Silent Knight

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Silent Knight ISBN # 1-4199-0463-9 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Silent Knight Copyright© 2005 Delilah Devlin Edited by Briana St James. Cover design by Syneca. Photography by Dennis Roliff. Electronic book Publication: December 2005

This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 443103502. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

Warning: The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. Silent Knight has been rated E–rotic by a minimum of three independent reviewers. Ellora’s Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (S-ensuous), E (Erotic), and X (X-treme). S-ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination. E-rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as “fucking”, “cock”, “pussy”, and such within their work of literature. X-treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.

SILENT KNIGHT

Delilah Devlin

Delilah Devlin

Chapter One Noelle Moyaux flicked off the battery-powered Christmas lights that ringed her metal cart, folded her purple tablecloth into a small tidy square and tucked it and the folding table inside the cart before latching the lid closed. She wheeled the cart across the busy street and waved to her friend Gerard, the owner of a small Cajun restaurant. Continuing around the back of the eatery, she stowed her palmistry kiosk in the storage unit she’d rented from Gerard since before the troubles. Today’s earnings were slim, despite the unseasonably warm weather that allowed the thin-blooded residents of the city to roam the streets in light jackets. No one believed in a future amid the chaos—and some questioned her ability since she’d received no divination of the coming catastrophe. Indeed, Noelle questioned her gift daily as she sat beneath her umbrella in front of the embroidered cloth advertising “Noelle’s News”. If not for the little nest egg of money she’d saved from substitute teaching before the flood, she’d be in dire straits. Clutching her purse close to her side, she headed down the street toward home. One last night. One last chance to lose myself in The Hunger, a fine glass of wine and the body of a willing woman. Before my last sunrise—the first I will see in nearly a thousand years… Noelle heard the quiet, fleeting thought as she passed through the crowd ambling along Bourbon Street and spun to find the owner. The inner voice that accompanied the thought was masculine and raspy. Added to the familiar spark of connection when her skin had brushed against his was a wash of the blackest melancholy she’d ever sensed. It nearly drowned her in despair. 4

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But whose? No one stood out among the evening crowd of construction workers, disaster-junkies and uprooted residents looking for diversion from the daily serving of desolation New Orleans had become. Was he an out-of-town contractor lonely for his home and family during the holiday? Or a N’awlins native who’d lost his friends and community to the terrible storm with the pretty name? Whichever, she had to find him. She’d spent months second-guessing her place in the world, wondering if her gift served a higher purpose or just provided a distraction from true contribution. This brief glimpse into another’s pain seemed the answer she’d been seeking. Filled with a renewed sense of purpose, she reminded herself God didn’t give away special gifts without expecting extraordinary sacrifice. The man was clearly demented. He believed himself a thousand years old. And he meant to end his life—with a sunrise? Perhaps he only felt a thousand years old, so great was his sadness. And maybe she hadn’t understood the flash-burn of light and the acrid scent of singed flesh that accompanied the dour thoughts. But if someone intended to blow himself up or set himself ablaze, it was up to her to save him. He’d touched her. Now his fate belonged to her. She walked back the way she’d come, letting her hand drift out from her side, skimming the tourists and garbage collectors, finding nothing darker than desire for the buzz of alcohol and a quick, illicit screw. Then she touched him again and instantly recognized his painful soul. She paused, suddenly overwhelmed. Dark, erotic pictures blurring like an out-offocus film spooled through her mind—limbs sliding sinuously apart and together, lips and fingers gliding over sweat-slick skin, powerful, full-shaft surges into warmth so tight and hot Noelle’s nipples beaded in response to the lustful images. A finger trailed down her cheek, taking away her breath, and she blinked back into focus. He stood close. Large, black Spanish boots, polished so well they reflected lamp glow, were braced apart. 5

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Afraid to look up, she swallowed, tempted to continue past and forget all about trying to save his soul from a terrible sin. Then he lifted her chin, dragging up her face until their gazes clashed. Amid the bustle, called greetings and the jazz blaring from several bars, a blanket of quiet fell around her, around him, as she stared at his stark, rugged beauty. She blinked, unable to hold his steady blue gaze and instead let hers drift over him. Lamplight reflected against curling brown hair with glints of gold interwoven in the shoulder-length strands. His height and the breadth of his shoulders made her wonder how she’d ever missed him in the crowd. Clad in black from head to boot, he must have seemed like one big shadow. A square jaw and blunt nose emphasized the strength evident in his frame. But those blue eyes disturbed her most. Bleak, wintery blue that pierced the space between them, drawing her closer like a fishing reel—only she was the trembling catch. When she stood so close his breath stirred her hair, she drew a shaky breath. His gaze dipped to her mouth, and Noelle felt the heat of his glance lick a searing path across her lips. She touched them with her tongue, half expecting to feel blisters. His eyes narrowed, nostrils flared, and his hand slipped around her wrist. You’ll do. His lips hadn’t moved but she read his intent. His head dipped and she found herself incapable and unwilling of resisting while he dragged firm lips across hers. Eyes wide open, she shivered, unable to break the spell holding her immobile. A shallow gasp broke from her lips and he deepened the intimate caress, rubbing his lips on hers, sinking strong fingers into her hair to bring her face closer still. When he drew away, she realized they stood with bodies pressed as close as lovers, a thick-muscled thigh thrust between hers, anchoring her quivering frame. The heat of that masculine thigh pressed through her cotton skirt and she rocked her hips, rubbing on it like a cat.

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Come. Suspended on that thigh, she stood limp in his arms. “I will,” she whispered, and realized he may not have heard her. “Don’t stop.” Not here. Where? “Close, I’m close.” And she was. Warmth pooled between her thighs, her breasts tightened against his solid chest. He chuckled—not a lighthearted sound, but dry and raspy as though his voice was seldom used. His thigh slid from between hers, and he snagged her wrist again. Now. Swaying on her feet, Noelle fought the haze of desire that fluttered around her body and mind like a wispy curtain. How had he done that? Made her forget herself and her mission? Then she remembered—he’d wanted a willing woman for one last night. Despite the sensual languor he’d built, she pulled free of his hold and straightened, lifting her chin. “Not so fast, mister.” He stood still as stone, the slight breeze lifting his hair the only motion. You followed me. “I thought you…” Wait a minute. She stared at his lips. They hadn’t moved—and she wasn’t touching him. Don’t think too much. I won’t harm you. She shook her head, a frisson of fear prickling her spine. Even without the physical connection, his voice slipped inside her mind like a stealthy wraith. You followed me. You want this too. She shook her head again. Her gift led her to him. “I wanted to…save you.” A mirthless smile curved his lips. Too late. I’m already damned. He stepped back and gave her a short bow. I’ll not keep you. 7

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That old-fashioned courtesy struck her as odd. As did the sadness tightening the smile on his lips. As he turned to leave her, the quiet that had enveloped them lifted and the jarring sounds surrounded her again, disconnecting her from the compelling figure disappearing into the crowd. Then she remembered the deep searing pain she’d felt when she’d first encountered his desolate soul. This last night she’d been placed in his path to find him. Just because the saving might require an intimate surrender to slip inside his walls, she shouldn’t be dissuaded from her mission. And she was honest enough to admit he’d stoked her curiosity as well as her libido. “Wait!” she called out to his rapidly disappearing figure. “Don’t go!” He halted but didn’t look back. Slowly, her steps faltering as her heartbeats increased, she reached him and slid her palm along his. Only when his fingers curved around her hand did she take a deep breath. Enveloped again in warmth and the odd quiet, she let him lead her down the street.

Magnus knew he shouldn’t care so much that the woman had changed her mind. But from the moment he’d heard her gasp and the muffled footsteps he’d picked out from among the throng as she’d turned and followed him, he’d decided she would be the one. Her scent was delicious. Above the fetid smells of a wounded city, she smelled of sunlight—like delicate, juicy slices of tangerine. When she’d drawn closer, her wide cognac-colored eyes seemed to look inside him and find something…worthy. That look, and the way she canted her head in wonder when her gaze roamed his body, had heated him more than the anticipated release she’d provide. Waving tendrils of glossy brown hair settled across the tops of her breasts, clothed but dimpling beneath the brown, woolen peasant shirt she wore. The rest of her figure his imagination had to fill in because she wore one of those flowing, crinkled skirts that 8

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brushed ankle-length suede boots. She looked like a flower child from a lesscomplicated era. Her hand trembled inside his. His usual persuasion hadn’t lasted long, but still she was there, striding beside him, her face averted and her heartbeat fluttering fast as a bird’s. Where can we go? “Turn on Duvall. To the right,” she said, her voice breathless. “I have an apartment.” A neon sign, bright red and gold, curved to invite him to fulfill the second part of his mission. The liquor store was busy, but Magnus forged a path through the other customers. They moved aside without ever realizing they followed his command. How had she resisted his persuasion? No one ever had before. Do you have a preference for wine? “No, I don’t drink much,” she murmured, looking around at the others who were leaving the store without their purchases. He selected a Bordeaux, rich but fruity to compliment her flavor, and took it to the counter. The sales clerk rang him up without a word of greeting and handed him the bottle without bagging it. Magnus caught the woman’s interested gaze following the clerk’s motions, her expression sharpening when the clerk returned to his newspaper without another glance. Outside, he continued down the street to the corner of Duvall, her hand tucked inside his arm. He listened while she betrayed her curiosity with deep breaths as though readying herself to ask a question, then sighs when she changed her mind. She repeated the process three times before he realized he was amused. Amused, but not ready to appease her. Your place?

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Her steps lagged and she chewed her bottom lip. “What’s your name?” Magnus. “Just Magnus? What kind of a name is that? Sounds like a gun.” She was nervous—and resistant enough to put a spoke in his plans for the night. Magnus Thornton. Will we be alone? “Ye-es,” she said, her pale face tight, “although I must be crazy for telling you that.” As they approached a whitewashed, two-story apartment building, she tugged his arm. “This is it.” While she rummaged in her bag for the key, he looked around. No dark figures lingered in the shadows. No prickling awareness alerted him to nearby dangers. He relaxed, taking in the façade of the building. It was a little shabby with paint peeling around the windows. Each apartment had an iron-skirted balcony and French doors. The doors faced east. Perfect. In the morning before she woke, he would step through the window to watch the sunrise. The notion struck him as romantic. One last night to lose himself inside this woman’s body…her citrus scent still on his skin. The sun would peek over the gable of the shop across the way… She gasped and drew away the hand that had pulled his sleeve to get his attention. “Are you coming?” she asked, her voice sharp. Not yet, he said with a wry twist of his lips. He followed her inside to a narrow stairwell and a set of iron steps that led to the second floor. Up they walked. She struggled with another lock and then shoved open the door. Magnus stepped inside to the lingering aroma of incense and furniture polish. He took in the apartment in one quick glance. With an open floor plan, the living room and kitchen area was cozy—the space between the kitchen counters so slim that two bodies passing each other in the small confines might constitute a sexual act. Light from

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streetlamps outside the French door spilled over the sofa bed that lay open, the sheets mussed. She flicked on the overhead fan and light and walked around the room, turning on a lamp on the kitchen counter, another on a small iron and tile table next to the sofa. When she bent to lift the end of the bed to fold it away, he placed his hand over hers. Why bother? “Perhaps I’d like to pretend this means a little more than it does?” Her cheeks reddened and she dipped her head to hide her expression. If I tell you this means everything, will you leave it? She straightened, looking him in the eye. “This isn’t me. I don’t bring strange men to my apartment.” Then she shrugged and her glance fell away again. “I just wanted you to know that.” And I’m strange? She shot him a disgruntled look. “You can carry on a whole conversation without ever opening your mouth.” This time, he shrugged and gave her an unrepentant grin. There is that. Her gaze dipped to his mouth and her frown deepened. “Do you know you haven’t even bothered to ask my name?” He waited, letting her struggle with her scruples. She stood still as she fought a silent battle that filled her eyes with resentment and a hint of tears. “My name is Noelle,” she blurted. “Since I’m guessing you’ll never ask.” Just Noelle? he teased, although he felt a twinge in his chest. He hadn’t really wanted to know her name. Names made the fucking more intimate. Her chin came up. “Are you a serial killer?” No. “An alien?” No. 11

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“Then why can I hear you inside my head?” I have this gift… he shrugged. It’s easier. “Well, I know about gifts,” she murmured. She gave him one last frosty glance and stepped around him and into the postage-stamp kitchen. “I’m out of my mind,” she threw over her shoulder. “My dad always told me it was okay to bring home strays, just make sure I took them to the vet first.” She drew two wine glasses from a cabinet and set them on the counter, then pulled a corkscrew from a drawer. When she faced him again, another challenge lifted her chin. “You’ll be wanting your glass of wine.” Magnus narrowed his gaze but opened the bottle and tilted it to pour. He didn’t want to know more about her life but knew she needed to talk to get beyond her unease. Some women were like that—needed words and the deeper emotions to accompany their verbal release. He’d help her along—they had hours of darkness left. Your father didn’t mind an extra mouth or two to feed? “My father was a preacher. He loved all God’s creatures.” Magnus snorted and handed her a glass. Certainly not all. Her frown cleared, her expression softened. “Yes, all. God doesn’t make mistakes.” Magnus was struck with the sincerity of her tone. So naïve—so beautifully unaware. How does one distinguish between God’s creatures and those fashioned by someone else? “Even the demons that haunt us are part of his plan.” Her pointed glance made him uncomfortable. You said he loved. Past tense? She sighed, a winsome sound that matched the sorrow reflected in her moist eyes. “My parents both died a couple of weeks before the hurricane.” Her attention fell to her wine and she sipped. Not a good year, he said, and tipped his glass into his mouth. “For the wine?” Her lips twisted. No, for you.

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“For all of New Orleans. It helps. All this suffering.” He quirked an eyebrow. Misery loves company? Her lips curved in a sheepish smile. “That sounded really cold, didn’t it? What I meant was my problems don’t seem as great or tragic. Mom and Dad lived full lives.” Magnus leaned toward her, suddenly struck with the need to warn her. If I told you things will only worsen here, that the tragedy isn’t finished, would you leave?

Noelle’s unease evaporated like rain on a hot pavement. This was the desperate man she’d first encountered. “Leave New Orleans?” She shook her head and smiled. “I believe everything happens for a reason. I have to keep my faith. My father would be disappointed if I didn’t.” His lips twisted in a sneer. Preacher’s daughter, do you really think God can protect you from pure evil? “He’ll protect my soul. And in the meantime, I do my part.” Even if I only hold strangers’ hands and lie to tell them everything will be fine, because I can’t see what will come. Magnus set down his glass. Noelle knew the moment had arrived by the tensing of his body and the tightening of his features. His expression, predatory and alert, set her pulse skipping. Smothering the excitement that shot through her body, she dragged up an obligatory resentment that he expected her to sleep with him. She sought the shame that should accompany the thought—but found none. She knew less than nothing about him but recognized the need hardening his body, filling the erection pressing against the front of his dark jeans. Oh yeah, she’d noticed—and thrilled to the fact she elicited that response. When he held out his hand for her glass, she opened nerveless fingers to let him sweep it away. Then his arms closed around her, his hands cupped her head, and she

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was lost to the heat of his searing kiss and the images that flooded her mind of a fiery hell.

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Chapter Two Magnus clutched her close, drinking in her sweet breath as she sighed into his mouth. So sweet and hot—like an apple tart dusted with cinnamon, served with the fruity wine. His cock filled, lengthening—the constriction at the front of his jeans a painful, gratifying ache. He pushed back the memories that had battered him relentlessly since he’d discovered the horror at the bottom of the pit, determined that his last night wouldn’t be marred by dark visions. He gripped her soft hair tighter, holding her face immobile while he rubbed, licked and sucked at her full bottom lip until she quivered and moaned, the hands resting on his shoulders clutching in desperate spasms. This was what he’d wanted—what he’d needed since The Rising. Softness, goodness—here in his arms. He fought against letting any darker thoughts invade this moment and instead concentrated on the passion he would wring from this woman. Noelle. She broke the kiss, gasping. “Yes, oh please. I need you inside me.” He didn’t like the distance and sealed their lips together, stroking his tongue inward for another taste. So many ways to accomplish that, love. Can you be precise? “Mmm.” She pushed at his shoulders and pulled away her mouth. “Wish I could do that,” she gasped. “Fuck me? Is that precise enough?” He raised his head to look into her flushed face. The coarse word, spoken so breathlessly from her kiss-blurred lips, struck him as funny. How many times have you used that word? Her eyebrows drew together, while she panted like a runner. “I’ve thought it… Time seemed right.” Her legs moved restlessly along his and her hips undulated, rubbing his cock. 15

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I’ll get there. Promise. His hands roamed the curves he’d been aching to explore, finding softness everywhere. Delight licked like fluttering flames where their bodies met. He pulled her flush with his body and widened his stance to rub his thickening cock against her belly. Too many clothes. Noelle murmured and wound her arms around his neck, her hands sinking into his hair. When he cupped her bottom, her body shivered and the soft globes filling his hands tensed. Her nose nuzzled his neck. “You have to let me go,” she whispered. He couldn’t. Instead, he drew up her skirt in back and plunged beneath to cup her again, only a flimsy layer of nylon between his hands and her soft bottom. He kneaded her buttocks and kissed her again and then lifted her high. Put your legs around my waist. He walked them to the door and pressed her back against it, anchoring her there to free his hands. His fingers pulled at the skirt, bunching it above her waist, and then he slid them between their bodies and beneath the band of nylon at her hips. Her head fell back against the door, her mouth gaping as she drew jagged breaths. When he touched the crisp, curling hairs covering her pussy, her eyes widened. Arousal scented the air between them—hers—redolent and sweetly pungent. He slid into the moisture that seeped to coat her pussy but hadn’t the space to slide deeper along the plump, furrowed lips. He found the knot at the top of her cleft and circled it gently. Noelle’s body jerked and her eyes slid closed. A hand left his shoulder and clutched her breast as though it ached. She moaned and squeezed, and her legs tightened as her hips lifted into his fingers. Suddenly, he wanted to see the nipple studding her shirt in a sharp point. He stepped away from the door and helped her lower her trembling legs. Then he lifted the hem of her brown shirt and pulled it over her head. He paused, his gaze falling to her round breasts. Brown nipples like small soft cones stood out from her milky skin, tipped with stems that begged plucking. 16

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Going to one knee, he caressed a breast with his cheek, rubbing beard stubble on the baby-soft crest then licking the softer underside, until her hands sank in his hair to guide him to her nipple. He stuck out his tongue to touch the straining tip and her breast tightened. Her back arched to force him to take her deeper, but he resisted and swirled over the nipple in a slow circle, wetting it. “Don’t tease, Magnus.” She rubbed her inner thigh up his side, impatience huffing her breath. He hooked an arm beneath her knee to bring it to his shoulder, never stopping his slow exploration of the velvet-soft areola that surrounded the erect tip. Undo the waistband of your skirt. She let go of his hair in an instant, digging through fabric for the button. When the tightness at her waist eased, he pushed the garment up and over her head. She was clad only in white nylon panties and suede boots, Magnus didn’t bother suppressing a growl. Hair dimpled the smooth fabric at her crotch, a wet stripe darkening the center. His nostrils flared to drag in the scent that tugged at his cock as he stared at the widening spot of dampness. Noelle’s hands rose to cover her breasts and the leg supporting her weight quivered. Without pausing to gauge her emotions with a glance upward, he slid fingers beneath the nylon and straight inside her clasping pussy. Creamy moist heat surrounded his fingers and he rotated his hand to scrape knuckles against her inner walls. Noelle’s breath hitched and her belly jumped as she flung out her arms, smoothing them on the door against her back. Two fingers stroked inside her pussy while his thumb glided outside the nylon— lower, until he found the indentation of her asshole. She jerked, hard. “Magnus! No!” 17

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But he wouldn’t be deterred by her modesty. So much passion shook her body, he was determined to wring every bit of satisfaction from her—and strip her of inhibition. Crouching lower, he pushed aside the nylon to lick her swollen cunt, spending long moments teasing her clit, all the while rubbing endless circles on her anus—now bare of fabric. When he touched the tip of his tongue to the tightly puckered lips, she keened and pulled at his hair. But he wasn’t finished yet. Pressing his thumbs on either side of the tight orifice, he opened her and laved the tender tissue, licking over and over until her hips circled to follow his motions. Fluid leaked from her spasming pussy, dripping down to add moisture, inviting him to penetrate her deeper. He fingered her, teasing the tip into the opening and swirling cream to ease the burning he knew she experienced. She hissed air between her teeth as he pressed deeper still into her asshole, pushing inexorably against the muscles that constricted to fight the invasion. He plied her pussy with deep tongue thrusts to encourage her to relax. Open for me. “Wicked. Wicked,” she whispered. Nothing’s wrong if you like it. Tell me you don’t. “Wicked,” she repeated, then her thighs opened wider, her glistening pussy making sucking sounds that had Magnus cursing the tightness of his pants. Settling his mouth around her clitoris, he sucked hard and sank his index finger into her ass. Noelle screamed and her body vibrated, shivering as waves of pulsing ecstasy rippled through her core, squeezing her sphincter around his finger as he fucked it in and out.

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When the pulses slowed, he sucked gently on her clit, milking her for every last quiver and cry. At last, she hung limply against the door, eyelids dipping sleepily. He drew out his finger slowly and delivered one last kiss to her drenched pussy and folded her inside his arms. She hugged him, a weak embrace that accompanied a long pent-up sigh. “I think the earth moved.” He started at her choice of words and then relaxed. She’d enjoyed the sex. Poor baby didn’t realize he still needed his own release. He walked her to her bed and waited while she slid across the covers. I’ll be right back. She murmured and pressed her face into the pillow. “I’m way past embarrassed, but you’d better wash your hands.” He chuckled. I’ll do one better. She dozed before he reached the door of her bathroom. Inside, he stared in the mirror, not recognizing the flush of warmth that bronzed his cheeks or the slight smile that curved his lips. He stripped and turned on the faucets in the bathtub, adjusting the nozzle of the showerhead to release the spray. Then he stepped into the water to wash away her sweet scent that clashed so horribly with the lingering stench of the graveyard.

***** Noelle stirred, waking with a jerk when her hand encountered the body stretched on the mattress beside her. He’d turned off the lamps, leaving the curtains at the French doors open—only the light from the streetlamp outside to chase away the shadows. Noelle breathed in the scent of bath soap as she ran a tentative hand along his arm. His skin was warm and still moist from his shower. Without the confusion of his earlier sensual onslaught, she 19

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sought a furtive glimpse into his thoughts, hoping for another chance to sort out the frightening images that had bombarded her earlier when he’d kissed her. But she found nothing, save an aching fullness in his loins that dominated his thoughts. Magnus stared at the ceiling, one arm curved beneath his head. You don’t have a Louisiana accent. “I never said I was from here.” She kept her voice even and her fingers soothing, not daring to let her gaze roam lower for fear she might lose her nerve. Why won’t you leave? It isn’t home. “I didn’t fit in Nebraska. I do here.” He turned his head toward her. Would you like me to leave? His solemn expression tugged at her heart. Is he afraid to feel too much? That was a sentiment she could well understand. The currents of attraction surrounding them were powerful. If she let herself, she could drown. “Do you think you should? Leave, that is?” Ask me to stay. If you want me. Keep it light, she told herself. For his sake as well as yours. “I still haven’t gotten the fuck I asked for.” His lips tugged into a smile. That word again. It just doesn’t sound natural coming from your lips. “How would you know? Think you know me?” she asked, her eyes narrowing in challenge. His expression shuttered. No. I guess I don’t. So how would you like it? The sexy drawl that whispered through her mind had her nipples tingling. “I don’t know. Surprise me?” His lips stretched tight with a wicked, sexy smile. Too late to change your mind now. Climb over me—I want to lick your pussy first.

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Shock, frightening and thrilling at the same time, had her eyes widening. “But I haven’t bathed!” I’ll take care of that right now. His eyelids dipped, and he stared at her nipples as they drew taut and erect. She’d issued the challenge. He’d called her bluff. Who was she kidding? She was dying for what came next. Sucking in a deep breath, she rose on her knees and gripped the back of the sofa as she swung one leg over his head. “I’ve already come this way.” I’m still hungry. “There’s food in the fridge,” she quipped, feeling awkward and too exposed— again. Stop stalling. Widen your legs and come lower. Don’t you want to feel my tongue on your clit? A short laugh gusted out, and she let him guide her with his hands on her bottom until he squeezed her to indicate his satisfaction with the position. He sighed, looking comfortable with her calves pressed to the mattress on either side of his head and his hot breath blowing over her open pussy. Already, liquid trickled from her, and her thighs were still sticky from their earlier encounter. Embarrassment flushed her cheeks and chest at the evidence of her unquenchable desire for this man. When his clever fingers parted her folds, and his nose and chin burrowed into her inflamed and swollen tissue, she forgot about her hot cheeks. All her attention focused on the glide and lap of his slightly raspy tongue, and the hints of his true voice in the growls that emanated from his throat and vibrated on her sensitive flesh. Play with your breasts. “I’d rather you did that.” But she complied and massaged her achy nipples with her palms.

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Did you like it? he asked, circling a finger on her asshole to make sure she got his point. Noelle groaned and pulsed her hips, rubbing her pussy on his tongue. “Yes. I loved it.” Maybe we’ll try something more later. He pressed the tips of two fingers into her unmentionable opening. Noelle jerked. “Maybe you’d better get that cock of yours up here fast,” she said, gasping when his tongue delved into her and fluttered. “I’m gonna come all over your mouth.” Preacher girl, you sure lost your inhibitions fast. “I’m frustrated as hell. Please, Magnus.” Don’t you want to see me before I come inside you? “If what you rubbed against me earlier is any indication, that might not be a good idea.” He nipped an outer lip and swatted her bottom. You want it—you have to take it. He was serious. No smile curved his sexy mouth. His eyes glittered in the darkness as he watched her scoot lower down his body until his cock bumped against her pussy—and she was only at his waist! Her throat tightened. Maybe you should look first, his voice came softy. She shook her head and slid lower, letting the crown push into her body. The broad head stretched her, but she leaned up and bobbed on it, slowly easing the tightness with the moisture rushing to greet his cock and the slackening of her inner muscles as her excitement increased. Relax. You don’t have to take all of me. Go slow. The low rumble of that inner voice and the tension in his thighs encouraged her to keep trying to fit his cock in her tight channel. The man was loving it. “Do all the girls have this problem?” she asked, wincing a bit as she scooted deeper on his shaft.

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Some more than others. Magnus’ hands rose to cup her breasts, squeezing them and then tugging the lengthened nipples until she thought she might come from just his manipulation of her breasts. “Any more than me?” Wanting comparisons? “Not really. Just making sure there’s nothing wrong with me.” She bit back a grin at his snort. Noelle sighed, forgetting about the length she had yet to swallow inside her body and rocked up and down his cock, sliding deeper. She could brace her hands on his shoulders now, and she liked the sight of him lying beneath her. His jaw was taut, his nostrils flared. Everywhere she could see, tension sharpened his muscles, making him more dangerous looking, more appealing, as he approached his release. She ground down, taking more, and circled her hips, liking the drag and pull of all that rock-hard muscle crammed inside. As she worked, her breaths grew choppy and her thighs burned from the exercise. “Don’t suppose…you’d like to trade places?” Let me guess. You’ve only done it missionary style. “How’d you know?” She yelped when he rolled suddenly, settling his large frame over hers without losing their connection. Better? “Oh yes.” She widened her legs around his hips, opening to the powerful glides that pushed his shaft deep inside. Then her belly tightened and a curl of tension clamped around his cock. “I think I’m c—” I know. Hold on. He surged inside, the powerful thrust lifting her bottom from the bed. He groaned and his jaw tightened, his eyes squeezing shut as he stroked deeper, sharper. Don’t move. Don’t help.

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“Can’t…” She took it—every thick hammering stroke as he pounded against the cradle of her thighs. His ass and thighs flexed faster and faster with so much force he shoved her up the bed until her head was in the sofa cushions. But Noelle didn’t care. Release broke like a wave of heat that stretched her throat around a scream. When she came back to herself, Magnus rocked in shallow swells, shuddering as his body spilled hot waves of seed inside her. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. He settled at her side and drew deep, ragged breaths into his lungs but didn’t move away when she skimmed her hands up and down his slick back, soothing him. Soothing her as well into sleep.

***** Noelle woke to a sound like bed sheets flapping in a breeze and pried open her eyes to find the source. Dawn and a crisp chill crept into her bedroom through the open balcony doors. Open? No! Heart in her throat, she rolled out of bed and slipped through the doors to save Magnus from himself. What met her gaze caught her breath and brought tears of hope and deep, abiding joy to her eyes. “Magnus,” she whispered. “You’re an angel.”

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Chapter Three Magnus had only a moment to transform, furling his wings into the flaps of skin on his back where they melted out of sight and shifting his face into its human mask. He didn’t want her to see him like this—recognize the true demon he was. He turned slowly. I’m not what you think I am… Noelle stood still and naked, a hand pressed to her mouth as tears fell in rivulets down her cheeks. When he stepped toward her, a thin sliver of sunlight struck his back and his flesh hissed like bacon on a skillet. Her eyes widened. “Come inside, quick!” Noelle said, grabbing his arm and pulling him back into her apartment. She quickly drew closed the curtains and then leaned back against the door to stare. “I knew there was something special about you. But an angel…” she whispered, scraping at the tears. Magnus shook his head. He’d almost done it. Almost ended his eternal night. But Noelle’s expression made it impossible for him to step back onto the balcony to finish it. He’d been called many things in his lifetime—Demon, Hell’s Spawn…Vampire. He needed to set her straight but hesitated. She thought him worthy…and good. When she reached out to caress his cheek with wonder in her gaze, he wanted it to be true. Magnus drew her close, burying his face in her hair to shut out the adoration in her eyes. Had he been younger, less seasoned, it might have been fatal mistake. Beneath the curls, her pulse throbbed, loud and insistent, reminding him too well of his true nature. He hadn’t supped the day before. Hadn’t wanted to meet his death with a belly full of blood. Had hoped his fiery demise would cleanse his soul of the sin he’d perpetuated since the rites of puberty had made him a demon. 25

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Now, his Hunger roused, ravenous and impatient for a meal. He shoved her back and drew in cleansing breaths, but her natural perfume filled the room, choking him with the need to cloak himself in her scent. She reached for him. “What’s the matter?” He stepped back, sure her touch would scorch him like sunrise. Don’t touch me! Concern etched lines on her forehead. “Is it your back? Are you hurt?” The stripe of blisters on his back throbbed, but it would soon heal. You aren’t safe with me. She wrung her hands, apparently clueless that her pale, rounded body was raising the beast as well as his cock. “Please let me help.” A short bark of bitter laughter escaped him. He needed food, needed her gone so he could seek a meal in the shadows of the building before he went mad. I need to leave. Now! “Why won’t you let me help?” she asked, her voice raw. Magnus shut his eyes. You can’t. You resist me. When he opened them, she hadn’t moved. Her head canted. “What do you mean? I don’t understand.” She swept her hand toward the bed. “I’ve given everything you’ve asked of me.” She still wasn’t moving, wasn’t dressing and her heart pumped faster, louder. Soon his inner beast would roar through his façade and take what Magnus wanted to save. I must take sustenance! he lashed out in frustration. She waved a hand toward the kitchen. “Then I’ll make you something,” she shouted back. He shook his head, feeling the beast writhe inside, clawing at his stomach. I need… How could he say it without diminishing himself in her eyes? You resist my…enchantment. Others do not.

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“Enchantment?” Her eyes rounded. “Like in the liquor store? You never spoke a word but everyone left. That’s what you mean?” He nodded, afraid to say more. They never remember what I take. “I’m trying to understand here,” she said, her forehead creasing. “You need my surrender?” I don’t want yours. “Why not mine?” she asked, an edge of annoyance and hurt sharpening her voice. Then she drew a breath. “Will it hurt?” Resigned that she wasn’t giving up, he replied wearily. Not much. Only at the beginning. I take only what I need. “Like…a life force?” The beast inside chortled at her naïveté. Feeling lower than the vermin he’d found at the bottom of the empty stone casket the day before, he nodded again. She lifted her chin. “I’d like to try…to give you what you need.” Her gaze swept over him, lingering on his erect cock, and she arched an eyebrow. “It’s not like you’re dressed to go out.” He swallowed the bile that rose at the back of his throat. I have to take the edge off my hunger first. “How?” Sex is a good substitute, he said, his hands fisting at his sides. “Why don’t we go back to bed then?” she asked, her voice quieter now. Noelle, I mustn’t put my mouth on your body when I’m this hungry. Heat suffused his cheeks and neck. He hated he had so little control. “So…” Her eyes widened. “Oh!” Her gaze fell again to his cock and she wet her lips. “You’ll tell me if I’m not doing it right?” I can do it myself…if you don’t want to. He waited, his balls tightening with need as she stared. 27

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“No! I-I want to. I’m just…” Get a pillow for your knees. “A pillow? Oh yeah.” She picked up the nearest from the bed and turned back, clutching it to her chest. “Do you want me to do it where you are?” At the moment, Magnus wouldn’t have cared if she asked him to step onto the balcony with the sun scorching his back. Now that she’d offered, all he could think about was her mouth surrounding him, drawing on him. She dropped the pillow just in front of him and gave him a look that was one part intrigued and another anxious. He extended his hand. She slid her palm along his, her eyes half-closing and swaying for a moment before kneeling with his assistance. “I think I made the right choice last night,” she said, humor in her tone. Oh? “Not looking first. I can’t believe we fit.” Magnus snorted and then started when her warm hand grasped his cock. She measured him, trying to touch fingertip to fingertip but failing. “You’re beautiful, you know. Every part of you.” Then one warm hand cupped his balls and her hot mouth kissed the weighty sac. His balls drew taut and high, his cock jerked, anticipating… Her lips opened and sucked one ball inside the steamy cavern of her mouth, her jaw widening and narrowing as she suctioned, gently but relentlessly, until his toes curled into the carpet beneath his feet. When she released it, he gasped in protest, but she quickly turned to the other ball and laved and stroked it with her tongue. His attention was so focused on the exquisite agony she applied to his balls, he hadn’t noticed the fierce grip she had on his cock until she tugged him, in rhythm with the tongue scouring his balls.

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His fingers threaded through her hair and he urged her higher. A soft, seductive chuckle vibrated on his flesh and she resisted his direction, tonguing the line that separated his balls and following it down, lifting the sac to lick the sensitive spot just behind it. Magnus jerked his hips, tunneling his cock between her fingers like he wanted to do with her sweet mouth. She sucked the spot hard enough to leave a sexy bruise and then mouthed his balls once more before drawing away. “Did I do okay?” she asked, a wicked glint in her eyes. There I was thinking you didn’t have any experience. “Not much, but what I do know…” She smiled and turned her gaze to his cock then licked the palms of both her hands and gripped him again. She grasped him at the base and beneath the crown and twisted firmly in opposite directions, moving her hands together and apart. So intense was the friction her hot hands built in seconds, his taut balls readied for release, his cock strained, the skin stretching so tight around his shaft he thought he’d burst. Then she ringed the base of his cock, cutting off his release. “Not quite yet, mister.” Magnus opened his eyes. She knelt at his feet like a supplicant, her cheeks pink with exertion and arousal, her breasts lifting with her rapid, shallow breaths, her lips rosy and swollen…and poised above the crown of his cock. He drew in a ragged breath, anticipation hardening his body to stone. She stuck out her pink tongue and licked the slitted eye, taking the single drop of pre-cum into her mouth. Her eyes closed as she savored it. Then her lips kissed the soft crown, opening to glide her tongue on the surface. He gripped her hair hard, urging her to take him deeper into her mouth. She moaned and widened her mouth to suck the head inside and swirled her tongue over the surface in drugging circles while one hand slid up and down his shaft.

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His hips pulsed, driving his cock deeper along her tongue, and she murmured, opening her jaws to accommodate him until he pumped against the back of her throat, faster now. Then she began to suck, her cheeks hollowing and billowing as she drew harder. The hand clasping the base of his cock moved with the other, wringing delight from his body as they stroked together, harder, faster. Magnus’ legs trembled as he tried to hold off his orgasm, tried to extend the sweet agony she built in his loins. But the pressure in his balls exploded and he groaned, gripping her hair and flexing his buttocks to drive deep into her wicked mouth, again and again, his balls pushing cum through his shaft to jet in rhythmic splashes against the back of her throat. When the last shudder racked his body, she bathed him with her tongue, now stroking up and down his length to soothe rather than incite. Magnus tilted back her head, pulling her mouth away from his waning sex. I thought you hadn’t much experience. Still seated at his feet, rich, delicious pink flooding her face, she lifted an eyebrow. “I don’t, but isn’t this the first thing a lover teaches a woman?” Who—? “Did I ask you for names?” She canted her head. “Are you jealous?” He gave a sharp shake of his head and held out his hand, lifting her to her feet where she swayed for a moment, a hand pressed to his chest. Magnus inhaled the scent of her arousal and his cock stirred against his thigh. I must feed. Her head whipped back, her gaze startled and wary. She released a short gasp of laughter. “I forgot—this was just the appetizer,” she said, her voice faint. Close your eyes. “You won’t let me see?” I’d frighten you.

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Her gaze went back the French doors. “All right,” she said quietly. Then her expression sharpened and her face swung back. “Will I remember?” The human part of him groaned inside for the coming loss. Not if you surrender. “Everything?” It’s better this way. “For whom?” He didn’t answer, just waited for her to decide. She cleared her throat, tears welling. “So, if I’m going to forget anyway, what does it matter if I watch?” It matters to me. Noelle drew in a jagged breath and gave him a quick, tight smile. “Okay,” she whispered and closed her eyes. “What happens next?” Suddenly, his arms closed around her and Noelle gasped, squeezing her eyes tight. How had he moved so fast? First, I need you relaxed. “That’s never gonna happen,” she murmured and snuggled closer, sliding her belly back and forth on his cock. Slowly, we’ll take this one step at a time, he said, settling his hands on her bottom and squeezing. “I like the sound of that.” She tried to sound casual, but her voice quavered, and inside her mind wailed. She thought about trying to trick him, pretend she’d give him her total compliance. But how could one lie to an angel? Moving to her side, Magnus lifted her in his arms, taking three steps toward the bed before lowering her gently to its center. She sighed when the cool sheets met her back and lowered her arms to settle on the pillow beside her head, indicating her surrender to whatever he had planned.

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The mattress dipped, and Noelle shivered as he crawled over her. When he stretched out his full length, his body warmed her from chest to toe. “So, I’m wondering,” she said, trying to inject lightness in her tone, “do you screw all your meals?” No, only the tastiest, he said, bracketing her face with his hands. Don’t think too much. Let me do everything. His sweet, hot breath brushed her lips and Noelle moaned softly, opening for him. The kiss—soft, drugging—produced an instant lethargy that calmed her racing heart. That’s it, love. His head slanted and his lips sealed hers, circling gently, drawing on her mouth until her head followed the slow circles, unwilling to break the bond while her body heated, desire curling in her belly and swelling her pussy. Noelle appreciated his desire to bring her along slowly, but her breasts already tingled and her pussy wept the first creamy tears of arousal. Her legs moved restlessly beneath his, and finally she lifted her chin to break the kiss. “Please, Magnus. You’re killing me.” Don’t rush me. The sexy, amused tone of his reprimand had her fingers curving into the bed sheets. “Can I at least touch you?” Of course. I didn’t say you couldn’t. Her hands clamped onto his shoulders as he renewed the kiss, and she smoothed them up to grip his hair—hard. When he resisted her insistent urging to hurry things up, she thrust her tongue inside his mouth. A chuckle erupted from his throat and he deepened the kiss, twining his tongue with hers. “Mmm…” she moaned again, scraping his tongue with her teeth, trying again to incite his ardor and force him to take her. Her desire raged, tightening her nipples

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painfully where they stabbed against his chest, his soft hairs tangling around the tips, arousing her even further. When the long ridge of his cock dug into her belly, she answered with an undulating roll of her hips, cupping his length in the well of her belly, grinding her mons against the base of his cock. Moisture pooled between her legs, seeping to wet the sheet beneath her bottom and she smoothed her hands down his back to clutch his hard, rounded buttocks, squeezing to bring him closer. Magnus relented and slipped a knee between her legs, bringing it up snug against her cunt. Noelle’s breath caught on a sob and she grasped the thick-muscled thigh between hers to rub her aching pussy in frustrated jerks, trying to ease the painful fullness throbbing in her clitoris. With her nipples scraping his chest, her pussy grinding on his leg, her arousal rose sharp, pungent, blinding in its intensity. Every thought, every movement drew a scorching heat between her legs and focused all her attention on finding the release just beyond her reach. “Magus…please,” she whimpered. Sweet Noelle, open your legs to me, his silent inner voice rasped. Weak with relief, she opened her thighs and let him settle in between, nearly sobbing when he dug his cock into her opening, and pushed inside a couple of inches. She held her breath, preparing for his searing invasion. Keep your eyes closed, love. “I will, I promise,” she gasped. “Please hurry.” He pumped inside once and a growl, guttural and animalistic, broke from his throat. The cock pushing inside her didn’t move, but something about it changed. Silkencased steel before, it hardened further and his thick girth expanded, stretching her impossibly wide.

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Where her arms surrounded his back, the muscle corded beneath her fingers, bulking outward. The weight anchoring her to the bed grew heavier, causing the bedsprings beneath her to groan. Noelle felt all this, recognized a miraculous transformation was taking place inside and around her, but she held her promise, squeezing her eyes tight. Suddenly, he pulled out. Turn! She didn’t recognize the voice inside her head—the roughened rasp was deeper still than Magnus’ low bass—but she complied, rolling to her belly only to clutch at the bedding for purchase when a meaty arm encircled her waist and drew her bottom up, hard thighs pushing hers wider. Fingers found her wet opening and thrust inside, testing, widening, finding her slick and hungry, her pulsing lips making lush, moist sounds as excitement pulsed inside her cunt. Noelle sobbed and dropped her chest to the bed, rubbing her hot nipples on the sheet and tilting her bottom higher. He growled again, and sharp teeth scraped down her back, nipping at her bottom, grazing her swollen labia. His hard hands parted her buttocks and his roughened tongue lapped at her asshole, making her squirm and mewl now like a kitten, so desperate was she for him to fill her. The tip of his tongue stabbed into her ass and Noelle screamed, rearing up to take him deeper as a wave of heat washed over her, prickling hot pinpoints of flame flickering behind her closed eyelids. He stabbed inside again and liquid gushed from her pussy, trickling down her thighs as her empty cunt clasped and parted hungrily, starving for his cock. Her thighs and belly quivered, her breaths grew shallow and she sobbed as she buried her face in the mattress and prayed he’d take her now. Then he was behind her, his thighs crowding the backs of hers, his hands opening her pussy and fitting his cock to her opening. He jerked her up from the bed, curving to fit his belly to her back, and rammed his cock inside her tight cunt. 34

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Chapter Four Noelle screamed so loud the cry echoed around the room. When it stilled, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. She’d never been so full, so stretched. Suspended on his cock with his raspy breaths shorter, harsher, the hands gripping her hips so hard she knew she’d have bruises—but she didn’t care. He trembled behind her, holding himself back. She knew he waited for her to release him, give him a sign he could unleash the frightening power that radiated and vibrated from deep inside him. Noelle drew a deep breath, and gripping the back of the sofa bed, she relaxed, letting the fullness ease, letting her desire liquefy to accept the deeper, more powerful strokes she knew he’d banked. A sound, an inhuman moan like a demon squeezing from his throat, rumbled through his chest and he moved, slamming his hips into hers, tunneling his cock deeper—deeper still, until she was sure he’d breach her womb. He hammered into her, sharp, hard strokes building a friction inside her channel that burned like fire. Her cunt squeezed and caressed his length, moistening, drenching, boiling in the flames, building higher still between his thick cock and her rippling, inner walls. Her thighs and belly shook so hard, if not for the hands bracing her ass for his relentless assault she’d have crumpled to the bed. His face nuzzled her neck and she leaned away to give him access. With his cock thrusting deep, he plied her neck with licks and nips, producing a shiver that pricked all the way down her spine. One nip pinched her skin, but the pain was momentary and

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arousing. The rush that followed—of blood drawing toward his mouth, of heat that spiked her nipples tighter—hurtled her higher toward release. A litany of groans poured from her throat—raw, savage whimpers that grew slowly in volume and pitch as she writhed on his cock, mindless now as her body, quivering and gasping, closed her mind to everything except the stunning agony that tightened her body, squeezing the breath from her lungs. Then he roared, so loud the sound ripped through her, hurtling her faster toward a dark void. He thrust in rapid short strokes, burying his huge cock hilt deep into her cunt, striking the spark that burst into a fire burst of light and propelled her outside of herself and into the blissful void.

The moment she fainted, Magnus sat back on his haunches and hugged her body close, continuing to draw deeply from the tiny piercings he’d made on her soft, fragrant neck. Her blood pulsed hot onto his tongue, the tempo slowing as her heart calmed. While he drew life from her, his mind cleared and the beast retreated, leaving Magnus feeling unclean, his soul violated after relinquishing part of his control to the demon inside. At least Noelle hadn’t seen the horrible mask of the monster who’d fucked her sweet body. He’d hurt her, pushed her beyond her limits and still she’d given more. He cupped a soft breast, memorizing its texture and weight. He flicked the stillturgid nipple and measured the length of the stem so he wouldn’t forget. Soon, she’d waken and he’d fulfill his vow to take her memories of their encounter. As his appetite grew sated, he sucked softly, prolonging the connection that was as intimate as the cock penetrating her warm body. She fed his body, his soul. Her pussy still caressed him, even in sleep, the slowing ripples milking his shaft. He worried about her and decided to press her once more to leave New Orleans. He’d offer the suggestion while he emptied her mind of him and their long night together. Then he’d leave her and wait until the coming morning to greet the dawn. 36

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Noelle stirred, waking to the gentle lap of Magnus’ tongue on her neck. She sighed and straightened and then realized his generous cock was still embedded deep inside her body. She gave him a sexy squeeze with her inner muscles and moaned at the resulting ache. “Mmmm…I think you’d better stay there or you’ll never get back inside.” Are you sore? She gave a disbelieving snort. “What do you think?” I’m sorry. “I’m not.” The hand cupping her breast gave it a gentle caress. Are you ready? Her heart leapt to the back of her throat, threatening to choke her. “Must it be now?” You’re relaxed and tired. Your resistance will be low. “Will I ever see you again?” she asked, hating the tears that filled her eyes and the thick sound of her voice. No. It’s better this way. “Will I know you if I ever see you again?” I’ll be a stranger—just one among many. You won’t remember. She couldn’t help the tear that raced down her cheek and plopped onto the hand covering her breast, any more than she could help asking one more thing. “Can I look at you one last time?” His sigh stirred her hair. He opened his arms. Turn around. Noelle rose from his lap, missing the connection as soon as his cock slipped from inside her body, and turned to kneel in front of him. His expression was shuttered, painfully blank.

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“I don’t like this,” she said, determined not to beg. She didn’t know whether he still intended to kill himself. Who would save him now? “Do we have to end it this way?” He dragged in a deep breath and looked toward the ceiling, the motion revealing a world of pain and regret. She lay her palm alongside his cheek and reached, closing her eyes to see inside and know, just for this moment, the source of his pain. Magnus ran through the darkness toward a stone crypt strewn with garbage and weeds, standing among the ghostly white bones of many raised crypts and headstones in the darkened graveyard. A small, dark figure stood beside it, its shape human-like but with a black aura that shimmered around it like a billowing cloud. It tilted up the lid to the sarcophagus as Magnus neared the demon, but he was too late. The ground rumbled beneath his feet as though a shockwave rippled under the surface of the ground and the cover slipped to the dead, spiking grass beside it. Magnus hurtled at the short, stocky body of the creature that chortled gleefully and slipped away, following a dervish of wind, leaves and debris that rose from the crypt and whirled above the trees in the graveyard. He sank beside the empty grave and peered inside, finding it empty of the dark soul that should have rested there an eternity. Only rats scurried at the bottom. What he and many others had feared following the devastating storm had come to pass. The Devourer had arisen. So ominous was the vision flickering through her mind, Noelle gasped. Then another fleeting memory followed— Magnus, dressed in armor and chain mail, wielded a sword as fire licked at cottages and the bodies littering the ground around him. Short, sharp-toothed creatures, black as the demon in the graveyard, shrieked as more soldiers on foot and horseback chased after them, slicing at their bodies only to have them instantly reform a missing limb or heal a deep gash. Magnus struck the one in front of him in the neck, taking off its head, and the demon burst into flames. “Take off their heads,” he screamed to the men around him and charged after the next hellish creature.

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She drew back her hand sharply and stared. No wonder he’d wanted her to leave. He knew another battle brewed. The weariness she’d sensed wasn’t cowardice but surrender—he knew the darkness would win this time. The demon from the grave was the source of a great evil, which had only grown stronger and more vengeful inside its tomb. It’s time, Noelle. No! He couldn’t give up the fight. Somehow he had to see that as long as there is life, there is hope. But she’d promised him this—her compliance. She’d let him take her memory to save his peace of mind. Then he’d walk into the sunlight and let the bright rays sear his flesh from his bones…her dark angel…her vampire. Lifting her gaze, tears blurred her last sight of his beloved face.

***** Noelle checked her purse for her keys one more time, hating the feeling she’d misplaced something. She did that a lot these days. “Merry Christmas, Noelle!” She glanced up at Gerard who stood at the entrance of his restaurant and gave him a cheerful wave. She’d had a good day. She’d read happier times in several palms. Maybe it was even true. Her gift wasn’t giving her clear visions anymore, but she felt happier and the city seemed to be churning toward a brighter future, however sluggish the new beginning. Gathering her jacket closer to ward off a chill from the moist breeze whipping down Bourbon Street, she let herself be carried along with the boisterous crowd. Snippets of holiday music blared from shops and bars, and Noelle was glad she’d used some of her meager funds to purchase a tree. Her place looked like home again after feeling hollow and empty for days. Perhaps she was finally ready to let go of the sadness of her parents’ deaths. 39

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A prickle of awareness lifted the hairs on the back of her neck, and she glanced around. Not finding an obvious source, she shrugged and turned back toward home. “I saw you earlier with your cart,” a deep, appealing voice rumbled beside her. She glanced sharply to her side then upwards to meet a steady blue gaze that set her heart thumping loud inside her chest. “Do I know you?” she asked, her throat inexplicably tight. “Are you really psychic?” His gaze penetrated, slicing through the reserve she kept for strangers who accosted her on the street. “Need a reading?” she asked, not sure how she’d pushed the ordinary words out of her throat where her heart had lodged. He was the most beautiful creature she’d ever seen. Like an angel with streetlamp picking out the golden strands in his hair to shimmer like a halo around his head. But there was something odd about the movement of his lips. His gaze swept her hair, lingered on her eyes, touched her mouth and then he held out his palm. Noelle reached out her hand slowly, sensing this was a point of no return, that suddenly her life would never be ordinary again. When her hands cupped his, an odd blanketing quiet fell around them, suspending the moment in time. As she peered down to analyze the lines that crisscrossed his broad palm, a vision of crystalline clarity pierced the fog that had kept her happy—and stupid—for days. She bit back the anger he deserved for walking away from them and blinked back tears. Her breath caught on a sob. He was here now and holding out his hand to share the truth. At least it was a step in the right direction. She took a deep cleansing breath and glanced into his face. His eyes were moist, his lips pressed into a thin, tight line. Then another revelation, this time not a vision but feminine intuition, stole her breath. He’d spoken aloud to her. Gifted her with his true voice. 40

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While he waited, his rigid stance betraying his hope and fear, Noelle realized one more thing. He loved her. He’d chosen life—for her. Her lips curved into a slow, sweet smile. “I see…a very long life.” Magnus lifted a hand that trembled just a bit and cupped her cheek. “I couldn’t stay away,” he whispered. “I’m glad you didn’t.” “Can I convince you to leave this city?” Noelle’s eyes filled. “I think we should both stay. We’re needed.” He closed his eyes for a moment, and he blew out a deep, pent-up breath. When he opened them again, he nodded, his jaw tightening. With their hands clasped they headed toward the corner of her street. “I saw you with a Christmas tree,” he murmured. She dipped her head and smiled. Such an ordinary thing for this extraordinary man to say. He definitely needed help with his small talk. “It still needs decorating.” “I can reach the higher places for you.” A vision of tinsel draping a pointed part of his anatomy deepened her grin. She tugged on his hand, halting him in the middle of the street. His expression held a question, but one look at her parted lips and he knew she couldn’t wait. The quiet that always surrounded them when they touched intensified when they stood close as lovers—her arms around his shoulders, his hands beneath her jacket, urging her hips closer. The kiss sealed their lips and their unspoken promise. Whatever hardships and horrors the future held, they had each other.

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About the author Delilah Devlin dated a Samoan, a Venezuelan, a Turk, a Cuban, and was engaged to a Greek before marrying her Irishman. She’s lived in Saudi Arabia, Germany, and Ireland, but calls Texas home for now. Ever a risk taker, she lived in the Saudi Peninsula during the Gulf War, thwarted an attempted abduction by white slave traders, and survived her children’s juvenile delinquency. Creating alter egos for herself in the pages of her books enables her to live new adventures. Since discovering the sinful pleasure of erotica, she writes to satisfy her need for variety--it keeps her from running away with the Indian working in the cubicle beside her! In addition to writing erotica, she enjoys creating romantic comedies and suspense novels. Delilah welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o Ellora’s Cave Publishing at 1056 Home Avenue, Akron, OH 44310-3502.

Also by Delilah Devlin Ellora’s Cavemen: Tales from the Temple III anthology Fated Mates anthology Lion In the Shadows My Immortal Knight: All Hallows Heartbreaker My Immortal Knight: Love Bites My Immortal Knight: All Knight Long My Immortal Knight: Relentless My Immortal Knight: Uncovering Navarro Garden of Desire Nibbles ‘n’ Bits anthology Prisoner Of Desire Slave Of Desire The Pleasure Bot

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

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