading their wares on the streets down below. The criminals hiding in the shadows, eager to prey on their next victim who walks past unaware of the danger.

Shaking out my arms, I push my power down through the building I’m perched on top of, one leg propped up on the ledge and the other planted on the rooftop as I close my eyes. A shudder slides over my skin as the sounds and emotions of the occupants' frustrations, rage, and despair fills me. A couple argues, a child cries out in hunger, a siren rends the air, and engines rev as cars race up and down the narrow streets a few blocks away. I live for this. I bask in the chaos humanity creates, and there is no better place for me to get my fix than from the impoverished parts of town. I let the energy flow through me, feeding my power. It makes me hungry for more.

At least here there is pure honesty about the human condition. There is nowhere to hide from society’s evils, no niceties, and no pretense. It just is, and I love it. The rich shelter behind lavish walls, their wickedness shrouded in false charity and hidden by their hollow handouts. They are the worst of them. Give me honesty, I would rather have that than a lie any day. I’m a creature of darkness, but even I know there is an integrity in truth.

A flash of light catches my attention. Easing away from the front ledge of the building, I cross over to the left side that faces the alleyway. I can already feel her mid-stride, my human guise washes over me like a second skin as I reach the edge and peer down at her.

Verity. . .

Even inside of my head her name elicits a strange stirring of feelings that I haven’t felt in a very long time. I rub at my chest, sneering at myself in disgust. There’s an empty void where my heart should be. I won’t get attached to this Witch.

I watch her climb the fire escape easily, appreciating her smooth, fluid movements. Clearly, she is someone used to moving through obstacles with ease and grace. I see she wears her Light Guardian armor as well.I guess that means she’s not staying. Good. My little jaunt topside will be at an end soon. I can almost feel the Underworld calling, the gateway could open at any moment, beckoning me to return,I think to myself as I observe my passing fancy.

Her straight black hair is up in a tight ponytail, even from this far up here I can see her light brown eyes shine in the moonlight as she gazes up to me. She wears a tactical vest over a white tank top and black combat trousers with knives strapped to both thighs. A silver sword is strapped to her back. If she had wings, she would truly be an avenging Angel. She’s stunning, with smooth dark brown skin, tall and curvy with an athletic build, and long toned legs that make my cock twitch at the thought of them wrapped around my waist.Maybe?Her Enochian tattoos run down both of her arms, from her shoulder to her elbow, lighting up blue in warning that she is approaching danger.Well, I am a monster to some.I shrug at my own thoughts as I turn away from her ascent, walking back over to the front ledge of the building, trying my best to appear indifferent to the sound of her footsteps approaching.

I shouldn’t feel for her in this way. Verity should not affect me like this. Humans are a plaything, there is no room in my long life for affection. Every couple of hundred years I get bored, and I leap at a chance to come topside to wreck a little havoc. To play a little game I like to call Chaos, Death, and Destruction. A plague here, a natural disaster there, maybe even a war, but this time around I chose a woman. How could I not? She was exquisite in her pursuit of me. As soon as I walked through the gateway, she was there, sword in hand, brave and courageous, a true warrior of the light. Ready to beat the big bad back into the Underworld.

If only she’d known what I really am, things would have gone differently that night. She should have tried harder to kill me instead of falling prey to my whims. The memory of her back arching underneath me in the grass in the middle of the woods. Her nails digging into my back, leaving her mark as I claimed her thoroughly. If I close my eyes I can still feel her pussy clenching around my cock, hips bucking to meet my insatiable demands of her body. The taste of her silky brown skin as I licked and nipped every inch of her as she writhed and begged for more. I remember her tattoos glowing brighter and brighter in warning, but she ignored them as she cried out in pleasure with my name on her lips. My human name—

“Bishop.” The sound of my name brings me out of my thoughts. Bishop, not my actual name of course, I would never give that away. I adopted the name because of my love for the game of chess. I loved the idea of being the piece on the board with the power to deliver the checkmate. To both protect and threaten the pawns, the ultimate manipulator. The name just stuck.

I turn to find her a few feet away from me, arms crossed defensively over her chest.You can’t protect yourself from me, Verity, you are mine.I take a step in her direction.

“Verity.” Her name rolls off my tongue with appreciative reverence. If I could have more time with this Witch, I would. A true mate. Strong, independent, and formidable. She would hold her own in the Underworld, and yet, she is protected. Fucking Angels.

“Don’t.” She holds out her hands as if to stop me. Her gaze searches the area like someone is going to pop out of thin air and catch us at any moment.Interesting. Do they suspect our tryst?With her being a Light Guardian, our carnal clandestine meetings are frowned upon. Forbidden. Their bloodline needs to remain pure in order to achieve Light Guardian status. To do this, her coven demands arranged marriages to other Light Guardian families. She was by no means pure when we met, but she is promised to another.

“You’ve never refused my advances before. Why now?” My eyebrow lifts with my question as I take another step towards her. Taking a deep breath, her head tilts to the side, and her eyes narrow as I take another step closer.

“This.” She gestures between us both with one hand, still managing to hold out her other to stop my progress.If only she could. I smile to myself as I close the distance between us. “This thing between us can’t last.” She huffs in frustration. Her eyes go wide, pleading with me. I know she’s not afraid of me, but the look in her eyes, the slight hint of fear, it’s tantalizing. But that’s not why she’s afraid. I realize she’s afraid because she knows she will give in to me. Before she can take another step, I am on her in a flash. My arms wrap around her waist, the sting on my skin from the Angel-blessed sword strapped to her back only excites me further.

“Tell me you don’t wantthis, puppet.” I bury my face in the crook of her neck, my long tongue licks from her collarbone to her ear. She whimpers, as her body instantly molds against mine. I catch her earlobe between my lips and pull down gently and she practically purrs in my hold. With my free hand I skim the waistband of her pants, feeling her warm soft skin under my fingers. Her breath hitches in her throat, a moan trapped between her teeth. She is trying to resist me. I can smell her arousal; her need for me hasn’t waned, despite her attempts to pull away. I know this isn’t a social visit, but that doesn’t mean I can’t play with her.

“I can’t,” she whispers, as I push my hand into her pants, my fingers slide between her dripping wet folds, and I gently brush her clit to gauge her reaction. She gasps.

“Good girl, puppet. Sing for me.” I flick her clit again, circling hard, applying the pressure I know she loves, and she rewards me with a long deep moan.

“Please, Bishop.” She moans as I push two fingers into her, pumping slowly. I can see she is struggling, as her body is warring with her mind. At the moment her body is winning, and I fucking love to give it what it needs.

I croon, “Please what, puppet?” As I watch her unravel in my arms, I take my thumb and rub her clit as I continue to fuck her with my fingers. She pants as her head drops to my chest, her breathing ragged. She’s so close to coming, her arousal runs down my fingers, pooling into my cupped hand. I increase my pace, curling my fingers inside of her, hitting that delicious spot that drives her mad. She stands on her tiptoes, allowing me easier access, my hand slipping deeper as she rides my fingers.

She tenses suddenly. “Please, stop!” she hisses between her teeth. I can feel her about to fall apart, but she clamps her legs around my hand tight, stopping me from moving. Her hands reach my chest as she tries to push away from me, but my hold on her only tightens. I’ve always loved a good fight. We play this game well she and I.

“Let! Me! Go!” she bites out, quickly grabbing one of her knives from her thigh holster she whips it up lightning fast and points it at my heart. Her Enochian markings blazing a brighter blue in warning now that we are so close together. I have no intention of holding her against her will, so I release my hold as she stumbles away with her knife still held out in front of her. As if I would follow.I am not a complete monster that I would take something not freely given. Especially not from her.I immediately question my own thoughts. I would never hurt her. What has she done to me?

I study her for a minute: her eyes are wild, she has a becoming blush, and her chest is heaving as she straightens her clothes, as if she’s trying to regain her composure. She doesn’t look up at me right away, she puts her knife away and tugs at her tactical vest, as if it is her own personal shield. Finally, she looks at me, her face is an unreadable mask, like she wasn’t about to fall apart in my arms and get lost in the pleasure I was pulling from her body. I bristle, irritated for the first time in her presence for her attempt to brush me off.

“Verity. You summoned me. You chose to meet me here. You don’t want to fuck, fine. Why am I here?” I take my fingers that were buried in her pussy not moments ago and bring them to my lips, licking them clean, savoring her taste. I wouldn’t dare clean them any other way. I let it linger on my tongue, closing my eyes, pausing mid-swallow. Something has changed, she tastes sweeter, almost like—I take a deep breath once more, subtly, not wanting to alert her to my findings, my ears zero in on the tiny flutter inside of her body. My seed has taken root inside of her. My child. Oh. I see. Now it all becomes clear. Now I understand why she’s come here in haste tonight.

“I summoned you here to end this.” Her voices shakes and wavers because I know for damn sure that’s not what she wants. “You know I am promised to marry someone else. This wasn’t supposed to happen. You-you seduced me.” She shakes her head, her hand rubs at her temple, clearly agitated.It’s because she knows.She knows she is pregnant and now she has to hurry and marry her Warlock to cover up her indiscretion. It infuriates me but I won’t show it. Not here, not now, I refuse to give in to those emotions. This was supposed to be nothing, but now it is so much more. This is forbidden, yet it does present an opportunity. I smile. I let my own impassive mask slide over my face. She’s made her choice.

“You should go. Don’t let me hold you here. You owe me nothing. Marry your betrothed, live your life. I have sullied you enough, don’t you think.” I arch my eyebrow as she frowns at my words. Now that I know the truth, there is no need to linger. She opens her mouth but closes it. I know she wants to say more, I can feel it, but she backs away from me, not giving me her back. It appears what little trust we had between us is gone. What a shame.

“You should leave. The Angels know I didn’t kill you. That I failed and you escaped me. I’ve kept them off your trail for months. No more. They will be coming for you.” She finally looks up to meet my eyes, and for a brief moment there is sadness there. My heart beats just a fraction faster from the slight change in her facial expression, but within the blink of an eye it’s gone. Only indifference is left behind.

I nod my head, acknowledging her words. “Until next time, puppet.” She scoffs at my words as she leaps from the ledge, trying to get away from me as fast as she can. I rush over and peer down, watching her scale the grated steps down to the ground. She stops and takes one last look up at me, and there’s tears in her eyes. I keep my face expressionless, giving her nothing as she turns away and dematerializes in a bright beam of light.

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