Page 18 of Consorting With The Enemy

I frowned and then quickly swatted his hand away when he reached to touch my forehead. “What the fuck? Stop touching me.” I snapped. “If you want me dead, then just kill me. This…this…nice act is scarier than you ripping my wings completely out, one feather at a time.”

Nic squatted down beside the bed. “You don’t remember what happened? Any of it?” Like Gabriel, he tried to reach for me, but, again, I jerked away. No doubt it was some witch fuckery where they could cast a spell just by touching me.

“Stop trying to touch me. Stop pretending to be nice. Just stop everything,” I hissed. Leaning toward Nic’s face, I said, “I have wings, and I’m not afraid to use them, witch.” No sooner than the words left my mouth, I felt Az’s presence. Seconds later, he landed on the balcony, right next to Marchand. I watched as they whispered a few words and then in usual Marchand fashion, the fluff gave his uncle a huge hug.

So much for having Marchand on my side.

Az’s charcoal wings tucked away as he stepped through the French patio doors. His eyes, a pale blue as beautiful as any sky I’d ever laid eyes on, sought me out immediately. I watched as they widened in shock for the briefest of seconds and then he was across the room and in the bed with me before I could blink again. In his haste, he knocked Gabriel off the bed. Luckily Marchand was there to catch his lover before the witch’s very nice ass made contact with my tile flooring.

Az’s hands started roaming my entire body, searching for something…but I didn’t have a clue what it could be. “How do you feel, babe? Is everything normal? Your temperature feels good and your skin is as velvet soft as before. Your color is perfect. Here, let me see your eyes,” he demanded as he grabbed my chin and started tilting my face in one direction and then the other, looking at my eyes like they’d taken a tumble out of my head and somebody had tried to shove them back in. Actually, it kind of felt like something like that had happened.

“You promised to summon me if he started to wake up,” he snarled at Nic.

“Back off, Fallen Boy, I was about to.” Nic said. “He just woke up.”

When Az looked back at me, his eyes softened…which made me forget why I was even angry with him anyway. Well, almost forget. Accusingly, I said, “You left me. Withthem.” When Nic didn’t have a smartass comeback, I knew something was well and truly fucked up. “Wait. Why were you worried about how I felt and looked?”

“Apparently, he doesn’t remember what happened,” Nic said to Azazel.

I felt my temper rising and knew from past experience—see death of Dark Lord example—nobody would like the results of that happening. Trying to calm the frustration I felt building inside me, I focused on Az. “You need to start talking, lover. I try to be a just-roll-with-it kind of demon, but you’re pushing my limits with leaving me unattended, surrounded by creatures who’d enjoy watching me be spit roasted…and not the fun kind, either.”

Instead of laughing at my sick sense of humor, Az glanced worriedly at Nic and said, “I think you need to have thattalk. Now. I don’t like Ari thinking he’s surrounded by danger.”

Snorting out a laugh, I countered, “Oh, they aren’t exactly dangerous. I could take them all, but since I knew it would upset you, they had me at a disadvantage.” Winking at Marchand, who still hovered behind Gabriel, I added, “Except for the fluff. I like him so he’s perfectly safe whether I have an advantage or disadvantage.” No lies. I did like the hybrid cutie.

“That’s because I’m the nicest of everyone,” Marchand answered smugly. “I knew you were a good guy from the beginning.”

“Let’s not get carried away. I’m far fromthat.” I eyed the group surrounding me. “I hope nobody else has been foolish enough to forget how dangerous I am.”

Nic obviously hit his limit on putting up with my mouth. “Really? You didn’t seem very dangerous this morning when you were whimpering as Andromalius’ serpent’s poison ravaged your body, trying to transform you into a demon snake.”

Fuck, he looked so damn smug that I knew it had to be true. Memories began swirling through my head. Az waking me up, looking worried and acting strange. Me noticing my skin as it turned reptilian. Realizing what was happening to me. Begging Az to destroy me before things got too far—before I lost all mental and emotional parts of myself. The next memory slammed into me like a warlock blast. Nic and Gabriel giving me their blood.

Nic…being fucking nice.

“How?” I whispered. “I should not have been able to fight off or survive a transformation. It…it’s never happened in all the centuries I’ve lived.”

“You’re too exhausted now to fret over this,” Az said, dropping a kiss on my forehead. “In fact, I think we all are. Let’s get some rest for a few hours and then we can figure all this out.”

****

A firm knock against the door to my loft sent every creature in the room into action. Well, except for Julian, Valen, and Sacha—they were in a vampire sleep and it looked like nothing could disturb them when that shit was going on. I was up and sliding my legs into my leather pants before Marchand was able to untangle himself from Gabriel’s embrace.

“Are you expecting someone?” Az asked quietly, standing behind me…completely naked, I might add.

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t have friends, remember? Of course, I’m not expecting anyone. Put some clothes on, for fuck’s sake. I’m not going to be capable of focusing on whatever’s on the other side of that door with that beautiful package of yours distracting me.

He made no move to get dressed. “It’s a demon. I smell him,” he said.

“Yes,” I agreed. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s Jarsan. He’s an Incubus—one of my brother’s soldiers.” Az growled and his wings expanded. “Calm down. If he’s knocking on the door, then I think it’s safe to assume they aren’t planning some sort of sneak attack. My guess is they are probably asking for a surrender without further bloodshed.” I looked him up and down. “You really aren’t going to put any clothes on, are you?”

“Nope. No time. I know you, Ari. If I turned my back on you for a second, you’d be opening that door without me.” He grabbed me by the arm and said, “Now, let’s go. I can’t wait to laugh in his face if he mentions a surrender.”

I glanced toward where Nic, Gabriel, and Marchand stood together. Magic already swirled around them as they prepared to defend us if necessary. Damn, but I’d really been missing out in life without this whole friends, allies, and lovers thing. It felt fucking good to know there were people in my corner.

“Let’s see what he has to say, then.” I crossed the room and opened the door, making sure my stance appeared lazy and unafraid. Any demon worth his or her salt wouldn’t be able to turn down a sign of weakness—and fear was considered a weakness.

It looked like Jarsan had the same idea. He was leaning casually against the door frame, a sultry grin on his face. He looked like he didn’t have a worry in the world…and as sexy as ever. Out of all of Tantrum’s harem of fucktards, I’d always liked Jarsan the most. That’s probably why my brother sent him.

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