“Touch yourself, Willow. Now.”
The command pulls a moan from my throat. I slide my hands down my stomach. Anything more than the lightest pressure could send me flying too soon. I want—no,need—him inside me when I come.
Circling my clit with my thumb, I draw in a long, slow breath. On my exhale, he sinks deeper. Again. And again. My thighs tremble. I’m wound tight, so full, we’re practically one.
He groans and starts to thrust. My thumb keeps pace with his strokes. The intensity in his eyes is so beautiful. So very…him,but somehow more.
“I will not last long,” he grits out, still playing with my nipples, tugging, pinching, drawing me closer and closer to the edge.
My ability to speak is so far gone, I’m not sure I’ll ever get it back. Nor do I care.
“Willow! Fuck!” He jerks, liquid heat filling my core. The sight of him coming apart is enough to send me flying right to the edge. I arch my back. My heels dig into the mattress, and I let myself go.
Gabriel
Outside the window, the late afternoon sunlight hits the trees, casting long shadows over the landscape.
Willow lies in my arms, at peace—perhaps for the first time since we met only—what?—two weeks ago?
When didIlast feel this way? I cannot remember. This realm has changed me. I belong here. Living among humans—withthishuman.
I count the days since I last saw Azrael. Fuck. He will return for me soon. Will he see reason? Leave me be until Willow is safe? Of course he will.
Seraphiel will complain, but that is nothing new. Seraphiel can find fault in a sunset.
“What are you thinking about?” Willow shifts, her soft curves molding perfectly to my body. “You’re tense.”
Lying is not in my nature. In truth, I am not certain I am even able to. But she does not need to know the depths of my sorrow. Or be reminded that leaving her will destroy me.
“Tomorrow will be dangerous,” I say, staring up at the ceiling.
“Gabriel, don’t take this the wrong way, but… No shit.” Her delicate snort is only one of the things I am growing to love about her.
Fuck. Angels do not…fall in love. Not like this.
Willow pushes up on an elbow. Her lips are still swollen, her cheeks pink with the flush that only comes from being thoroughly ravaged. But in her eyes, sadness holds sway.
“AURA could find me at any time. We don’t know what powers they have—beyond Hannah’s eerily persuasive voice and the magic they put into the WCU. And half of the people here tohelp us are almost literallydead to the worldwhen the sun is up.”
“Killian is the most fearsome warlock of his age. Maddox can fly. Kunchin—is very large,” I offer.
“Large?” She shakes her head. “He’s massive. But unless size gives you some sort of immunity to magic, his height—and all that fur—won’t help much.”
“You have never seen vampires in battle. They are lethal beyond measure. Kàra and Mist are two of the Valkyrie—goddesses, if the legends are to be believed.”
Her frustration pushes into my mind.
“I am not allaying your fears. What if I made you come again?” My brows lift, but Willow laughs in my face.
“Did I say something humorous? I was quite serious.”
Another snort, and she plants her palm against my chest.
“If you make me come again—right now—we’ll miss dinner completely. Andoneof us needs food to function.” She wriggles to the edge of the bed and scoops the pile of clothes from the floor. “I assume—since you’d never had a grilled cheese before—you don’t?”
“An angel’s powers change in the earthen realm.” I catch my boxer briefs when she tosses them to me. Now where are my socks? “My time here has been full of new experiences. Eating, sleeping, breathing…”
“Breathing?” Willow loses her balance trying to step into her jeans. “Shit?—”
