Page 30 of Reaper Unhinged
He bridged the distance between us and stopped inches from me.
I tipped my chin up. “Did you miss me?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “A little, I guess.”
I bit back a smile. “A-huh? Yeah, I’ve been super busy too.”
His mouth turned down as if he was considering this. “I get that. No time to dwell, really.”
“Right. So just to get this straight…” I pushed up on tiptoe, so our lips were a hairbreadth apart. “You had no time to think about touching me?”
“No.”
“Kissing me?”
His hands strayed up to bracket my hips, fingers digging in slightly. “Not a moment.”
“Of being naked on top of me?”
One hand swept up my spine, fingers raking up into my hair.
I bit back a moan. “Of being deep inside—”
He twisted a fist in my hair and crushed his mouth against mine. The kiss was bruising and intense, salt and ale as his tongue rasped against mine. He grabbed my ass and yanked me flush against his arousal. Heat spiraled down to the juncture of my thighs and settled in a deep throb.
I tore my mouth away from his. “Mal—”
He cut me off with another kiss, his grip unrelenting and filled with intent as he propelled us backward into the shadows and up against a tree. He broke the kiss and dropped his mouth to my neck. His fangs grazed my throat, and my nipples tightened painfully in anticipation of his bite.
“Fuck.” He pulled away and released me. “Fuck, Fee.” He ran a hand through his hair. He let out a bark of laughter. “I really missed you.”
I sagged against the trunk. Why did he do this to me? How could he make me lose my mind like this?
He took several steadying breaths and then held his hand out to me. “We should get something to eat and catch up.”
I laced my fingers through his, and he pulled me to him, wrapping me in the perfect Mal hug.
I relaxed against him, reveling in the contact. “I missed you.”
“I missed you more, Fee. I missed you more.”
* * *
The Den was litby lanterns dotted around the room, giving it a seedy air, which was apt considering the clientele. Rough-looking demons played cards and dice games. Blades sat snug on hips, ready in case a throat needed cutting. But overall, the atmosphere was relaxed and almost pleasant. Food was consumed and ale drunk, and no one batted an eyelid at the sight of a female accompanied by four hulking males. Keon, on the other hand, drew a couple of curious glances, but he bared his fangs and hissed, and that was that.
“Aren’t you worried someone will recognize you,” Uriel asked him.
“In this den of uncouth souls? No. To them, I’m just a filthy daemon.”
And it wasn’t long before we became part of the furniture. Keon had been right. This was the perfect place to blend in and hold a super-secret important meeting.
I sat between Mal and Azazel with Keon and Uriel opposite. My belly was full of stew and bread, and the ale had gone down nicely too. Stories had been swapped, and pertinent information traded, and we knew what needed to be done.
It felt like a last supper before we went off to potential death because none of us knew what to expect. Limbo was a mystery, and Mammon’s pickup could involve a number of nasty surprises. Azazel and Mal had come with a troop of soldiers ready to fight if need be. They were stationed a fifteen-minute flight from the rendezvous point, and Limbo was a fifteen-minute flight from this tavern.
It was almost time for us to part ways, and my heart sank. I wasn’t ready for this moment to end. I wasn’t ready to dive into danger just yet.
Mal’s hand slipped onto my thigh. He squeezed gently and then drained his tankard of ale. “I hate this. There’s a reason no one goes into Limbo. It’s one of the most dangerous spots in the Underealm.”
