“Obviously not,” he said, adjusting his hips to accommodatehis pinched erection.“But I do know you’re a demon.”
She removed another bandage, this time less gently.A lotlessgently.“I think I’d know if I was a demon.”
“How would you know?”he shot back.“Does a giraffe knowit’s a giraffe?Have you been classified by science orBaradoc,the demonologist?”
She huffed in indignation, and he hid his smileinthe pillow.“My people aren’t part of the demon or humanworlds.We don’t have any kind of corresponding religions or lore.We even haveour own realm.”
He snorted.“Angels don’t know everything, but wearefamiliar with all the realms.If there was an elven realm, I’d know.”
“That’s pretty arrogant.”
He shrugged.“What can I say?I’m an angel.A fallen angel,”he corrected.
“Angel or not, you’re an asshole,” she muttered, and helaughed.She was adorable.And clearly, a demon.Sowas she lying to him or did she truly believe she was an elf?
A fuckingelf.Ridiculous.
Her fingers fluttered over his bare shoulder blades, and hewent taut at the first probe of the scar-like streaks from which his wingswould emerge if they weren’t bound.
“What are these?”
“Those are wing anchors.”
“That’s where they cut your wings off?”There was astartling note of sadness in her voice that left him off balance.She didn’tknow him.Not really.And yet, she felt bad for him?“I’d have thought they’dhave healed by now.When did you fall?”
“A couple of years ago,” he hedged, not wanting to get intothis, especially because his wings hadn’t been severed.Just bound so tightlywith special golden twine that they ached every minute of every day.
“But the stitches––”
He sat up quickly to change the subject, but the sudden moveknocked her off balance and sent her sprawling on the floor.Right on top ofthe insanely bright rug.
“Oh, shit.”He leaped off the bed to help her up.“Sorry.I...”He trailed off as he lifted her to her feet, the look on her face as shestared at him leaving him even more off balance than before.
Those amazing eyes glittered as she took in his nudity.Hiscock, already rock hard, jerked under her gaze.Desire hammered through him,becoming a rapid pounding in his groin that grew more intense the longer theystood there, both frozen by what was happening.
He wanted her.He’d wanted hersincethe first moment he’d seen her, even though he’d believed that things couldonly end badly between them.Especially if she was responsible for the theft ofhis gem and the death of its human host, a young man namedNabebewhom Razr had all but raised.
But dammit, he liked Jedda, and he was beginning to doubtshe’d had anything to do with the events that got him banished from Heaven.Asa gem dealer, she could have acquired the Enoch Ice Diamond at any time duringthe last century or so, and it made sense that she’d deny knowing anythingabout it, given that the most powerful forces in Heaven andSheoulwere after it.Hell, Razr had even heard that Satan had put out feelers beforehe was locked away by Revenant,Sheoul’snew king,and his brother, Reaver, the most famous battle angel in history.
But she’s a demon.You hate demons.You were born tofight them.To destroy them.
True enough.But during Razr’s service toAzagoth, he’d been around enough demons to know that theyweren’t one-size-fits-all.Baby battle angels cut their teeth on the knowledgethat all demons were pure evil and must be destroyed, but he knew better now.Just like humans, each demon was unique down to the depth of malice or decencyin their souls.
He’d bet that Jedda was one of the decent ones.
Her face tilted up, and his knees nearly buckled at the needthat turned the clearice blueof her eyes into opaqueazure pools.She wanted this as badly as he did.
“I don’t usually do this,” she whispered in a shaky voicethat punched him in the place deep inside that made him male.
“I don’t either,” he whispered back.
“I…I can’t get pregnant,” she said softly.“Not until Iabsorb an azurite.”
He had no idea what the hell she was talking about, but itdidn’t matter.Fertility had been one of the things taken from him when hiswings were bound.No illegal half-demon babies for him.
Dying to taste her—and to get away from an incrediblyuncomfortable subject—he lowered his mouth to hers.
He’d intended the kiss to be gentle.Exploratory.But shewasn’t having any of that.
