Hotter than Hell

Hotter Than Hell Hellish Love Stories L Shannon (c) 2009

Hotter Than Hell Hellish Love Stories L Shannon Published 2009 ISBN 978-1-59578-631-9 Published by Liquid Silver Books, imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, 10509 Sedgegrass Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana 46235. Copyright © 2009, L Shannon. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. Manufactured in the United States of America Liquid Silver Books http://LSbooks.com Email: [email protected] Editor Devin Govaere Cover Artist Amanda Kelsey This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental. Blurb As the Librarian for a small sleepy town of Demon, Arizona, Lani Monroe has a certain sedate image to maintain. But her calm life takes a hot turn when she falls through a portal to Hell and lands in the lap of the oh-so-sexy Prince of Pestilence. Meryk has no idea how the human ended up in his arms or why she seems to think she’s asleep, but he’s more than willing to prove he can be the demon of her dreams.

Chapter One Lani Monroe choked on a scoff. Black magic—what a joke! Who did these so-called practitioners think they were kidding? Fanning herself with the conference brochure, she carefully traversed the main floor of the overheated convention center. She was here among all the sweaty nuts with a purpose. As her town’s Head Librarian, she’d registered for the Occult Convention to rectify the gaping holes in her library’s booklist. After all, it was utterly deplorable that the town of Demon, Arizona, had no books about demons within their own public library. Not only that, but not even a single book on anything supernatural. She had a duty and she was going to do it right, even if the convention center’s air conditioning did suddenly die at the peak of the Texas summer with several thousand people packed inside like milling cattle. So here she was tripping over witches and avoiding the occasional grabby warlock, while desperately searching for the bathroom to freshen up. The convention might have been silly enough to make her laugh more than once, but so far it was also a complete success. In her oversized purse rested three lovely new editions to her library as well as a list of a dozen more books she’d be ordering the moment she was back home. The sense of accomplishment almost satisfied the weird feeling that had been nagging her for months. Almost, but not quite, and her gut told her it would return all too soon. There was something she was supposed to do. Unfortunately she didn’t know what that something was. But for now … a bathroom. Throwing some water on her face was about the only hope she had for staving off heatstroke in this smothering heat. The crowds parted and, lo and behold, there was the skirted lady silhouette perfectly emblazoned beside the bathroom door. She pushed through the ring of people, ignoring the muffled complaints. Just as her hand touched the door, it opened. Someone behind her yelled, “Stop!” But she was through the door and blinded by a flash of bright, white light and then immersed in pitch black and tumbling forward. “Holy crap!” The floor was gone, and she was falling, but before she could do more than conclude it was an elevator shaft and she was about to die … she landed. “Oomph,” someone groaned into her ear. The lights came back on, or rather … she unpinched her eyes. The man she’d landed on growled, “Who are you?” She didn’t move. But it wasn’t his complaint that kept her from scrambling off his warm lap. Nor was it her bruised backside, pressed against the edge of a boardroom table. Not even the complete non-logic that had her falling through the convention center bathroom floor and landing in the arms of a bare-chested hunk of a man. It was the hard glares from the other men spaced out around the meeting room which left her curling into the man’s warm body. The other men’s angry gazes seemed to almost glow despite the fairly bright meeting room. Not only did they not look happy, but they also looked like a mismatched gang of desperados. The clothing they wore was an odd

mix that varied from leather and torn denim to one man in a ‘James Bond’ tux. She swallowed hard and leaned into the heat radiating from the one who’d caught her. When his arms came around her protectively and she became encased in all the warm flesh, her brain shut down. But now wasn’t the time to be led by hyperactive, normallyignored hormones. “Where am I?” she whispered. “How did I get here?” Her personal landing pad shoved back his chair and stood, with her still in his arms. “Excuse me.” His jaw bumped her head as he nodded to the other men and spun on his heel carrying her from the room. “Hey!” She turned in his grip and found his impossibly green eyes staring back. “You’re beautiful… I mean, who are you?” Her breath caught at the possessive gaze and the slight twist to his lips. She didn’t know this stranger, and yet there was something familiar about him, something almost comforting. And something very silent. He wasn’t answering her questions and they were really starting to build up. Was he angry like the other men? Had she intruded on something private, something dangerous? Familiar or not, gorgeous or not, she had to get some answers. She struggled once more against his firm grip on her thighs. “Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here? And where are you taking me? Much as I love reading about the strong silent type, such myths are seriously overrated in the real world. So start answering, mister.” She poked him in his deliciously toned and very naked chest. “I’m taking you to my apartment.” His voice rumbled like a purr, and he might as well have said, “To my bed, to be ravished.” The tone was both softly inviting and intimidatingly naughty. One thing it didn’t sound was angry or even threatening. The words should have felt like a threat, should be setting off warning bells. So why did it sound tempting? Her body sizzled awake in ways she’d never felt before. His heroic whisking her away called out to her feminine side, that same side that never got free within her sedate library. Apparently the strong and mostly silent type did work for her. The flex of his arms and the warm press of his smooth chest… Damn, he could have been on the cover of a romance novel. Oh, yes, he’d have been on one of those old bodice rippers. Maybe with his black hair braided like an Indian brave. He didn’t look Native American, but few of those old cover models did. Any way she looked at him, he was hero material. Real shame she wasn’t a typical heroine… Right now she was more like the “too stupid to live” type who deserved whatever foul fate managed to find her. She should have been struggling. She wasn’t. She should be screaming bloody murder until Mr. Green-Eyes figured out she wasn’t worth the effort to rape. But she didn’t do that either. Logic, what she needed was logic. And logically, this couldn’t be happening. “Couldn’t be real … shouldn’t be happening…” Not to mention feeling this entirely wonderful. The man’s thick arm under her hand flexed as he turned a corner. He was gorgeous, built perfectly, and was toting her around like a feather… but he absolutely could not be real, let alone really carrying her back to his apartment. The last sensible thing she remembered was feeling faint from the heat and seeking out the bathroom to try and cool off. Falling through the floor wasn’t sensible, wasn’t likely, certainly wasn’t possible. The convention center didn’t even have a sublevel below the Occult Convention. Even if she did fall through the floor, she would be stuck

in a crawl space or something—not an elegant meeting room. It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t happen. If it walked like a duck and quacked like a duck … then it must be a duck; but if it looked impossible and every piece of evidence said this wasn’t reality, then it must not be reality. She spent too much time reading, which was of course a not unexpected job hazard, especially in a tiny town where the average age was around sixty. She spent nearly all her time reading. So a vivid imagination shouldn’t be much of a surprise. There was nothing to be afraid of, nothing to worry about. None of this was real. It was just an elaborate delusion. Her fingers brushed against the hot skin of the man’s shoulder. Thank God for vivid, life-like delusions! Relief swept away the fear that should have been in full force but had built too slowly to be grasped. She hadn’t fallen into some convention center basement into the arms of a mafia madman, or been captured by corporate bandits about to hostilely take over the Laredo business district, or even accidentally interrupted a terrorist plot only to be rescued by the undercover CIA spy in their midst… Nope, she was undoubtedly passed out from the heat and experiencing nothing more than a muse-inspired dream. What a shame. “Dang shame you’re not real.” “Don’t I feel real?” Mr. Imaginary Hunk chuckled, and the rumble vibrated through his chest into her side, feeling very deliciously real. How sad that she was really lying on the floor of the convention center in a passed-out heap. Cupping his firm jaw and staring into the endless depths of his emerald eyes, she contemplated her options. She could either bemoan her loss of consciousness, or she could embrace this wonderful dream. The decision was easy. All her life she’d played it safe and missed out on adventure. This one time she could have the best of both. This adventure was about as safe as could be considering she’d eventually wake up and go back to her life. Maybe she’d even remember the dream and be able to hold onto the memory when life in Demon got too boring. Not to mention that nagging sense of something was yelling to jump in and live a little. Yep, decision made—she’d enjoy the moment. Lani slid her fingers up around his neck, pulling him down and planting a kiss on him. She licked over his lips until they softened and parted. She’d be bold and take a kiss like none she ever had before… or she would have if she knew how. Fortunately, the second she hesitated, her mystery hero licked right into the pause, teasing her tongue into a proper tangle, devouring her down while still leaving her some control. In other words, he was a darn good kisser. When they finally drew back, she was left panting with desire deeper than she’d felt in years. Maybe more than she’d felt ever. And he had yet to answer a single question. In the aftermath of the kiss, she didn’t care much about his answers, was having some trouble even remembering her questions. “I never knew I had such a good imagination…” She kissed him again, licking over the crease of his lips and diving back in when those lips parted for her. With her arms around his neck and her mouth locked firmly to his, she easily lost track of how far he carried her. Not that it really mattered here in dreamland. Finally they came to a halt, and she came up for air. He’d stopped in front of a plain door, which

opened without him touching it. Never mind the sci-fi door. “Oh, my God!” She gaped at the plush carpet and smooth silver walls. The room itself was a living room or den and was filled with electronics that almost defied description. One entire wall appeared to be a huge TV with the furniture clustered loosely around it. But best of all were the shelves and small nooks which overflowed with books. There were probably five hundred books tucked in around all the high-tech gadgets. Despite the fact that her TV was only a nineteen inch model from the eighties and her furniture had never matched … the way the books fit in everywhere reminded her of home. “This is all yours?” He didn’t set her down like she’d expected. Instead he turned her slightly left and then back to the right so she could take in the space. “Yes, this is my home.” He started forward once more, carrying her away from the books. The door closing with a very final-sounding snap broke her from the strangeness. What if the theme of this dream wasn’t a romance but had a thriller or horror plot? “Wait, wait, wait!” He didn’t wait, but moved through the apartment to a hallway, through another door. Only then did he stop at the corner where his huge bed was just tempting the view. “Put me down. There’s no way I’ll be the sacrificial blond. See, I have brown hair.” He hesitated, bringing them to a stop, and one fine, dark eyebrow jumped upward. “Please, put me down.” She bit down on her lip. For a long moment he just met her gaze with his strange eyes. Then he surprised her by releasing her legs, dropping them down to take her weight. The motion sent her purse swinging, and it rounded and slammed back into the worst possible target, dead center of his black slacks. He buckled under the assault, cupping himself and stumbling backward to lean against the back of the sofa. “Oh! I’m sorry.” “Ahmmphalmmm.” She translated the response to mean he was injured pretty badly. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to… I guess that means I won’t be ravished and fall desperately in love after all.” She settled the deadly purse under one arm and advanced on him once more. “Can I help? Do you want me to look at the injur…” What was she saying? She giggled. Guess this is a comedy. “Umm, never mind.” “You are human and English?” His voice was an octave higher than before, but at least it grew steadier with each word, and he was standing a little more upright. Then his question sank in. “Of course I’m human. What else would I be?” He gave a short nod. “You speak English.” The pain must have been subsiding. He was slowly straightening back up to his six-foot-something height. “I’m American, from Arizona.” She pushed aside his strange way of talking and asked the important questions. “Who are you? Where am I, and how can we make the most of this dream?” He didn’t answer. Instead he moved toward her, invading her space until she backed away. Maybe she should clock him again with her bag? She’d settle for a good romantic comedy over a thriller any day. She tripped and glanced back to find she was being herded toward his huge bed. “Whoa there, fella.” “Whoa?”

“As in cease and desist. Put an end to the shenanigans. I might read books about alpha heroes but that doesn’t mean I dream of being forced into anything.” His lips quirked upward in a suggestive smile. “You are very beautiful when you say whoa. Your lips round as if you are about to be kissed.” He sure knew how to sweet talk a girl. Then he opened his mouth again and ruined it. “You have questions. I will give you the answers in exchange for sex.” “What? You’re nuts!” Maybe she’d clock him again just for being fresh and possibly insane. Would bashing his naughty bits get the dream man back in line, or would it just eliminate her chance of getting some pleasure out of this imaginary opportunity? His mouth twisted with one corner tipping up while the other side looked entirely baffled. “If you will not agree to sex, then perhaps I will trade your answers for a kiss.” “Answers for a kiss?” Not that it was a hardship. The nutjob excuse for a dream man was a pretty thing with his athletic body and striking eyes. And all that black hair, and he kissed like a devil … yum. Still, it would be fun to play along and keep her subconscious happy. “Just a kiss or do you mean a fire-breathing wonder like out in the hall?” He shrugged. “One kiss, however you like.” “Agreed, but I want one answer first as a show of faith.” “Agreed. Which question do you wish answered?” He moved closer, close enough that the warmth from his body reached out for her. Her body reacted to that heat. He was so sexy … had she ever had a man this attractive interested in her? With only two men between twenty and fifty living in Demon, she could safely say not lately. Were there even any men this hot in her whole county? Her stomach clenched, and she fought to remember what she should be saying or doing. What she wanted to do was throw herself into his arms. Could she be that wild even in a dream? The answer, sad as it was, was that she couldn’t jump him without at least getting to know him some first. “Who are you?” His dark head descended toward her, while his arms circled and reeled her tight against his body. “I am called Meryk.” Then his lips captured hers. Meryk’s kiss was much more in depth than his answers. The kiss brought her body alive and turned her mind to mush. He started off so sweet and almost tentative, but the moment she began melting against him, he deepened the kiss, parting her lips and tangling his tongue with hers. His locked arms should have been confining, terrifying, but instead his strength made her feel safe. With their bodies pressed so tightly together, there was no missing the fact that his family jewels were recovering fast. But it was his spicy flavor that weakened her knees. He tasted of hot, fresh-from-theoven cinnamon bread. How could he taste like that, just like her favorite comfort food? Bless her vivid imagination! How could she spend so long nibbling at him when all she knew was his name and his flavor? She could because this chance would never come again, and any second she might wake up with a roaring headache and a delusional wizard trying to perform CPR. Reluctantly she withdrew, finally opening her eyes to meet his somewhat smug grin. “You didn’t really answer my first question and now it’s time for answers to the other two important ones so I can really let go and get wild. Where am I and how long will I be here?” He didn’t release her, but instead swung her back up into his arms, deftly avoiding

the swinging bag. Once she was cradled back against his chest, he turned and sank down on the bed. “What are you called?” “I’m Lani Monroe.” She held out her hand then felt silly as well as surprisingly sexy when he brushed a kiss over her knuckles. “You still haven’t answered, and more questions are popping up in my mind even now.” “Lani Monroe, I have no idea how you came to be here or precisely how long you will stay, but I am very glad you came. I do swear that I’ll help you in any way I can. I will be especially pleased to help you ‘get wild’ if that is your wish.” Relief flooded through her. Not that she wasn’t strong and capable. Certainly, she was, but just the thought of Meryk being there to help made the whole situation less threatening. “So where am I dreaming anyhow, Mexico? I just knew being so close to the border would make my imagination run crazy. Now I know I was right. Who would have thought that I’d dream up being sold into slavery?” But if she was now a victim of human trafficking, why did she feel so good in his arms? Nope, there had to be another purpose. Meryk just didn’t feel like the kind of dream man who’d need to buy a woman. “Okay, so spill it. Where am I?” He caught her hand and pulled her tighter in his arms, lips so close that his breath feathered over her mouth. “Lani Monroe, you are in Abaddon, better known as Hell.”

Chapter Two Meryk was entranced by the lovely woman. She was so innocent and surprising with every new thing she said and did. And kissing her … he’d do that again once she quit panicking about being in Hell. Except Lani Monroe wasn’t panicking. “Hell?” “Yes, some refer to this place as Sheol, Hades, the underworld or even otherworld, but essentially it is the dark place of the dead. Most humans call it Hell.” How fascinating. He trailed a finger over her cheek and waited for her to process the information. “It is a little warm here, which is why I thought Mexico. Actually Laredo was pretty warm, too, even for an Arizona girl.” Her eyes widened and turned his way. “Wait, why would I dream of being in Hell? I’ve never done anything bad or even remotely interesting. I’m far too boring for Hell.” Excellent question, for which he didn’t have much of an answer. “A soul doesn’t have to be bad to come here. Many choose this path because they think they deserve punishment. But never before has anyone fallen into a boardroom or into anyone’s lap that I know of.” “Never?” He smiled down at her slightly baffled expression. Her hand was tracing tiny circles over his bare chest, making it hard to focus. “You are very unusual. You have come here with a living mortal body, rather than an immaterial soul. I expected you to be afraid. Why are you not?” “If I’m dreaming of Hell and I might be trapped in this dream, why am I not freaking out?” “Yes, why not?” But he was very glad she wasn’t. He couldn’t handle hysterics. They had no purpose and were infinitely damaging to his usually relaxed mood. “You came from the mortal world. I can smell it all over you like a fresh breeze. Perhaps being forced through the barrier between your world and mine has left you disoriented. That does occur to most souls for a brief period of time.” “Does that mean that in a few minutes when I get a little more with it, I’ll have to freak out? Because to be honest I don’t really go for the hand flailing and bewailing my horrible circumstances. I would much rather research and make plans to escape Hell with the skill and style of a mastermind criminal leaving Alcatraz.” “I have no idea what you just said, but I would offer anything I have to bribe you into skipping the freaking out completely.” She was so unlike the humans he’d known in the past. But then it had been a very long time since he’d visited the mortal world. “Kiss me again, and I won’t freak.” She wanted a kiss? He couldn’t help teasing. “If I must…” Then he kissed her, reveling in the wonder of her soft lips and how the rush of her cool passion flooded over him from the first touch. The way she met his demands and kissed back just as ardently was addicting. He deepened the kiss and used every bit of his will power to keep from unleashing his darker powers.

Arousal always tempted his darkness and those powers would certainly lead to more than a little unwanted freaking. Swarming flies and freezing winds could do that to the calmest of mortals, or at least they had in the past, which was why he’d avoided being involved with any mortals for centuries. Flings were not so much of a risk. He could control his powers so long as he kept his emotions under wraps. Anything deeper … wasn’t conducive to a lasting relationship. He pulled back enough to trail kisses known her neck. His fingers sank into her lush hair bound up in a loose bun. The milk chocolate-colored tresses came unbound and fell down her back in a curtain of soft waves. “You should know I don’t go around kissing strange men … wait a second.” He didn’t wait, just kept kissing and nipping his way down one shoulder to the plush rise of her breasts. Even through her silky top she was delectable, and he’d been too long without the taste. “You said this is Hell.” Her voice dropped to a thoughtful purr. “The occult convention … it makes perfect sense. Of course I’d dream of Hell. Does that make you some kind of demon?” “Umm … yes.” He untied the ribbon on the front of her blouse and unfastened the top buttons. The cloth came loose and revealed her beautiful breasts tucked inside a pale peach-colored bra. Her fingers burrowed through his hair with sexy little tugs. “I’m still not freaking, but that might have something to do with that dreamy thing you’re doing with your tongue.” She gasped and arched back. Her hands abandoned his hair and grabbed his shoulders. “Oh! Let me guess, you’re a sex demon? Succubus, right?” Her words came out broken, carried on her panting breath. “I’m half Synn demon, better known as incubus,” he mumbled around the cloth covered nipple. “Glad your mother didn’t teach you to not talk with your mouth full.” He couldn’t hold back the chuckle even as he dipped his head back down to the peach-framed temptation. His mother hadn’t taught him much. Father dearest had claimed him and his brother and they’d not seen their mother again. “Just one more question and then I’ll let you get back to that wonderful thing you do.” He rose up once more. Her face was flushed, but he wasn’t sure with which emotion besides arousal. She was definitely aroused. But was she also embarrassed or upset? “If I’m human and you’re a demon and this is Hell, but I’m not damned … can we make out and not get either me or you in any trouble? To be honest, I’m a little more worried about it blackening my soul or something than I am about ruining your reputation, which I suppose might be a bit selfish, but what I’m trying to say is…” She drew in a deep breath. “I’m very caught up in this moment and trying to be a little rational, even though I doubt it matters in a dream. Then again, maybe being a little rational might keep it from becoming a nightmare. I just don’t know.” Damn, even her rambling was sexy as well as amusing. “Lani Monroe, I want to make love to you, and when I do, it will be very good for both of us, and being together will not hurt you or your soul.” She threw her arms around him, pressing their bare chests flush together. “Oh, thank God.” Lani jumped. Her gaze flashed to his. “Or should I not say His name down here?”

Meryk couldn’t help it. He laughed and pulled her back against his chest. “What’d I say?” “You can say God if you want. It’s not as if you are among a bunch of nonbelievers. We tend to use the name Creator around here, but He, if you wish to use a gender, is not our enemy.” His brother, George, had mentioned how the mortals had a significant misconception of their role but none of them knew how or even if they should try to correct the information. “He’s not? I thought that was in the rules. God against the Devil and all that.” “My father is not exactly governed by the Creator, but he isn’t evil or opposed to the Creator like most of the mortal books will claim.” Suddenly he wanted her to understand. More than anything he wanted to take away the hint of worry that hovered at the edge of her eyes. “We are unbalancers. In the same way that the Tascryn Demons strive for balance in all the realms, here in Abaddon we unbalance everything. Never enough to bring on the apocalypse, but enough to keep the world from becoming stagnant. It’s my father’s duty to see the worlds are kept in motion.” Her eyes narrowed. “Who exactly is your father—Satan?” “That sounds like another question.” He tried to brush it off because it was just the kind of question that could lead to a hysterical female who likely would not be in the mood to play with his incubus side. But her face remained serious, and she pulled her blouse more tightly over her breasts. He sighed. “Okay, yes. Satan is one name he has been called over the years. I can introduce you if you like.” “Satan is an incubus demon?” He swallowed the urge to laugh. The Synn were usually far too relaxed and fun to be confused with his father. “No, I get that from my mother.” “Oh.” She relaxed just a little in his arms. “What do you get from … your father?” This time he did laugh. “Usually a headache. I’m not exactly his favorite son. In fact, we were all discussing how my brothers, Prince Stew and Prince Sam, are both so impressive and the rest of us tend to fade into the background.” “Oh, God. You’re a prince of Hell.” She ducked her head against his chest. “The hottest guy I can dream up, and he’s Satan’s son, a gosh-darned prince of Hell. Could I imagine a nice Arizona rancher? Oh no… I have to get all excited in the arms of a demon. After all these years in Demon, now that I’m lying unconscious on the bathroom floor even my dreams are of demons. There’s no escaping. I’m doomed and even in a hellish dream. How perfectly appropriate…” Her voice was muffled, but her continued rant made him chuckle even more. Much as he wanted to have nothing more than a satisfying frolic with this woman, she was quickly working her way around his logic. She was funny and brave. She was more appealing than he should risk. What if this turned into something more, something lasting? “Why do you have to be so blasted sexy?” This was said against his neck where she was placing feather-light kisses. The moment her face tipped up into sight, he took advantage of the opportunity and kissed her again. “It is rather to my benefit, don’t you think?” “Mine too.”

This time when he brought their lips together, he put everything into convincing her to want more. As great as Lani’s mouth was, his body was demanding a whole lot more than kissing. He parted her blouse and freed her breasts from the restraining bra, cupping one and thumbing over the hard peak of her nipple. “Tell me you want me.” “I want you, Meryk.” He turned and laid her back on the bed, pinning her with one thigh. “There is something about you that I cannot resist.” Not that he’d tried all that hard. Even if he should resist, he just didn’t want to. He tore the last button free from her blouse and slid both the top and the unfastened bra from her body, baring her chest completely. “You have beautiful breasts.” Her hands came up to cover the mounds at once. “Such perfection is worshiped, not hidden.” He captured her wrists and slowly lifted them above her head, holding them there in one hand. Then he kissed her and trailed nibbles down to lavish attention on first one breast then the other. “So lovely.” He continued the slow assault until she arched into his touch and moaned as he flicked his tongue over one tight nipple. Darkness swirled up inside him, a tight shaft of pain hard on the heels of his rising desire. Never stilling his attention to Lani, he focused on each soft touch, every utterance from her sweet lips. Only by giving himself completely to her was he able to see through the shadows he always lived with. The battle raged on for several heartbeats until he regained control over his powers. He breathed in the perfume that was his goddess and breathed out the strain. He let his other hand begin exploration south, dancing over her smooth stomach and deftly opening the button and zipper to her slacks. He slipped one finger under the edge of her lace panties, caressing and teasing, then plunging lower to the crisp hair above her damp sex. Her thighs parted and her hips rose. “Damn it, Meryk! Open the door!” The roar was punctuated with a thunderous pounding. Frozen beneath him, Lani tightened her grip on his hand. He could hardly blame her. Bubba’s voice and knock were enough to douse his own out-of-control arousal. He released Lani’s wrists and glared toward the front of the apartment. “Who’s that? What’s going on?” Lani sat upright and grabbed her blouse, dragging it back up her arms. “Meryk?” He patted her arm, trying to keep her calm. “It’ll be all right. Let me tell my brother, Bubba, where to stuff his social skills.” * Lani watched as Meryk left the room. Reality, or whatever was passing for it, seeped back into her mind and body, starting with the moment he’d stopped touching her. Now she stared blankly through the entrance to the bedroom and listened. Would Meryk be back? What if he let his brother in? She jumped up and did up her slacks in record time. Her blouse was wrinkled and rumpled but she made the best of it, straightening the buttons and tucking it in, but not bothering to retrieve her bra from where it lay on his pillow. Her hair was beyond help. The loose bun was untied and the pins she used to tame the thick mess were scattered. Why couldn’t she have pretty hair like Meryk? His black waves fell in perfect order.

Wait! Why couldn’t she have hair just like his? It was her dream after all. She pulled a handful of hair forward and stared at it, concentrating on turning the brown frizz to black waves. Nothing happened. Her hair didn’t magically change to look like his. Thinking of him revived the need to see him. The phantom memories of Meryk’s touch tickled at her nerves. He was certainly living up to proper hero status in the bedroom anyhow. She’d never been so aroused, so hot and needy. She could just about scream about this unwanted interruption. What’s a girl have to do to keep her hunky imaginary man in bed? She moved back through the apartment toward the front door. The sight of the two men in front of that door brought her to a standstill. Holy Hell! One was Meryk, of course, and the other must be his brother, since he’d called him brother. What name had he called him? Bubba! Well, Bubba was a huge monstrosity of a man … err demon. Bubba hunched over so his some eight feet of height wouldn’t smash his head into the ceiling. The vast proportions of his thick arms and thicker neck would put any body builder to shame. But it was the way the two men leaned in whispering that was the proof of their close relationship. Bubba’s arm rested over Meryk even if the weight might have crushed a lesser man. Meryk said something, but his quiet voice didn’t carry. Bubba didn’t seem to have a quiet voice. “Little bro, you have to get your ass back to this meetin’. Pops will blow a gasket if you miss another sit-down.” Meryk shook off the arm. “I’m not going.” “You hafta.” Meryk crossed his arms. “No, I don’t.” “Ya don’t get it,” Bubba roared. “He sent me to fetch you.” Meryk pulled back, the glare he had been shooting at his brother dropped to the floor and his voice, although still quiet, was plain. “Shit.” “Is that bad?” She didn’t mean to ask the question but it slipped out anyhow. The moment both men turned her way, she realized her folly. Bubba’s eyes about popped out of his head. “She’s still here?” He shook his head. “Scratch that. What is she?” Meryk grabbed his brother with a white-knuckled grip. “She’s human.” “What is she doing here? You ain’t thinking of piggybacking out again, are you?” Bubba shook Meryk off. “Girl, how’d he get you here anyhow?” “She fell through a portal. I didn’t bring her here and didn’t plan on using her to get out, even if it is a damn good idea.” Meryk’s expression turned thoughtful, brow pinched and lips pressed together. “Don’t even think it,” Bubba growled. “First thing, you have to go to the meeting. Then you can resist the Calling if you want. And to answer your question, girl, it’s bad that they sent me because my squirt of a brother ain’t near big enough to have an excuse for not being at the meeting.” “Meryk, why don’t you want to go to this meeting? Is it dangerous?” Bubba clapped the smaller man on the back, nearly knocking him to his knees. “It ain’t dangerous. It’s borin’ as all hell. In fact, I’m pretty sure these meetings are where that saying came from.” With one arm, he scooped up Meryk, holding him almost a foot off the ground. “Say goodbye, little bro. You can come back and play after the meeting is done. Pleasure saying hello to ya, girl. Maybe Meryk can have a card night soon so we

can get to know each other more.” With a jaunty wave of a huge hand, Bubba swung around and exited the room through a door half his size. The slick motion was so smooth that it simply could not be normal. Only in a dream. Then the door closed and clicked. Clicked like a lock. She flew across the room and grabbed the odd, flat handle. It rattled and shook but didn’t even budge. They’d locked her in. “Well, that’s just … rude.” How was she going to get out of here now? Here … in Hell? Good grief, the whole situation was insane. It was her dream. She should be able to open a door if she wanted it open. Was this about to turn into a nightmare? If it was, would she be able to wake up? She pinched her arm good and hard, just in case, and wasn’t at all surprised to still be standing in the middle of Meryk’s living room. Okay, so the dream wasn’t over even if the best part of it had just abandoned her. She snorted. She’d never had such a bizarre dream before. No doubt, she’d slipped going into the bathroom and hit her head. That was why it was so weird, and she couldn’t wake up. Only someone who read every book available could have thought this up. Even still, she’d never fallen through a portal to Hell before. Dreams like this just didn’t happen to her. She gave her arm another pinch. Except that it apparently had happened this time, and the exit wasn’t in sight yet. Maybe she should be looking for a sign, ‘open only in case of concussion-induced dream states.’ Much better than a plain old exit sign. Now what? How could she liven up a dream in Hell? Even if she got out of the apartment, she’d still be in the dream, in the dream Hell. What she needed was to find a way back to … what had he called it? The mortal world— that was where she needed to get. Maybe she could dream of going to Disneyland next. Tough questions required research. “Well, I am a librarian. Of course my dreams would demand research.” Would Meryk have some demonic rule book just lying around? Maybe the real world wasn’t ever so easy, but here in dreamland it might just happen. She began searching the apartment, but he didn’t keep a nice neat library. No, Meryk’s books were scattered all throughout his apartment. Not a card catalog system to be found. She began exploring the various overflowing shelves. The only problem was the books were in foreign languages. Foreign? Good grief, some of them were completely alien. She could read a dozen languages, but most of the books were not even close to any of them. She sank onto the sofa. “Hello, why didn’t I realize it would be this difficult? I never do anything the easy way. Why would I start now?” The huge screen she’d taken for a TV blinked to life before her. It shimmered, and the image of a glowing man walked from the edge into the center of the screen. “Do you require help, miss?” “Errr…” She blinked at the image for several seconds. She glanced around helplessly. Had she accidentally sat on a remote? Was this just some entertainment thingie? She straightened and faced the man who waited with one finely arched brow. “What are you?” The screen shimmered again, resolving the image to a sharper clarity. The man appeared like a stereotypical English butler, dressed in black and white with slicked-back

grey hair and a thin mustache. When he spoke again, his voice took on an English accent with a slightly nasal tone. “I am a stage three prototype of the Hell-O-Gram Home Assistant. I am here to aid you in whatever you need.” “I don’t understand.” “You triggered my programming by prefacing a question with ‘Hell-o’. Your exact request was, ‘Hell-o, why didn’t I realize it would be this difficult?’ Could you clarify the question? I am not able to ascertain why you did not realize something without further information.” “Clarify?” She was stumped. How could she have even dreamed this up? “Yes, please, miss. Clarify what you thought would be easy, that you found was not easy?” It took her a moment to think back to what she had been thinking. “I am trying to find a way out of my dream of Hell. I was planning to research the information but found most of the books to be in a language I could not read.” “You expected to be able to read them. I can translate any of Prince Meryk’s books you wish to read, or I could answer the questions for you, as I have stored all the data from his extensive collection.” “Prince Meryk? Is that what he calls himself here in his own apartment?” She couldn’t hold back the giggle at how pretentious it sounded. “Oh no, miss. That was his brother’s idea. His brothers and I find it quite amusing despite the Prince’s objections.” “You mean you have a sense of humor?” “Of course, miss.” The image remained completely passive in appearance despite the claim of humor. “As for how I can aid you with your research, I would be happy to answer any questions you have.” Perhaps this program was her subconscious trying to help her out? If so, then her inner workings were quite a bit more convoluted than she would have expected. If she was to have all her questions answered, she might as well start with the big ones. “I want to know how to wake up and get back to the convention center.” “How can you wake up when you are not asleep? Please clarify.” “Of course I’m asleep. I’m dreaming of Hell.” “I may require further clarification. To my knowledge, which is extensive and nearly infallible, you are awake. My senses register your heart rate and brain patterns, and they do not match standard accepted patterns identified with sleep. I have recorded evidence of individuals who can interact with others while asleep, but once more, your pattern of behavior is not similar enough to assume you are asleep. Clarify your evidence, please.” “Where am I?” “You are in the royal palace of Abaddon.” “There you go. That is my evidence! I can’t be in Hell or even Abaddon. It’s illogical, completely nonsensical. I’m not dead. I’m not even sure Hell exists. So I can’t be here. Which means I’m dreaming. If I’m dreaming, I’m obviously asleep. All I want to know is how to wake up.” The Hell-O-Gram dude blinked at her. His eyebrows had disappeared into his thinning hairline, and his mouth hung open catching flies. “Well, Mister Know-It-All, how do I wake up?” His face slowly returned to its former calm. “Miss, I cannot provide a properly

accurate answer with the available information. Please, clarify—” “Yeah, yeah, clarify smarify. How about this, just tell me how to get out of Hell.” Relief washed over his features. He began to slowly pace back and forth across the screen like a professor at the head of a class. “Abaddon is like any other location. Think of it as a room, if you like. To leave, you have to know where the exits are and how to open those doors. To explain in detail, the doors into and out of Abaddon are called portals. They are more complicated than, for instance, the door to leave this apartment because they must pass between one realm and another.” Since she couldn’t open the apartment door either, the new information wasn’t as helpful as she’d hoped. “How do I find a portal?” “That depends on where you wish to go. There are some portals held open between some of the nine realms.” She was beginning to wonder if maybe she was insane … or was really in Hell. The niggling doubt reawakened a tickle of fear. If she was in Hell then getting as much information as possible might eventually lead to a chance to get home to the Demon Public Library. “What about the mortal realm? What about Earth?” “The primary portal to mortal Earth has been closed for almost five hundred years. None but Lord Surt can open that portal.” “Is there any other way to get there?” “Of course. The Princes, except for Prince Meryk, can create portals and travel whenever they wish.” “Could I create a portal? If so, how would I do so?” The man’s image shifted its weight and tapped his chin. “I’ll have to consider this. You may relax while I search my data for the best solution. Several minutes passed with the Hell-O-Gram guy pacing back and forth on his screen. “Got anything yet?” “No, miss. To receive proper answers takes time to study the various repercussions of each and every possibility. Research cannot be rushed.” She sighed. “Give a yell when you’re done thinking.” Lani wandered around the apartment while she waited. In one corner of Meryk’s bedroom sat a desk and a small laptop. She booted it up and found links set up in a familiar format. None of which read Internet, although there was an Undernet. “Close enough.” She clicked on the link. “It’s official. Mr. Gates isn’t from Hell.” If he had been, the browser that opened would have been something she understood. But instead it was in more of that alien language and set up … she was fairly sure it was upside down. How the heck was she going to figure anything out now? That was when she remembered the books from the occult convention. She ran around the wide bed and dumped the bag onto the plush bedding. All three books were at least on the right topic. But would any hold the answers she needed? There’s only one way to find out… She kicked off her shoes and settled onto the plush bed, dragging the thickest of the three books across her lap. Surely the elegant, leather-bound tome would offer up much wisdom.

Chapter Three Meryk ignored the scattered conversations that filled the board room. None of it was unexpected. Surt, better known as Satan or Pops, wasn’t here yet and that left eight princes to bicker and badger each other. Bubba sat to his left and was intensely debating the merits of the various ales. He was, as usual, losing the argument to George, who spent a good portion of his day managing imports from the nine realms. And to Meryk’s right sat Chance, another brother who tended to go against the grain. Chance headed up the Last Chance wing of the organization. He was explaining to Dave how offering a last chance to mortals was much better than just sentencing them to purgatory until they figured it out on their own. Meryk settled deeper into his seat. This could go on for hours. Hours he could be spending with the quirky Lani Monroe. Hours he could spend making love to the beautiful woman. Instead, he was trapped here in another pointless meeting. If he couldn’t be back in bed with her, the least he could do was remember the feel and taste of her. She reacted wonderfully to even the lightest touch. His body hardened at the memory of her soft moans and how she’d arched under him… The peaks of her breasts. Dear Creator, that woman had perfect breasts. Maybe he could sneak out. He glanced back to the door and saw the only addition that could make this worse. His father walked in, glaring at him the whole way past. Dammit. Couldn’t he catch a break? “Quiet,” Surt said as he sat at the head of the table. The room fell silent. “Let’s get down to it. First order of business… Stew, how is the conservation movement coming? Have you saved those plague ridden plants of yours?” “No, sire. They continue to be quite plagued. Perhaps they would be better suited to Meryk’s Calling than my own.” “Nonsense. Meryk would make it worse, not better. That area is quite bad enough without Meryk’s aid. I have complete faith in you, Stew. Once the plants adapt to survive, there is no telling what beauty or disaster will come from the change.” Surt turned his fierce gaze toward Meryk. “You do, however, have to take up another Calling. We can’t have you sitting around doing nothing.” Meryk sat up straighter in his seat. “I do not wish another Calling and I am quite content being unneeded.” “You will choose another Calling!” The roared demand echoed through the room twice. “Yes, sire. I will give it thought.” Meryk said the only thing that would keep him from being broiled by the flames which burst free and danced over his father’s exposed skin. Not that it would kill him, but it was damn uncomfortable. He wasn’t a fire demon like his father and most of his brothers. No … his genetics leaned more toward his sex demon mother, just not enough to actually work among the Synn demons. Chance punched his arm. “Don’t let the old man get to you. Those of us with sexier

temperaments are not exactly cut out to unsettle the balance like the others do.” Much as he appreciated his full brother’s support, Meryk didn’t dare answer and risk drawing his father’s attention once more. Surt stood up. “Stew and Sam, I have a special job for you. George, you will see to that occult convention. Remember you are our representative. This year’s theme is misinformation.” George perked up. He always loved heading out as representative among the mortals. “Sire, misrepresentation is rather Dave’s specialty. Would you like me to take him along?” “Excellent idea. I expect you to head out in twelve hours. The last three days are always the most productive.” With that final demand, Surt left the room with Stew and Sam close on his heels. Meryk didn’t even bother to hide his sigh of relief. His brothers all knew he was reluctant to use his Calling and how delicate their father’s control could be. The board meeting could have gone much worse and none of them wanted it to be worse, even if it would be more interesting. Bubba grabbed him before he could escape the room. “You won’t be able to put him off much longer. Instead of playing with the girl, why don’t you give some thought to gettin’ out of your current problem?” The words “gettin’ out” were as far as Meryk’s mind could focus. He nodded absently to Bubba and bolted back down the hall to his apartment. Why had he brushed the idea off before? He’d just leave. He must be Hell’s biggest fool. He wasn’t suited for here anyhow … so why not leave? Bubba had mentioned piggybacking out, but when he’d done that the first time it had only been a joke. What if he could actually leave? What if he did it again, but this time for good? The biggest question was how could he keep his father from stopping him, or even just yanking his ass back once he was out? He made it three steps into the apartment before a bundle of wonderfully feminine human slammed into his chest. “Meryk!” Her arms caught his neck and her lips hit his. The kiss was short, hot and deep with the kind of passion that left him panting in seconds. “That’s one hell of a welcome.” “Well, it has been a hell of a day,” she said while grinning at him. “I started off the day not even believing in Hell and now here I am in a demon’s arms.” “I just didn’t expect you to be happy about it.” “Neither did I, but after the last couple hours of research, I’m beginning to get a grip on this weird … dream.” Her fingers tangled through his as she led him back to the bedroom where she had several books spread out on the bed. “The first book was very pretty and completely useless. The second was a fiction book, but surprisingly accurate so far as I know. The third must have been written by someone with inside information. It even uses names. Bubba is short for Beelzebub, right?” Accurate? That couldn’t be good. “Yeah, that’s his name.” “It doesn’t mention a Meryk. There is one named Pyro who goes by Chance and then there are Gaap, Asmoday, Merihim… I think there were others but I didn’t write them all down.” She spun around and snatched up a paper. “Wait, you’re Merihim, aren’t you?” He started to answer but she cut him off. “But it says this Merihim is the Prince of Pestilence but that just can’t be right. I

mean you’ve been mildly annoying at times and I was pretty peeved that you locked me in, but pestilence seems a little harsh.” He grabbed her arm to keep her from flipping through the pages. “I am Merihim.” He held on for the inevitable outburst. When it didn’t come, he turned her in his arms to face him. “Pestilence is my Calling. Thankfully I am not asked to use it often. Not since the fourteenth century.” Her mouth opened, and “fourteenth century” blew out on rush of air. “That was the black plague. You’re responsible for the plague that wiped out more than a third of the European population?” The horror in Lani’s eyes cut him deeply. If only he could say, “No, it wasn’t me.” But it was his duty, his Calling. He’d set loose a plague on humanity and many, many had died. She pulled out of his grip. “It’s a good thing this is a dream.” “Lani?” He stepped closer so that their bodies almost but not quite touched. It was time to be honest, whether she liked the truth or not. “This isn’t a dream. As unlikely as it must seem to you, this is all real.” Her shoulders hunched over while she flipped through the book. Long moments passed before she moved to the right and pointed to a paragraph in the book. “It says here that what you do isn’t evil. There is a purpose and everything has a reason. But I can tell you that I’m having a hard time not seeing killing that many people as anything but evil.” What could he say? It was his Calling. He didn’t have much choice as to when it was used. And sometimes he didn’t have much control on how dangerous his Calling proved to be. The devastation of the Black Plague had mostly resulted because of a fight between him and his father. Neither had been prepared for the repercussions. Even Surt had been upset, which was the only reason the Calling hadn’t been used in so long. But no excuse would change the facts. He was a demon prince, the Prince of Pestilence. That wasn’t about to change, even if he did find a way to leave Hell. Lani’s fingers brushed his face. “I don’t understand, but I want to.” “I wish I could explain it all to you, but I can’t. I’ve only ever done what I’ve had to.” He folded his hand over hers to still the lingering caress of her touch. Her cool skin felt too good. A temptation like her would shake the foundations of his soul when she rejected him. And she would reject him. She would never be able to understand or forgive the deeds of his past. But she stepped closer, so close her warm breath blew over his jaw. “You know, curiosity is a curse of my profession.” She met his gaze. Her mouth hovered over his. “Not only do I want to understand this place, but I need to understand you.” Heat blazed up over him. Arousal such that he hadn’t felt in ages hardened his body and rushed blood through him with a roar of sensation. “Lani Monroe, I have a powerful need to know you, too. There is something different about you, something I have never seen or felt before.” He wanted to lean forward and claim her lips, but mortals could be flighty, and scaring her off was the last thing he wanted. If she was as brave and interested as she appeared, then tonight might prove to be the most pleasurable night either of them would ever experience. He wasn't about to steal that chance by rushing this kiss. Fortunately he didn't have to. She kissed him. Her lips pressed to his. Her tongue danced over the crease of his lips. Her other hand furrowed through his hair, holding on

with a lover’s grip. He could take no more. He dragged her tight against his body, molding her soft curves to him, reveling in how perfectly they came together. Her hips bucked against his swollen erection and when he gasped she plunged forward to claim his mouth. * Lani silently told her brain to shut up. Yes, she was kissing the Prince of Pestilence. And she was enjoying it. It wasn’t like she’d picked this dream. No, she’d never have signed up for a cruise to Hell, but now that she was here … well, Meryk was a risk she wasn’t going to run from. Never before had she felt like this. Maybe she never would again. She literally hungered for him. The chemistry was there even from across the room. Her body jumped into overheat mode as soon as they touched. And he certainly didn’t seem opposed to making love with a human. Or did he think of her as a mortal? Dammit, shut up, she screamed at her mind. She kissed him and petted over his hot body. Hot in this case wasn’t just a description of his sex appeal. No, he was actually warmer than she was. Later she’d ask about that. But for now … just kiss. His arm held her pinned against his broad smooth chest. She stroked her way down his shoulders and explored the planes of his body. It was no wonder he went around without a shirt. Why would he want to hide such perfect proportions? She wanted to kiss that chest, and run her tongue all over it. She pulled back enough to trail kisses down his neck. “Lani, are you … dear Creator!” She licked his flat nipple and nibbled at it until it pebbled hard and perhaps ached as much as her own. “Lani … I want you, but are you sure you want this?” She looked up to meet his smoldering gaze. “Will having wild, swinging from the bedpost, monkey sex with you cause me any harm?” “No,” he gasped. “Then I want to be with you.” She leapt up and kissed him again, a quick hard demand from her lips to his. “Now get those clothes off. I want to explore what the Prince of Pestilence looks like compared to the average man.” She started unfastening her pants. She believed in fair play, after all. So in this case she mimicked his actions. When he flipped open the button to his slacks, she unbuttoned her own. When his hand slowly dragged the zipper down, she matched it by opening the zipper on her own slacks. His gaze was heavy with anticipation but his motions were slow, deliberate, and sexy as … well, where they stood. With a single smooth motion he kicked off one shoe. The second followed the first. Then he pushed his slacks down, forcing the fabric to move one inch at a time. She did the same. When the pants pooled at his bare feet, she followed the line of his body back up, slamming to a stop at his impressive erection. Perhaps she’d feared that her imagination might have built him differently from humans. But he was perfect. His thick arousal rose in a long curve. The sight heightened her need. Her body became a tight ache that could only be

satisfied by Meryk. “That isn’t very fair. You still have your shirt.” She giggled at his pouting tone. “If you don’t like it, then do something about it.” Her taunt had barely left her lips when his hands darted out and grabbed her shirt. A single jerk sent the buttons flying. Then he simply pushed it off her shoulders and let the blouse flutter heedless to the floor. “There. That’s better.” He took a step back, holding out a hand to her. Her heart slammed into her throat. The ripping of her shirt had been a clear reminder that she didn’t know him or what he was capable of. And his hand out and patiently waiting was Meryk’s way of offering her one last chance to run. She didn’t want to run anywhere but to him. She slid her hand into his and carefully stepped from her tangle of clothes. “Thank you, Lani, for your trust. I won’t abuse it.” Before she could answer, he tugged her and, with a spin, took them both onto the bed. Their mouths came together with a crash. He kissed her this time, and it was deep and devouring. His hands claimed her body, gliding over her skin. A teasing caress over one breast, down along her side and then around to cup her bare behind, cupping and molding her. Through every motion his sweet mouth dominated her every breath. Dipping lower, his talented hand petted her thigh, down the outside and then back up between, stroking the tender flesh higher and higher until he finally reached the slick folds of her aching pussy. She arched into the contact while clinging to his kiss. He broke away on a growl that sounded half purr. “I want you, fast.” “Mmm … fast, hard and deep all sound like very good words.” She didn’t have anything against foreplay, but this first time, she completely agreed with his need to rush. The blaze of desire burning through her body would accept nothing less. She rolled her hips to slide her wet sex over his erection. The twitch of hard flesh and his low groan urged her on. She repeated again and again until the teasing became more torment than pleasure. Rubbing over him was fantastic, but what she wanted, needed, had to have was him deep inside her. “Please don’t make me beg, Meryk. Just make me come.” “Such a dirty request. I though librarians were—” She rolled her hips again, this time encasing the head of his cock. She swiveled her hips, clenching over him. “Lani…” Then he drove into her. Not violently, but slow and relentless. Every advance longer than the previous retreat, every motion became a beautiful invasion. One of his hands tangled in her hair, anchoring her against his slamming hips. His other hand caressed her from face to thigh and back again. She rocked into each pulse of motion. Pleasure shot through her. Her body clenched around him, leaving her between a gasp and a scream of pleasure. It was too much and not enough. She wrapped her legs around his hips taking him deep, so deep. “Creator’s blessing, you feel too good.” His ragged breath blew over her ear and was followed by him sucking her earlobe into his mouth. The suckling came in time with his thrusts and the flicking of his tongue over her tiny diamond stud was enough to leave her shaking. She screamed his name and clawed at his back. Then she went flying. And better yet, she felt Meryk join her in climax.

His smooth rhythm shuddered, and he whispered something foreign. “Aeshlyn da lorna, ma’tar avayla evokoyla.” The words sounded suspiciously romantic. His relaxing body settled beside her, pulling her into his arms. * Meryk held Lani tight in his arms. What was this crazy overwhelming thing that had risen so quickly between them? He’d never experienced sex like this. Oh, not the orgasm or even the attraction was so different. He’d had all that before, but the urgency, the closeness and the desperate need in every touch was beyond any of his experience. Avayla… The only explanation that came to him was the blessing of love. They’d been offered a rare touch of fate. What else could bring her across the realms to land in his arms, if not a blessing directly from the Creator? Such a rare blessing for his kind. Lani was a miracle. A miracle that didn’t belong here in Hell. Soon she would go back to her world, and he would be left here alone again. The deepest darkest part of him cried out at the thought of letting her go. She was his, dropped into his lap and meant to be claimed forever. But his more realistic side had to admit that they were from different worlds. She couldn’t stay here in Hell and he… Well, he shouldn’t think about leaving. Shouldn’t, but couldn’t help doing so. Now more than ever, he had to get out of here. Not just to leave behind the pressure his father was applying, but more importantly, to be with Lani. Or was he using her for an excuse? The possibility sent a twist of guilt through his gut. No, he couldn’t use Lani like that. Yes, he wanted to leave Hell, but he wouldn’t use love as an excuse. He stroked his fingers down her soft cheek. She was too special. “M’vayla.” She smiled but her eyes stay shut. “What does that mean?” “My love.” “I like that. Mahvayla.” Finger combing Lani’s hair away from her face, he pressed kisses to her exposed neck. Wonder filled him up. Every place they touched tingled in expectation. There was so much he wanted to tell her, to share about himself. But their time was so short that the words wouldn’t come. With the love came fear. Would she reject him? Would she fear him? So far all she’d offered was acceptance and affection. But would it be the same if she knew all of him? Maybe she would. He nibbled across her shoulder, letting the ripples of sensation soak into his soul. If she didn’t love him back, if this was to be all the time they had together… it should be perfect. Turning her in his embrace, he claimed her lips, nibbling at her slowly, devouring her one second at a time. She was his, if not forever, at least for now. She was all his, only his. Deepening the kiss, he showed her how he felt in the only way he knew how. He opened his heart to her, releasing his powers and letting her into the deepest part of him. The dark power spun around them, a cloud made of shadows encircling the bed in swirls of black energy. But it touched neither of them. Instead it left them in a pool of light. He was both baffled and filled with joy. Pressing kisses over her face, he accepted it for what it was and bathed in the sweet light of her love.

* Lani giggled at the feather-light kisses Meryk rained on her face. Capturing his face with both hands, she stilled him and guided his lips back to hers for more of his deep and possessive kissing. He was such a wonderful mix of gentle reverence and dominant control. And his kiss… She could drown in the eddies of pleasure his kiss sent cascading through her. The tangle of his tongue and the nip of his teeth, they battled so beautifully. “My demon lover.” A memory tickled awake in her mind. Hadn’t there been a movie by that title ages ago? Was the movie where this delicious dream came from? She smiled and blinked into the darkness. Had Meryk turned off the lights? No, the dim light from the bedside lamp still glowed but was blocked out by… She blinked again. The dark around them writhed as if alive. The trails of black twisted and wove an intricate pattern of black on black. “Just beautiful.” “Mmm… yes you are.” Meryk’s lips nibbled their way down her neck. His hands led the way, leaving trails of fire across her skin. Down her neck, across her shoulder and circling lazily toward one breast. He cupped a breast in each hand, his thumbs rubbing her nipples into hard beads and sending heat shooting through her body. The delicious tugs of sensation pooled between her thighs. “Oh Meryk…” “Yes, Lani Monroe?” She intended to ask about the darkness, but that moment was just when he chose to strategically move one hand so as to steal her breath and stop any possible question. His fingers slipped through her folds, stroking the center of her need in a series of short gliding strokes. Then those dangerous fingers twisted, collided with her aching clit and sent her shooting into the deep end of the pleasure. She cried out as the first wave peaked. Meryk was there, his mouth hovering over hers capturing every whimper and plea. “What is it m’anom? What does m’vayla crave? Tell me your desire.” With his fingers stroking her just so, the perfect rhythm held her at the edge of orgasm, trapped in a series of small tremors but withholding that desperate final release. Words, he wanted words. She struggled just to breath. The world, time itself, was focused on where his fingers caressed her flesh. Nothing else mattered. “Please…” His fingers paused. “Please what, m’vayla?” Her knees came together over his hand. “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.” Another stroke and then one finger slid deep inside. “Never. I’ll never stop loving you, Lani Monroe.” His body moved between her thighs and then it wasn’t his finger parting her, but his long thick cock. He pushed into her slowly, filling her one slow inch at a time. All the while his fingers continued to flick over her clit. She clung to his arms, anchoring herself in his strength, while completely awash in the wild sensations. Rocking her hips against his thrusts, they came together over and over. He growled low in his throat and the muscles under her hands went from tense to iron. Arching into his controlled thrusts, she reveled in the knowledge that he was trapped at the edge too. The pleasure rose higher and higher and every second was etched in time. “Lani…”

Like lightening shot through her veins, the pleasure spiked and shot her over the edge. She cried out. “Come with me, Meryk.” And he did. His thrusts lost the perfect rhythm and grew wild with abandon. The shock and stillness that came with his release lasted for several thundering heartbeats until finally he shifted to the side and pulled her into his arms. She curled against his warmth. Emotions bubbled up within her, but the tide was held by the sweet wonder of the moment. Being with Meryk had been perfect. More pleasure than with any other lover. It was more than an orgasm. Or at least more than those she’d had before Meryk. Being with him was so real and intense, like being closer than skin to skin… Panic hit her with a rush. She’d just made love with a demon, with the Prince of Pestilence … without a condom. Hell, would a condom even have been protection? He wasn’t human. He’d said nothing would hurt her, and she wanted to believe him, but she still had to ask. “Meryk? We didn’t use protection. Please tell me it doesn’t matter.” “Protection? Oh, you mean a rubber to protect against pregnancy? I can’t make you pregnant, Lani. Or sick either. I did promise making love with me would cause you no harm and I meant it.” “Thank you, Meryk. I was really scared for a moment. Which is silly, huh?” He cradled her in his arms, making her feel precious and wonderful in ways she might never experience in her real life. For just a moment, she’d forgotten it was all a dream. Now that the truth came back she almost wished this perfect dream could be real.

Chapter Four Lani twisted her fingers around a curl of Meryk’s hair. It was so silky and soft, like a length of black silk. After they’d made love, they’d cuddled. She’d never been with a man that wanted to cuddle afterward, and yet, here was this demon snuggling as if her touch was something he craved. “Only in a dream…” Meryk’s eyes opened. “This does feel like a dream. You are too good to be real.” She smiled at that. “Of course you’d say that. It’s my dream.” She gave his hair a gentle tug. “I wouldn’t dream up an average man. No, I imagined a demon so sweet I could fall in love with him.” “Lani?” She snuggled in closer. “What is it, Meryk?” “This isn’t a dream.” His arms came around her. “I know it feels that way, and I hope it always feels that way, but this is real. We’ve been blessed with love, aeshlyn avaylan. I hope you feel the same way.” She stared up into his green gaze. Was he teasing her? Was this how she’d wake up and leave him? But he looked serious, and she didn’t wake up. Come to think of it, every test she’d used to prove this was a dream had failed. The door had stayed locked. Pinching her arm hadn’t wakened her. And Meryk was telling her it was real. A knot of fear tightened in her chest. “It can’t be real. How would I end up in Hell making love to a demon if it weren’t a dream? Even in a dream it’s a damn big stretch.” “Please calm down, Lani. We can sort this out together.” But real and true panic welled up inside her. She pinched her eyes closed and spoke slowly. “You’re a demon, and I’m in Hell?” His arms tightened. “I am a demon and you are in Hell.” He kissed her temple. “Lani Monroe, you are the best thing that has happened to me in three thousand years. Please tell me that you won’t give up on us just because I’m not a dream.” “But you can’t be real… Oh my God. I’m in Hell. How did I get here? How will I get back to my own world? How can I go home? Am I trapped here forever?” “You are not trapped here. There are many ways for you to go back to your mortal world and be able to live your life. Although I’m not yet sure how you came to fall into my lap, I can promise you that I’ll help you get home if that is what you wish.” “Well, I can’t stay here. I don’t belong in Hell. I have to go home.” She fought back the panic and focused on the tiny kisses and warm breath blowing against her cheek. “You mean I could stay here with you if I wanted?” “You could.” There was something in what he said, but even more in what he didn’t say. “Can you leave here with me?” He didn’t answer at first, and in that moment she realized just how much she wanted to be with him. Whether it was in his world or hers, they had something special that deserved to be explored. Meryk tipped her jaw up and pressed a short kiss to her lips. “It’s complicated. My father would not like if I left, but there is nothing in the rules that says I can’t go to the

mortal world.” “Have you ever left Hell before?” “A few times for my Calling and once when I was young. I have very little experience with your world. The times I did visit, I found it very cold. Is it cold where you live?” She laughed. “Oh no, it’s not cold in Demon, Arizona. That’s the name of the little town where I live. It would be very ironic if it did become home to the Prince of Pestilence.” She kissed him again before he could say yes or no. Everything seemed to make sense in that moment. Her car breaking down in a small town right in front of a library when she was an out-of-work librarian and then her falling in love with the middle-of-nowhere place and the wonderfully odd people. And the convention and everything … it all led to this moment when she would fall for a demon and make plans to bring him home. “Meryk, do you believe in destiny?” “Of course. That is sort of in the job description.” “Good because I do, too, or at least I do now.” Until just this moment she really hadn’t thought much about destiny, fate or anything like that, but too many things had led to this moment for it to be accidental. “So how do we get out of Hell? I want to take you home to meet the neighbors.” He kissed her again before sitting up and helping her. “Getting out of Hell isn’t all that hard if you’re dead. It’s a little trickier for the living.” “You said you’ve left before.” Was he trying to say he was actually dead? “I’m not dead, but I did follow the soul of a man who was. I piggybacked into Niflheim. That won’t do us much good.” Meryk pulled on his slacks. “I could go for something to eat. Are you hungry?” Her stomach rumbled in answer. “Yeah, I am.” She pulled on her underwear and blouse, buttoning the last remaining button to hold it together. Should she bother with her pants? She rather hoped that she and Meryk would be climbing back into bed soon, but on the other hand, what if Bubba or some other demon showed up… She dressed in her slacks and carried the best of the books down the hall toward Meryk’s kitchen. When she got there she found Meryk already at what she’d taken for a counter. He was frying eggs in a pan. Under the pan, a circle of the smooth surface glowed red. It reminded her of the flat surface stoves and must be the same type thing. The eggs smelled a little funny, almost sweet. “Hiiskyn eggs okay?” He paused in his cooking. “You wouldn’t know what those are… The hiiskyn is a lizard native to Niflheim. I’ve tasted your chicken eggs, and they taste much the same.” “Can I help?” “You can get out drinks from the cooler. Unless you’d prefer a warm drink… The two doors over there on that wall are the cooler and warmer. You can pick what you wish.” She moved to the doors and opened the one on the left first. It was the cooler and held very familiar looking cans and bottles of soda as well as some she didn’t recognize. “What would you like?” “Cherry Coke, please.” He began dishing the eggs onto plates which she hadn’t seen before. “You might like the Tishm in the black can. It is sweet and is somewhat like the coffee of America.”

“I like my coffee hot.” “Then get a can from the warmer.” He leaned over and kissed her shoulder before sitting at the table. She did as he suggested and sat down beside him. The eggs tasted almost like chicken eggs as promised. They were a tiny bit sweeter as if mixed with a little syrup. “I was thinking about how we can leave Hell. I know that if you go to my father and explain that you don’t belong, he will send you back. But if we do that, I won’t be able to follow you. Two of my brothers are going to the mortal realm for an occult conference this afternoon. We might be able to convince them to take you with them.” “An occult conference? It must be the one I was at! I bet that’s how I got here. One of those nuts must have been able to open a doorway between there and here.” Lani nearly leapt from her seat. “When can we see if your brothers can do it?” Meryk caught her arm and waited for her to settle back into her seat. “It’s not that easy. I do think this plan could work, but George and Dave could get in a good bit of trouble helping me to leave Hell.” “Are you a prisoner?” * It was hard to explain. He wasn’t a prisoner like she meant, but in a way he was trapped here. “My father will not like me leaving my duties. If he catches me in the act of leaving Hell, you might get hurt by his anger.” “What about you?” Her hand felt perfect in his, and her caring about his welfare was a blessing beyond anything he’d expected. “Surt is emotional and his powers could harm or even kill a mortal, but I can withstand anything he does. He wouldn’t intentionally cause me permanent harm.” He squeezed her fingers in reassurance. “George is able to move items or people across the realms. I plan to ask him to take us to the occult conference with him and Dave.” “George and Dave don’t sound like very demonic names.” “All of us are able to be summoned by our true names. To protect ourselves, we use other names for our everyday lives.” “Summoned? You mean that anyone could say Merihim and you’d be forced to go to them even if you didn’t want to? That’s not fair.” “It is very rare that our names are used that way. Very few know the correct rituals to perform a summons.” Something occurred to him then. “Did you see anything in that book of yours about summoning rituals?” “I don’t think so.” “For that I’m glad. I’d hate to have thousands of books out there that’d allow humans to command my will. But it does offer us another option … a backup plan in case my brothers can’t get us both out of Hell.” “What do you mean?” “I know they will take you back to this conference. You belong there, so it’s the right thing to do, but they may not be willing to help me go against my father’s orders. If they refuse, or Surt catches us, then you can go on without me.” He laid a finger over her lips to stall her refusal, even while he loved that she wanted them to leave together. “Once you get out, you can summon me. I can’t refuse a summons. Even my father could not hold my going against me.” He left out that a summons was usually extremely painful.

With any luck it wouldn’t matter, and George would send them to the mortal realm together. She still looked stubborn and about to object, but after a slow intake of breath all she said was, “How do I perform a summons?” “As much as I wish we had time for me to teach you all the ways of summoning demons, I’m afraid we don’t have long until my brothers will be leaving for your world.” He materialized the only English summoning book he owned and held it out for her. “We need to go now, if we can.” “What’s this?” “If you need to, the book will help you to summon me.” Meryk led her back to the bedroom and helped her finish dressing. Within minutes they were rushing from the apartment and down the hall hand-in-hand. There was little chance to talk, and even with the rush they barely made it to the imports room before George left. “George!” His brother turned from the shimmering doorway. “I thought Bubba was joking. You really are here to bolt out, aren’t you?” He didn’t deny the accusation. “I need your help.” George held up a hand cutting him off. “I would, but Father is watching and you won’t make it.” “You’ve got to help. Lani doesn’t belong here. She has to go back to the mortal world. You can take her.” “I can, and I will. But you, my brother, do belong here and you already know he won’t let you leave like this.” The regret was etched on George’s lined face. He patted Meryk’s shoulder and then turned to Lani. “Come on, girl. I can’t keep the portal open long.” Meryk squeezed her hand. “Can we have a second alone? Go ahead, and I will send her through after you.” George nodded. “Don’t be foolish.” Then he stepped through the shimmering door and disappeared. He pulled Lani into his arms and whispered urgently in her ear. “Listen to me, Lani. I’m going to follow you through the door. The other side will be the convention center and my brothers. They will help you if you need it. If I don’t make it, know that I love you. I will find a way to join you. If you do the summons, I will be happy to come to your call.” He kissed her slowly and sweetly, trying to tell her everything he wanted her to know. The doorway shuddered with a reminder that it wouldn’t last much longer. “It’s time. Go through fast.” He kept her hand tight in his, and they both rushed the door. * Lani held onto his hand fiercely. They were going back to her world together and they would do it hand-in-hand. Except that when she hit the barrier, it gave and she fell forward with a familiar spin. But the hand she held Meryk with was dragged backward. He didn’t fall with her. She was pulled impossibly in two directions. She stretched and ached. Still she held on. “Meryk!”

Heat flooded out in the void, rushing over her like fire. Meryk’s hand opened, and without his help, she couldn’t keep the grip on him. She was yanked away and fell onto the cool floor of the men’s room. She knew it was the men’s restroom because she nearly hit her head on a urinal as she sat up. The two men standing beside her both offered her hands to help get up. She accepted both, since her legs felt like mush. George leaned in close and patted her arm. “Your sleeve was smoldering a bit. I guess that means Meryk tried to follow you.” “Will he be okay?” She couldn’t stand the thought of him being hurt, especially not because he wanted to be with her. “He’ll be fine eventually.” George lifted up her bag and handed it to her. “I see he gave you a gift. If you intend to summon him, wait a week before you do. Father will be watching him closely for a few days at least.” “How can you live like that, as prisoners?” “It may seem that way, but Meryk has the most reason to want to leave. The rest of us have more purpose and less time to get bored or frustrated. For what it’s worth, I think you are a good thing in his life. If I could have brought him through I would have.” He looked into the bag again. “You should look at page eighty-three. That spell was used on me once. It isn’t as cruel as some of the ones that will bring Meryk across.” “Will it work?” “Yes, but the trick will not be bringing him across. It will be finding a way for him to stay. Good luck, mortal.” George moved to join his brother at the door. Then they both left her there.

Chapter Five Lani had never faced a longer week in her life. Nor a busier one. She returned to Demon and to work. But her every spare moment was spent studying the spell on page eighty-three of Summoning Darkness. The book was in old English, so it was no easy task to set up the spell correctly. The old house she lived in had plenty of unused space, and she converted one of the rooms into a portal room with all the things the spell magic included. According to the book, once she opened a portal it would be difficult to close it. It stressed how important it was to make such a portal safe and lasting. She followed all the directions, and by the time a week had passed, everything was ready. The circle was drawn with its pentagram in chalk, and edge done in salt to protect her from anything unwanted. The black and red candles were lit, and she held the adapted chant in one shaking hand. If anything was going to go wrong it would be the chant. As it turned out, the power of the chant and of the spell came from how much she knew about the demon being summoned and she’d only had a few precious hours with Meryk. She settled down beside the circle. Delaying longer wouldn’t make this chant any better. “I, Mistress of the Demon Library, summon the demon prince known as Merihim. Merihim, I summon you. Meryk, I summon you. Prince of Pestilence, I summon you. Son of Surt, I summon you. Brother of Bubba, I summon you.” A smoky haze circled lazily within the magic. She continued the chant with a little more hope. “Brother of George, I summon you. Brother of Dave, I summon you. Lover of Librarians, I summon you. My Lover, I summon you. Cooker of hiiskyn eggs, I summon you.” The smoke thickened and spun around like a tiny tornado. Although the wind must be fierce, not a single candle flickered. All of the energy and motion was trapped inside the circle. “Merihim, I summon you. Meryk, I summon you. Lover, I summon you.” A dark form solidified low in the smoke. Slowly Meryk became visible. He knelt before her, his green gaze holding steady with her own. His lips parted with a whisper that she somehow heard over her pounding heart. “Lani … my lover.” She grabbed the pure white towel and prepared to break the circle. But there was one last step that she hoped would be the right thing to do. “Prince Merihim, I have summoned you. I bind you with this chain called love. You will not be freed until you repeat these words, ‘I don’t love you, Lani.’ Only then may you return to the Hell from which you rose.” She wiped away the salt and chalk in a single sweep and in the same motion handed Meryk a small locket on a simple silver chain. And then she was in his arms. “Thank God, it worked!” Her lips hit his, and they went down in a heap. The kiss went on and on. She couldn’t bear to let him go even long enough to move from the

circle. Her hands sank into his thick hair, and her tongue tangled with his, warring for dominance in a struggle of passion. Eventually Meryk pushed her back long enough to whisper, “Thank you, Lani Monroe. Thank you for summoning me.” She stood up, never releasing his hand. “I’m just glad it worked. Follow me and I’ll show you how glad.” She waggled her eyebrows at him and leered. Then she led him from the spare room and down the hall to her bedroom. “Welcome to my world, Meryk.” She took the locket from his hand and lifted it over his neck. * “You did wonderfully.” Meryk kissed her slowly, reveling in the luxury of her mouth. There was so much he wanted to tell her, so much he needed to show her. But in this moment all he wanted was to be with her and thank her for all she’d done. He removed her clothes one piece at a time, kissing the sexy pale skin each motion revealed. When he couldn’t reach the hook of her bra he used a touch of magic to undo it and homed in on her full breasts. Already her nipples were aroused into hard pebbles for him. He cupped them and nibbled at their peaks until she writhed and moaned under the attention. Then he moved lower. The dip of her navel offered moments of temptation before he trailed nibbles to the rise of her hip and then back to the softly trimmed hair above her sex. He stroked over her southern lips, sliding across the soft slick folds. “Meryk!” “Hold still, love. It’s my duty to worship you, my duty and my pleasure.” He dipped one finger inside her, stroking her heat ever higher. When her hips came back to the bed she moaned, “This is me not complaining.” He’d bring her orgasm with his hand and then again with his mouth and only then would he seek his own pleasure in her body. He dipped his finger in again, and slid his thumb up to her swollen nub. He timed the light flicks with each swirl of his finger. Lani moaned and clutched at his shoulders. He added a second finger to the game, sliding both in, stretching her a little wider. “I love how wet you are for me. Now I fill you with my fingers but later I will take you so much deeper.” She arched under him. “Our first time was too fast. I’ve been dreaming of how I’ll make up for that rush this time and many times in the future. I will show you all the pleasure a half incubus can offer.” He pulled her thigh up and kissed the inside of her knee, while continuing the smooth movements with his hand. Lani rocked with him. She was on the verge of coming and would need just a little more. With his thumb he circled her pleasure, pressing the sensitive bud while deepening the strokes with his fingers. He opened his mind and let her feel how much pleasure he received by touching her. “Yes!” Her body arched off the bed, clenching over his fingers. He let her ride out the orgasm before trailing kisses down her thigh and dipping his mouth to her beautiful sex. “You are perfect.” The first taste was ambrosia and every one after even better. He licked through her folds, plunging as deep as he could. Then he focused on her nub while keeping tempo with his fingers.

She came again with him suckling at her pleasure. Only then did he move up her body and bring their bodies together fully. The second his erection claimed her fully he knew he was here in her arms to stay. This was home. It was a damn good thing he’d taken his time before claiming her body, because once he sank deep, he knew he wouldn’t last long. Being with Lani awoke a whole new fire to his blood that was both hot ache and cool relief. Each stroke begged for eternity. He craved her and in moments realized it was an addiction that could last forever. She, however, didn’t appear to have his patience. Lani screamed in pleasure, shattering over him and taking him with her. Together they fell and landed in a boneless heap on the bed. Through panted breath and racing hearts they gradually parted into separate but still-connected bodies. “That was…” “Beyond words … and for a librarian that is saying something.” Lani cuddled up to him. He held her close. “I think ‘amazing’ covers it well. But we can try again and see if we can describe it better next time.” She chuckled. “I can’t believe you’re here. I love that you’re here.” “Me too, Lani. You summoned me, and better yet, you bound me. I am yours now to command.” There was a tiny fear that she might use her power of command to force him to do things against nature, but as little as he knew about her, he still knew she wasn’t that kind. “The binding you used, I’d never heard of one such as that before.” “I made it up.” She blushed and ducked her head to lay it against his chest. “I wanted you to come and be able to stay but I didn’t want to control you. This way, you can always go back to Hell if … if you ever want to.” “You are an amazing woman, Lani Monroe.” That was when the house shook with a familiar roar. “Merihim!”

Chapter Six Lani jumped from the bed and dragged on the nearest clothes. “Is that your father?” “Yes.” Meryk dressed with magic, but he waited for her to finish. “He will be here to command me back to Hell, but he doesn’t have that power over me. Only you can send me away.” She was a fairly smart woman and so therefore was scared senseless at the thought of facing the devil. “Meryk, tell me honestly, how bad is this?” The house gave another shake and several pictures fell off the wall. “It will seem very bad, and he will try to trick you, but you as the summoner have the power in this situation. The only risk is the broken circle. You have to repair it the second we go back into the room.” “Okay, I think I can do that.” She caught his hand. “But won’t he know that and stop me?” “I’ll distract him. I have never been what would be considered submissive or obedient. I can confuse him by appearing completely under your control to a degree he would never expect. As long as you follow my lead, it could work.” “I’m not sure I understand, but I think we’d better go before the house falls down around us.” The house shook again and rumbled with the sound of thunder. Meryk waved his hand down his body, and his clothing dissolved into a series of leather straps that revealed far more of his skin than it concealed. His only concession to modesty was a very tight pair of leather pants. “Mistress, we should go now.” Meryk bowed low and avoided her gaze. For a heartbeat she didn’t understand. Then the plan made sense. He’d always stood up to his father. Now his independent nature would be the lie that would give her time to fix the circle. She straightened her shoulders. Their future depended on her going from librarian to demon summoner. She could do this. “Follow me, Merihim, my Dark Prince of Pestilence.” She led the way back to the spare room. Her mock confident strides faltered at the doorway. A column of black smoke rose from the broken circle and filled the upper half of the room. The smell was acrid and sharp, biting at her senses. Heat poured outward from the portal. The floor actually rippled with the terrifying power coming from within that smoke. Meryk dropped to his knees beside her, the perfect reminder of their roles. “Merihim, you have disobeyed my wishes for the last time. You have one pass to get your ass back to this realm or I will come there for you.” The roar of words was carried on a hurricane strength gale blowing heat and ash out in all directions. Dammit. She forced down the fear and uncertainty. This was their chance to build a life together. “Dark One, Prince Merihim is under my will. He is not free to leave now or within any pass of time.” “Who dares!” A face appeared from the smoke. The dark shadows were etched in red lines. “My mistress has bound me. I am at her service.” The moment Meryk drew the demonic eyes, Lani palmed the chalk and small salt shaker. There was no time for finesse so she flipped off the whole lid.

“You have fallen to such as her with no natural power to wield?” “I have.” Meryk bowed lower still. Lani leaped forward, slashing the chalk across the single smudged line and pouring the salt over the cleared place where the circle was broken. “Circle whole, circle safe.” The moment the words were uttered the wind stilled, or at least it did outside the circle. Inside it continued every bit as wildly as before. His power was well past anything she thought the circle would hold. She hurried around the edge and relit the candles to help strengthen it as much as possible. When she lit the last candle, the smoke parted and then fell away to reveal an older man in a simple black suit. “You tricked me, Merihim.” Meryk stepped forward beside Lani, taking her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Yes, sire. I did.” “Perhaps you have spent too much time with Asmoday. Or perhaps I should have paired you with him centuries ago.” “I am bound to this woman, by spell and by affection.” Meryk wrapped his arm around her and together they faced his father, who could likely still crush them both on a whim. “I am bound to her and as such bound to her world.” “I could drag you both back to our realm and therefore not break your spell.” “But for what gain? My Calling is not needed, and if it were, you could use me from here in this small town. Perhaps my new Calling could even be done from here.” The demon lord’s head tilted in interest. “New Calling?” “I have thought about my ability to fill a need, and I can fill an important need right here at Lani’s side. So often we need to pass into the mortal world and have no real understanding of it. I believe by having a base here in this town, we could stay in touch better. I would offer to set up and maintain such a place.” Lani squeezed Meryk’s arm. “This house was once the hotel for the town. Together we could set it up again as a Bed and Breakfast for visiting … shall we say relatives?” Surt laughed at that. “A demon B and B!” Lani couldn’t help joining in. Surt had a rather infectious laugh. “The town is named Demon already. It would be appropriate.” “Demon, you say?” Surt’s laughter was longer and deeper. “Very well, son, set up this demonic Bed and Breakfast and we shall see how well it works. And as for your lady and the binding to her… You have found a brave one. I welcome the chance to speak more with you both.” The smoke rose in a narrow column enveloping his shiny shoes and the legs of his pants. “Another possible Calling could be producing a new generation… Think on that until we next speak.” The cloud burst upward, and then Surt was gone completely in a poof. The silence that fell was deafening. “We did it,” she whispered, while turning in Meryk’s arms and hugging him tightly. “We really did it.” Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of something she’d missed before. “Wait! Was that chalk and salt smudged over there too?” But it clearly was. The circle had never been re-closed. The demon lord they’d tried so hard to trick had tricked them just as well. “He was faking! You never said your father was such a faker … But then I guess he is the devil and all that.” Meryk just hugged her all the harder. “He’s letting me stay and that is the important

thing. Did you mean it about turning your home into a demon vacation spot?” “Sure. All the ones I’ve met were decent enough. And if it gets out of hand I think I may just brush up on some demon wrangling skills. Who knows? It might keep you in line too.” “Or even be good for future babies…” He let the words trail off but the sparkle in his eye gave away how he hoped it was possible. “I thought you couldn’t get me pregnant.” “I couldn’t in Hell and I probably can’t now, but if my father has an interest in grandchildren then there might be a chance for us. Would you like that? Would you want my children?” She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him. “Of course I would, just so long as they have your green eyes and my interest in books.” “Or your sense of adventure and this town as a home?” He kissed her back, this time with heat building behind the touch. She reveled in the contact. She’d never get enough of his touch. And it would seem she would get some time to explore every side of him. The possibilities and the promises were endless. “Or you as a father and me as your mistress?” His growl of pleasure vibrated through her. “Such a naughty librarian…” The End About the Author: L. Shannon, the author, started her first work of fiction in June 2004. Shannon’s always been a reader and lover of books, but never considered writing until one night when she ran out of books to read… She began writing that very night as the first line of defense in a battle against insomnia. Her writing has steadily grown into an all-out war against reality. Her friends kindly say reality never stood a chance. Shannon currently has more than twenty-five works available in a variety of paranormal sub-genres. The L. Shannon novels have expanded to fill an entire world with paranormal wonders including: Valàfrn werewolves, Tascryn demons, blood-sucking vampires, sexy selkies and many, many more. Be careful if you choose to enter Shannon’s hunk-filled world. You may never wish to leave… In the time Shannon doesn’t spend writing, she’s kept busy by bothering her husband, showing dogs, gardening and watching over her four Butterfly Koi ponds. You can learn more about her writing and her life at www.lshannon.net

Meet Lsb Authors At The House Of Sin Lsbooks.Net We invite you to visit Liquid Silver Books LSbooks.com for other exciting erotic romances. 2007: Terran Realm Urban fantasy world: TerranRealm.com Featured Series: The Zodiac Series: 12 books, 24 stories and authors Two hot stories for each sign, 12 signs The Coven of the Wolf by Rae Morgan Benevolent lusty witches keep evil forces at bay Fallen: by Tiffany Aaron Fallen angels in hot flight to redeem their wings The Max Series by JB Skully Meet Max, her not-absent dead husband, sexy detective Witt, his mother… And many, many more!