Chapter 9
Michael couldn’t control the rapid beating of his heart as he made eye contact with Aurora and saw the smile appear on her beautiful face. She was happy to see him… he hadn’t made the wrong decision to come so soon.
Tracing to the ground, he approached the entrance of the condominium and waited in the large lobby for her. His eyes slid closed in bliss the closer she got to him and when the elevator chimed its arrival, he turned just as the doors opened.
Aurora stepped out of the elevator and did the first thing that came to mind. She ran out and wrapped her arms around his neck. Ignoring the knowing smiles of the people around them, she pulled her legs up and wrapped them around his waist as she urgently kissed him.
Michael inhaled sharply and tightened his arms around her. Getting a rather wicked idea, he carried her back into the open elevator as their kiss intensified. Reaching behind him, he pressed a random button and waited for the doors to close. When he felt it move, he pushed the button to stop it between floors. Stepping forward, he pressed her back until she was flush against the wall and groaned heatedly.
He needed to stop this but by god, he didn’t have the power nor did he want to. Michael tilted her head back to deepen the almost frantic kiss.
Aurora untangled her legs and used one hand to push the pajama pants down over her hips. When the cloth pooled around her ankles, she kicked until it fell away from her feet. Wrapping her legs back around his waist, she made quick work of his zipper and freed the part of him that she craved and wanted deep inside her.
Using her legs as leverage, Aurora lifted herself up and used her hand to position his manhood just right before slowly sinking down on it inch by tight and glorious inch.
Michael jerked back from the kiss to inhale sharply and locked gazes with her. She had done it to him again. Her soft moan echoed in the enclosed elevator and her lips parted as her breath quickened. Maintaining eye contact, he gripped her hips, his fingers pressing softly into her skin and lifted her further against the wall.
He couldn’t resist the sexy smile that appeared on his lips before thrusting up into her tight heat nor could he look away when Aurora tossed her head back and moaned in pleasure. The sight was once again breathtaking and Michael felt himself harden even more if that was possible. The way her blonde hair bounced around her face with each thrust and the elevated sound of her moaning inside the small hollow room was driving him closer to the edge.
Knowing it wouldn’t be long before they were discovered by the maintenance crew, Michael began a hard, deep rhythm that would ensure both of them were sated before maintenance could flip the reset switch and have the elevator moving again.
Michael growled loudly when the urge to bite her hit him. He quickly captured her lips with his in order to quell the desire and released a ragged moan of his own. After several minutes of deep thrusting, Michael deepened the kiss, inhaling her screams of rapture that would have escaped the enclosure.
He felt a short jolt in his feet which was quickly followed by the downward motion of the elevator.
Aurora wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tighter as she rode out her final moments of pleasure. They pulled back and looked at each other than glanced over at the elevator pad.
Michael quickly set her off of him and helped her pull her pajama pants back on as she leaned back against the wall in a daze. He had just gotten the material back up around her waist and his own pants zipped when the doors slid open.
Putting on his best frown, he directed it at the two men standing on the other side of the door holding their tool boxes.
“It’s about time you fixed this thing,” he said. “I have a very important appointment to get to.”
Aurora held in her smile at Michael’s expression coupled with the words as they walked past them and into the lobby.
Michael saw her reaction and smirked openly before wrapping his arm around Aurora’s waist to give her support. He’d noticed that her knees were still weak and led her over to one of the guest sofas. He blinked wondering if they would ever be able to have a normal meeting without attacking one another or if it would always be like this. At least this time she hadn't disappeared on him and he could enjoy her afterglow.
Aurora took a moment to catch her breath and finally calmed down long enough to take in his handsome appearance. As she looked at him, she remembered what Skye had told her about getting to know the devastatingly handsome man that had saved her from Samuel. Her lips parted to say something, but for the first time in a long time she felt a twinge of shyness.
“I see you and Skye already have a place to stay,” Michael said softly. “I was worried and wanted to be sure the both of you were all right.”
Aurora nodded and leaned closer, “Yes, Skye said the Fallen named Dean gave him the apartment and Skye is going to help me get more acquainted with this world. It used to be so different from what it is now. There’s so much to learn and so much I don’t know… it’s confusing sometimes.”
“So he’s teaching you?” Michael asked seeing the thirst for knowledge flare in her intelligent eyes.
Aurora understood what he was asking and looked down shyly, “Yeah, he’s even offered to take me to the library so I can read the books like he does. Skye says that with books, I will learn everything I need in a short amount of time and I won't feel so confused.”
It suddenly dawned on Michael just how to get her to come home with him. He hid the mischievous smile that was pulling at his lips. “If you wish, I have a large library of books at my home. You and your brother are welcome to come any time you are ready.”
“Is it the place that demons can’t get to?” Aurora questioned remembering the other people that lived there.
She still felt bad for what she had done to the blond haired man and bit her bottom lip. He’d given her sanctuary and had come with Michael to help save her from Samuel. Just the fact that he would do something like that after she’d attacked him on their first meeting made Aurora think of him as someone safe.
Michael shook his head with a soft smile, “No, I’m not talking about where we were together on the roof. That’s my family’s home… my brothers live there with their mates and while I do have a room there, I’ve never had a reason to use it. I have a separate residence where I live alone and yes, it is also protected from the demons. You will have all the privacy there you could ever need or want. I would like for you and Skye to come.”
Aurora felt a tingle of excitement at the thought of going anywhere with Michael and she had promised Skye he could teach her to read the books like he does.
“You have a lot of books?” she questioned so she could tell Skye and persuade him to go there with her.
“Yes,” Michael answered. “They will tell you the history of this world, everything you’ve missed… and so much more.”
“I’ll tell him that I’d like us to go to your house instead of the library then,” Aurora smiled feeling like she’d just been granted a wish. “Skye will like that too because upstairs… he told me that I am supposed to get to know you because I love you so much.”
Michael tilted his head at the way she had just said that and realized she was so innocent that she didn’t have a clue what she was doing beyond what Samuel had taught her. She was like an angel fallen from Heaven even though she had been through the truest pits of hell. He inhaled deeply deciding he wanted to be the one to teach her everything. This would give him the perfect opportunity.
“I also want to know you because I love you so much,” Michael smiled in wonder.
Aurora looked up at the ceiling then back at Michael, “We are going to talk to the other Fallen so I’ll ask Skye to bring me to your house afterward. Is that okay?”
He nodded and reached for one of the brochures littering the lobby table beside them and grabbed a pen. He quickly jotted down his address and telephone number.
“This is where I live. Skye will know how to find it,” he said handing the paper to her.
Aurora looked at the strange writing on the paper Michael gave her and knew Skye would be able to read it and take her there.
“My phone number is on there too,” Michael said softly then noticed a demon in human form watching them from the doors of the lobby.
Its black eyes roved over Aurora and he felt a rush of anger. When the demon’s eyes locked on his it turned and fled out the door. Michael knew he had to follow and kill it for so much as gazing in Aurora’s direction. He stood up not wanting to linger and give it a chance to escape.
Aurora quickly stood up and grabbed his hand to stall him. “We will come to your house soon,” she said smiling at the happiness she was feeling.
Michael raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed her soft skin. “If I could only speed up time,” he winked before releasing her and following the demon out the door.
Aurora watched him go and held onto the piece of paper with a tight fist. Once he vanished from view, she returned to the elevator eager to tell Skye about their invite to Michael’s house.
***** Kriss stood at the window looking down into the penthouse where Skye and Aurora were staying. He wasn’t a voyeur but he found himself just as concerned about the two Fallen as Dean had been. Once Dean explained what he was thinking and gave voice to his emotional standing, Kriss had backed off on the jealousy he’d been feeling. The passion that had followed the confusion may have had something to do with it as well.
“Watching them again?” Dean asked and wrapped his arms around Kriss’ waist from behind. He hissed at the pain that still sizzled in his forearm but just as quickly pushed it from his mind.
“Michael just walked in for a visit and it looks like Aurora’s gone downstairs to see him,” Kriss answered having heard Dean’s hiss of pain. He gently caressed the injured arm wishing he could take the pain away.
Dean hummed, “By all accounts she is Michael’s mate. I’m surprised she chose to stay with Skye instead of leaving with him.”
Kriss shook his head, “Something seems to be off about him.”
Dean frowned and tightened his arm around Kriss, “You mean Michael? I think your jealousy is running rampant again.”
“Jealousy has nothing to do with it this time,” Kriss said honestly.
They watched in silence for a few minutes until Michael came back out of the building. His steps were hurried as he took off down the sidewalk before ducking out of sight into an alley.
“What the hell?” Dean whispered and narrowed his eyes.
“You saw it too,” Kriss said cryptically as Dean’s arms disappeared from around him.
Before he could take another breath, he was alone within the apartment. He kept his sights on Skye’s apartment and sighed in relief when he saw Aurora walk in and give something to Skye. He turned his gaze in the direction Michael had taken just in case Dean might need him.
Michael drained the demon in record time and took a deep breath. He lifted the lid of the nearest dumpster and tossed what was left of the body into it, slamming the lid and gripping the edge as the rush came. He slowly opened his eyes when he felt a familiar presence appear next to him and turned his head to face the mouth of the alley.
“Hello Dean,” Michael said conversationally.
Dean frowned, “Since when did you start bleeding demons in order to kill them?”
“As long as the demon is dead, what does it matter,” Michael stated already feeling defensive. “Maybe they taste good.”
“Any specific reason why?” Dean asked and crossed his arms over his chest.
“They think I’m a vampire, so I’m just living up to their expectations of me,” Michael said with a wicked smirk as he looked back at the dumpster. “Besides, I caught this one looking at Aurora. You want me to protect her… don’t you?”
“Yes,” Dean frowned as he watched Michael’s soul stretch right before his eyes as if it were powering up. He could almost swear it was reaching out for him. Dean didn’t move but he remained wary of the soul light leaning toward him. “There are demons out there that would love to possess one such as her and Skye.”
Michael looked at him with wild eyes, “Not if I kill them first.”
Dean blinked at the sudden change in Michael and the Sun God vanished. He rushed out onto the sidewalk and looked around for him but Michael was gone without a trace. He glanced up using his heightened sight to find Kriss watching him from their apartment.
“Not good,” Dean mouthed and headed back across the road.
When Dean disappeared from the street below, Kriss walked over to the counter and grabbed the bottle of Heat Envy had given him. He had a feeling they were going to need it. He poured two glasses full and lifted one of them to Dean as he walked through the door.
“What’s not good?” Kriss asked.
Dean turned his glass up and downed the whole thing before answering, “Remember the calm, levelheaded Michael we have both come to know?”
Yes,” Kriss said warily, not liking the tone of Dean’s voice.
“Well, I think I just met his evil twin,” Dean made a face.
Kriss shook his head, “What?”
Dean nodded, “And he’s found a new nifty way to kill demons. I just watched him drain one and toss the body in a dumpster without a second thought.”
Kriss refilled both their glasses and sat down on the barstool turning it toward Dean. “Okay, how do we know that’s not how he’s always killed them?”
“Good point, but either way, something was definitely wrong with him just now. His soul was… twisting… like it was trying to reach for me. Maybe Kane would know,” Dean slid off the barstool but stopped when Kriss gripped his wrist. He looked back at Kriss and sighed, “I know, you want to go see Tabatha. Fine, I’ll ask them to come over. While you and Tabatha catch up, I’ll talk to Kane.”
“Tell them to come over this evening and I’ll cook for everyone,” Kriss said. “Then you can calmly broach the topic with Kane and it not look like you’re overly worried.”
“You don’t have to worry about Kane thinking I’m snooping. He actually likes me better than you,” Dean smirked knowing Kane and Kriss still had an underlying tension between them.
Kriss’ expression melted into one of horror, “But… but… EVERYONE likes me.”
“That’s because they don’t know you.” Dean shot back and actually laughed when Kriss tackled him to the carpet.
***** Tasuki leaned back in his chair and lifted his hand over his mouth trying to stifle another yawn but failed miserably. He glared out the window at the mid-day sun and resisted the urge to put on his sunglasses. It didn’t matter what time of the day it was when the person was closing in on three days without sleep… it found you no matter how hard you tried to hide from it.
He’d just spent the last couple hours showing Jade the map PIT had put together of demon hot spots around the city. Whenever she had a question, he would fill her in on some of the stuff he knew and give her as many details as he could. He was starting to get the feeling that one of the reasons Jade had so many questions was the fact that she was avoiding Titus… not that he blamed her.
Micah had gladly pulled him away a while back and filled him in on Titus and his short lived jail sentence. The cougar then promised to slip him a copy of the security video but Tasuki had a feeling he would miss the humor of what he saw and declined. The less he knew about Titus and Jade’s blow up, the better. If Jade’s reaction and Micah’s amusement was any indication, then he really didn’t want to know.
Jade suddenly yawned outright and lightly slapped Tasuki’s arm, “Stop that. Haven’t you ever heard that yawning is contagious?”
Titus leaned against the door frame behind them, jealously watching the ease in which Jade talked to and touched Tasuki. It bothered him that when talking to Tasuki, her voice was lacking the sarcasm she used on him.
He crossed his arms over his chest and decided he’d have to find a way to break up the happy couple. Storm had appointed him her bodyguard and, if he was going to be around her twenty-four seven, then he wanted to know why she seemed to have so much attitude with only him.
Tasuki yawned again then grinned, giving Jade a playful tap on the shoulder, “Tag, you’re it.”
Jade frowned remembering what he’d said about the dreams haunting him. Looking closer, she noted the paleness under his tanned skin and the dark circles that were creeping around his soft brown eyes.
“How long has it been since you’ve slept?” she asked curiously.
“Give me a couple more hours and I’ll hit the three day mark,” Tasuki raised his steaming black cup of coffee to toast her but it suddenly left his fingers and went over his head. He craned his neck, forcing him to turn the swivel chair around to follow it, only to find the thief staring down at him with a hard expression. Tasuki cringed knowing he was busted.
“Three days… really?” Titus demanded and tossed the cup in the trash. “Go home, and don’t come back until tomorrow evening.”
“And the Alpha has spoken,” Jade rolled her eyes at the big blond authority figure.
“I’m not his Alpha, I’m his superior and I’m ordering him to go home and get some sleep,” Titus shot back not liking the way she used the word Alpha like it was a huge insult.
He looked at the angry pout Jade was giving him. That expression reminded him of the rebellious pout one of the teenage girls from his Malta pack always gave her father whenever she got busted doing something wrong and ended up grounded for a month. He had news for Jade. He wasn’t her father, but if she needed a firm hand to keep her under control… then he would gladly fill the position.
“Tasuki is human Jade, or haven’t you figured that out yet? Humans need to sleep or they sometimes don’t make very good partners when they accidentally shoot the wrong person or end up dead themselves,” He pointed out using the sarcasm she seemed to be so fond of.
Jade started to respond with the fact that she wasn’t so sure Tasuki was human but Tasuki cut her off.
“He’s right,” Tasuki stood up and stretched. “I wouldn’t want me watching my back in a gun fight right now.” He smiled good-naturedly as he once again grabbed his favorite ripped jacket. “Now I can go and yawn in the privacy of my living room.” He looked at Titus, “You might want to find her a place to take a nap too… I wasn’t the only one yawning.”
“Snitch,” Jade accused but silently admitted she hadn't had a decent night’s sleep in over a month because she’d always had to keep one eye open, not trusting her surroundings. She was almost thankful they had shot her with the tranquilizer… not that she’d admit it. But she could tell, even that drug induced sleep hadn't been enough to make her nearly as alert as she wanted to be.
“Yep, and this snitch is going home to his dreamland.” Tasuki winked at Jade as he headed toward the door, slipping on his badly ripped coat which had Jade snickering at its… lack of back. “And when I wake up, I’m going shopping for a new favorite coat… something dog proof,” He finished as he walked out the door.
Jade laughed outright as Tasuki disappeared around the corner then sobered catching Titus staring at her. She tilted her head up and gave him an extremely bored look. She quickly figured out who would win a staring contest between them and it wasn’t her.
“Fine, if you’re handing out breaks, then I’ll head home and get some sleep too.” She stood up wishing she had a jacket to grab… or at least a pocketbook.
“Home?” Titus inquired.
“Yeah,” Jade looked at him as if he was an idiot. “Most people have one… don’t you?”
She started to slip past him since he was being stingy with the doorway but Titus reached a muscled arm out and gripped the other side of the frame to bar her exit. Jade felt her heartbeat kick to a faster rhythm and hated the fact that he turned her on without meaning to. She let her gaze trail up his bicep then slowly raised her gaze to meet his.
“What now,” she huffed lifting an inquiring eyebrow. “Did you really think I was homeless?”
“Going home isn’t the problem. Thinking you are going by yourself is,” Titus managed to keep himself from growling.
He’d been mentally wrestling with the idea of where to take her because the only beds here were in the jail cells and he wasn’t about to take her to Night Light where he’d been staying. A female werewolf didn’t have to be in heat to cause a riot among a gang of wolves, but the moment the scent cover-up wore off or she decided to take a shower, all hell would break lose.
Another option would be to take her to the estate he’d grown up in. That plan had two major flaws though. The house itself was so big that he didn’t trust Jade not to escape him the first time he turned his back. The other flaw was that it was well known among the wolf pack that the house belonged to him and if Lucca was hunting him, then the house would be watched.
“Are we going to be using handcuffs?” Jade asked. She quickly backed up against the doorjamb when his other arm came down to trap her and he leaned in closer.
Titus nearly groaned at the question and fought to keep his composure. Handcuffs, really? The mental picture that suddenly popped into his brain was almost too much. Looking down into her eyes, he saw the glint in them and wondered if she was actually careless enough to be testing his limits.
“You’re not my prisoner Jade, but I know better than to take Storm's warning lightly. If he says to keep an eye on you, then I’m not letting you out of my sight.” Titus inhaled deeply, smelling what the spritzer couldn't hide from him then leaned closer to her ear and gave his own warning, “Not even when you sleep.”
Jade felt her stomach flutter and fought the urge to press her thighs together. The way he’d just said that was almost enough to make her want him to follow through with the threat. She breathed through the sensation knowing it was just the heat brought on by the drugs making her all hot and bothered… not him.
“Fine, I needed a ride anyway,” Jade said pretending she’d just won that fight knowing damn well she’d lost it.
“I’ll get your bag,” Titus said and moved to the desk to pick up the box Tasuki had brought back from The Witch’s Brew. He was half tempted to spray her with it as he passed her.
Jade stayed still for a moment to catch her breath then peeked around the door frame to see that he really had gone to get her bag and watched as he dumped the whole box of spritzer into it. That little interlude had been very intense for her. He was an Alpha and she wasn’t about to get herself saddled with him. She’d just escaped from one and didn’t need someone who would constantly order her around. For just one moment though… she let the thought linger.
“No way in hell,” she whispered under her breath and silently made herself a promise. If the heat became uncontrollable, she’d take a stroll down the beach in her string bikini and sleep with the first dozen human males that liked what they saw. Sex was sex as far as she was concerned… as long as it wasn’t with a wolf.
Titus paused when he spotted Micah rewinding the surveillance tape. He thought the cougar was going to stop it where Jade had put him in the jail cell but frowned when Alicia appeared on the screen instead. He knew Micah missed his sister and would like to see her more often, but if the mating of Sun Gods were anything like were-animals, then Damon and Alicia would be in their honeymoon phase for a while yet.
“Micah,” Titus smirked when the cougar hit the button to turn off the display screen and swung around in the swivel chair looking for all the world as if he hadn't been doing anything. “I need you to lock up and get the hell out of here for a while. We can meet back here tomorrow night around dusk. Until then, keep your cell phone handy. Boris will call us in if our informants report anything worthwhile.”
Micah rubbed his hand down his face then stretched. “Yeah, I feel a cat nap coming on anyway. Is Jade taken care of? Does she have a place to stay?”
“She’s got a place… I’m going to be staying with her until this mess with Lucca is a thing of the past.”
Micah smirked at him, “Uh huh, sure and I’m the Egyptian cat goddess Bast.”
Titus looked Micah over and quirked an eyebrow, “Wrong gender.”
He heard Micah chuckle as he walked away from the door knowing he should be just as worn out as the rest of them, but he wasn’t. As a matter of fact, he felt so wound up, he was bordering on bent. Titus looked down the hall and saw Jade leaning back against the wall waiting on him. Yeah, bent was probably an understatement and he was looking at the reason.
