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  Lev tried to focus his full attention on Cam, even with the thoughts of Alael intruding. Returning the easy kiss and centering his senses on Cam, he took the kiss to another level. Pulling back, he gave Cam a wry grin. “Keep it up, and we might not make it.”

  Cam chuckled and tugged Lev out of the alley and toward Lev's apartment. With home only a few minutes away, the walk was quick. Once they were inside the apartment, Cam turned and pushed Lev against the door, picking up the kiss where they’d left off.

  “What’re you needing, baby?” The kisses moved from Lev’s mouth, down his chin, over his neck. Cam’s fingers worked Lev’s pants open. He wrapped his fingers tight around Lev’s cock, giving it a firm squeeze.

  A nudge of Lev’s hips answered Cam as he shoved his pants the rest of the way down. “Bedroom, Cam. And you on your knees.”

  Chapter Two

  In a brooding mood, Lev made his way behind the old abandoned warehouse. Chasing down a damned imp was tedious work at best, and he'd been on this one’s trail for more than fifteen minutes. Slipping through the door that barely hung on its hinges, he entered the building. The smell of decay and waste were stronger here. Not too long ago, humans had been living in this place. Remnants of their usage of the building littered the floor.

  “Well, look what we caught ourselves.” One of the demons smirked as he stepped forward.

  Lev knew he was outnumbered. Several demons swarmed him, their cockiness apparent as they moved closer. Lev’s wings outstretched in enraged agitation right before two of the demons tackled him. As they pinned him to the filthy floor, the largest demon—and most certainly the leader of their small coterie—stepped up beside the twisting mass of flesh and feathers.

  “Now you are a pretty one,” he sneered, licking his lips. “Such purity…” He crouched and slid a finger along the edge of Lev’s right wing.

  The touch to his wing sent a betraying shiver through Lev. He growled and by sheer force freed one of his hands. He grabbed hold of the demon’s throat. The two who held him down had to struggle, and the blond-haired one yelled to his companions for help.

  “Get your fucking arses over here and keep him down!”

  Scrambling to obey, three others swarmed Lev, each one catching a leg or an arm, pressing him tightly to the floor. Their leader stood and circled the pile of leathery and divine skin, a look of pure amusement on his face.

  With inhuman strength, Lev twisted free of his captors before they could get a good grip on him. Jumping to his feet, he regained his hold on the leader’s throat and sent the demon crashing into the nearby wall. Three of the others flew at him, dragging Lev back down. Talons clawed into his clothing, tearing it to get to the skin beneath.

  Snarling and cursing, the leader pulled himself out of the rubble of broken wood. What had once been the desire to play—albeit roughly—was now the desire to destroy. Gripping one of the lesser demons by the throat, he threw the creature to the side as he stormed his way back toward Lev. Just as he reached the others, he stopped in his tracks.

  Blood poured out of his mouth and he looked down, eyes going wide as the hand in front of him tightened into a fist. Seconds later, he dropped to the floor, flesh sizzling as Alael cast the flaming heart aside. The others shrieked, some of them scrambling away into the shadows as Alael started for them.

  One of the demons struck at Lev's wing, slashing through the feathers and sinew. Blood welled up from the gashes, staining the pristine silvery white of his wings. The scent of Lev's blood filled the air. Rising to his hands and knees, he tried to shake off the last of the demons. A glowing light flowed over his skin, burning any who touched him. Those left quickly fled. Alael dropped to his knees beside Lev and reached out, growling as the divine light burned his skin while he helped Lev steady himself.

  Lev almost struck out before he realized Alael was the one touching him. The fierce flare of light died as he shook his head groggily. Though the demons couldn’t have killed him, it would have taken a great deal of his energy to dispatch so many back to where they belonged.

  “You aren’t safe here.” Standing, Alael bent and picked up Lev, brooking no argument as a portal opened before them. Alael stepped through it and into another room—or place. It was nothing more than a one-room apartment, if one could even call it that much. Alael placed Lev on a pallet.

  Completely confused, Lev stared. “You’re helping me. Why?”

  Alael sat back against the wall, pulling up his legs and resting his arms over his knees. “I told you before, and I will keep telling you until you believe it: you are mine.”

  The idea of an angel in any way belonging to a demon was far too alien for Lev. “Impossible, Alael.”

  Directing his attention toward healing the damage, Lev never looked away from the demon. The open wounds began to close, leaving only bloodstains behind. He’d not waste his energy with a little matter like that. Not when he could more easily take a shower later.

  “Not impossible.” Nodding toward a door across the room, Alael added, “There’s a bathroom in there, if you wish to clean up.”

  “It is impossible.” Lev stood abruptly, the twinge of pain in his wing no more than an echoing reminder, a ghost sensation to his senses. He went into the bathroom and stripped out of his clothing. He did waste a small amount of energy mending the ripped fabric. After turning on the faucet in the shower, he stepped under the hot spray. Half hoping to relieve the sudden tension that had sprung up in him, Lev stood beneath the water, eyes closed. He wasn’t surprised when he felt Alael step behind him.

  “You can’t run from the inevitable.” Alael’s words drifted over Lev’s slick skin; his tongue licked away the water along the top of Lev’s shoulder. Sliding a hand around Lev’s waist, he brought them together, Lev’s back to his bare chest. The strength of his hold wasn’t easily escapable.

  Shock rippled through Lev and desire followed in its wake. The heat of the demon’s internal fire drew Lev like nothing else could. “How did you… Why?” Closing his eyes, he fought against the urge to give in, to taste at least once what he’d begun to crave.

  “Perhaps you should make a habit of locking the door,” Alael whispered gruffly, his tongue snaking out to trace the curve of Lev’s ear. One hand slipped between them, tracing a slow line down Lev’s spine, just barely skimming the crease of his ass. Alael slid his other hand up Lev’s stomach to his chest, grazing one of Lev’s nipples with his fingertips.

  Lev could force Alael to stop touching him with a simple expenditure of energy, yet he didn’t. The betraying shift of his body gave lie to the small noise of protest he made. Pressing back, he wanted far more than the feathering tease of the demon’s hand on his ass. He reached for Alael’s hip, his nails digging slightly as he covered the demon’s hand on his chest with his other.

  “Yes,” Alael murmured. “You want this. You need this.”

  Moving them forward, Alael bent Lev over, bracing him against the shower wall. Then he stepped back, letting both hands slide slowly down Lev’s sides, over his spine, and finally to his ass, fingers spreading Lev open. In one motion, Alael was on his knees and his tongue was pushing into the angel’s body, the length of pure muscle sliding deep.

  Lev started to argue, but the demon’s touch short-circuited his brain. As Alael's tongue entered him, Lev cried out. “Yes, Alael.” He clawed at the slick surface of the wall, silently begging for more. The fire spread swiftly through him, igniting an undeniable need. Lev dropped a hand to his cock and stroked it as he moaned.

  Alael slipped in two fingers alongside his tongue, stretching Lev open. As he pulled away and stood, he licked a slow path up Lev’s spine to the base of his neck. Alael leaned over Lev and plunged his fingers in and out of Lev’s body.

  The very thing that had crept into his dreams was happening to him, and Lev was powerless to stop it. Heat engulfed him from every touch of the demon’s tongue and hands, promising more to come. “Need you, need more. Please, Alael.” Each
word came with a gasp as he rocked between Alael’s hands.

  Growling, Alael pulled out his fingers, lined himself up and thrust hard, driving his cock deep inside Lev. Keeping one hand tight on Lev’s cock, Alael wrapped the other in the angel’s hair, pulling him up and back as he thrust again.

  “Yes. Mine.” The words were part groan, part growl. Alael’s teeth grazed Lev’s neck as he slammed into him.

  The swift penetration and invasive heat burned through Lev. Shaking his head wildly, he tried to speak, but the words refused to come. Only soft noises rose in his throat, urging the demon to take him completely. He strained toward the demon's touch, the sensations threatening to drag him under.

  “Come for me, Lev.” His thrusts never relenting, Alael drove them hard, his hand working Lev’s cock in time to the movements of his own as it pierced the angel’s body. “Come on my cock. I want to hear you scream my name.” Turning Lev’s head until he could see the angel’s eyes, Alael grazed his thumb over the tip of Lev’s cock, pressing into the slit. “Know I’m the one doing this to you.” Before Lev had a chance to respond, Alael’s tongue pushed into his mouth, tasting and devouring.

  Each word echoed in Lev's mind, as relentless as the drive of Alael’s hips. As his own pleasure rolled him under, his seed spilled over the demon’s hand and a guttural cry forced its way from Lev's throat. Lev drowned under the assault, the demon’s name torn from his lips. “Alael!”

  Alael roared, ramming hard as he came. Heat poured out of him and deep into Lev. Lev could smell the demon’s seed, his sweat. In the aftermath, he closed his eyes, letting his mind follow the heat of Alael's essence. As the waves pervaded him at the deepest levels, he limply fell back against Alael. Barely able to support himself, he shook his head as if to stop the flood. His thoughts scrambled to catch up, to ask what Alael was doing to him, but he couldn’t talk. All he could do was drown beneath the flames scorching his very soul.

  “Mine.” The word drifted from Alael’s mind to Lev’s, burning the truth of it into both of their souls, sealing them.

  Alael reached out. His hand caught the metal bar on the shower wall and he sank to his knees, slipping out of Lev and pulling the angel down with him.

  Lev remained limp as he leaned heavily against the demon. There were no barriers or shields in place to stop Alael’s claim on him. Twisting in Alael’s arms, Lev burrowed against him.

  “Shh,” Alael murmured, kissing Lev’s hair softly. “Come. Bed.”

  He turned off the water and stood, lifting Lev. He carried him to the pallet then went back for towels, kneeling to dry Lev off before drying himself. He had no idea what had happened, and just now he wasn’t inclined to ask. Instead, he pulled the angel close as he slid under the blankets.

  How could he have so far forgotten himself? The question ran through Lev’s thoughts incessantly. Keeping Simael on a vigorous training routine hadn’t kept Lev’s mind from lingering over everything that had happened between him and Alael. He knew the moment the demon tried to call him, and he completely resisted it. No way would he answer, even as the urge grew stronger throughout the course of the day.

  Instead, he and Simael continued hunting through the city, scouring every dark corner. If some of Lev’s attacks seemed more than a little vehement, Simael kept his mouth shut. Cornering a small pack led by only one demon, Simael handled the smaller creatures while Lev dealt with the larger.

  Simael skillfully kept the imps contained to the small portion of the alley they were in. His ability had increased considerably since Lev had taken on his training. Leaving the young angel to handle it, Lev quickly followed the demon trying to escape into the air. With a minute expenditure of power, Lev had hold of the demon before it could even clear the buildings.

  Snarling at Lev, he screeched, “Master!”

  “Master isn’t home. Please leave a message at the beep.”

  Smirking, Lev dragged the young demon back to the ground. Though the creature clawed at him, Lev held its throat, willing the ephemeral fire to life. It swiftly engulfed the demon, burning the outer shell that housed it. Wildly flailing, the demon landed several blows to Lev’s face, but Lev refused to relinquish his grip. Blocking out the mindless screams, Lev waited until the body began to disintegrate. Finally, he dropped the burning carcass and turned to Simael.

  “One less to deal with.”

  “Yeah, we won’t see him again for a couple hundred years.” Simael grinned as he looked over the small burning piles in the alley. No more than dust would remain when the fires died.

  “There are still more out tonight.” Lev started walking down the street lined with abandoned buildings. He felt the small groups of humanity huddled within some of them, but his fight wasn’t with them.

  “Job security,” Simael joked as he walked alongside Lev.

  Prowling the dark streets, Lev sensed a far stronger taint than he’d previously encountered. The rational part of him hesitated, knowing he needed additional help and someone more powerful than his trainee. The presence burned over his skin like acid. It would probably be the master of those they'd destroyed.

  Lev could tell by Simael’s pained expression the other angel could feel it as well. “I want you to return to the central haven, Simael. You’ve earned a rest.”

  “But Lev…” Then he sighed and nodded.

  As soon as Simael was gone, Lev continued on his self-imposed crusade. Honing in on the invisible trail, Lev began to track it to its source. Whatever it was, it had walked the street less than hour ago. Turning down one of the alleys, Lev ignored a group of men lounging near an open doorway. Though a lone man traveling through their territory would have normally been accosted, the young men did nothing more than watch Lev before they returned to their dealings.

  Moving deeper into the warren of alleyways, Lev picked up the smaller taint of nearby imps. He dispatched them easily before any even realized he was near. Taking to the air, Lev rose above the buildings to get a better sense of the demon’s trail. Instinct drew him toward the west, past the run-down section of the city. Below him, the city sprawled into an upper class suburb, but Lev knew the demon wasn’t there. The signature trail lead him farther west to an area of gated mansions nestled against a mountainside. Rich and powerful, Lev thought. It would explain the overwhelming taint still crawling over his senses.

  Carefully, Lev descended closer to the houses. There were very few homes on the long, winding street. It made his job all that much easier. As he focused on each, the largest one drew him like a magnet. Surveying the estate, he saw the mortal guards protecting it. None knew the nature of the one they worked for, so Lev turned his attention to the house itself. He could feel the trace effects of the demon, alone in one of the upper rooms. Cornering a lone demon in its lair would be no real problem. Lev sensed the stronger vibration of power, but it was one he could deal with himself.

  Insuring his presence remained shielded, Lev dropped toward the house and through the outer wall. The moment he entered, Lev realized he was too late. The full impact of power rushed over him. No ordinary demon, it had kept its own power hidden until Lev appeared.

  Lev stared into the fathomless green eyes of the demon from behind a cage of pure energy. The bars held the angel imprisoned in a barrier he couldn’t break. A cruel twist of the demon’s lips gave lie to the beauty of the androgynous face. This creature was one of Lucifer’s, once a general of the army of the fallen.

  “Vical.”

  “So you know my name, angel.” Lazily sprawled in an overstuffed chair, the demon eyed Lev with considerable amusement.

  Lev lifted his hand and pushed against the dazzling barrier. It didn’t singe his flesh, but the pain burned through him, forcing him to snatch back his hand.

  “Foolish enough to come here by yourself…” When Vical trailed off, Lev felt the push of power the demon exerted in a breathless rush into his head. “Lev. A very interesting name. Hebrew for heart.”

  By the time Alael r
eached Vical’s mansion, his rage had reached new levels. Tearing through the house, he left nothing but destruction in his wake. He’d known the moment Lev had been captured. Vical’s surge of triumph rippled through the astral thread connecting all of his kind.

  “Vical!” Alael roared, breaking down the door to the demon’s study.

  “Well, well…” Vical sat in an overstuffed chair, a goblet dangling from his right hand. “Come to see my new toy?” He waved nonchalantly at the crumpled, feathered form lying in the bottom of the cage.

  “He’s mine,” Alael snarled.

  One eyebrow rose and Vical stood slowly. “Oh, is that so?”

  Alael circled. Vical followed every step, taunting him. The goblet hitting the floor was the only warning Alael had before Vical slammed him back against the wall, claws digging into his skin.

  “How the mighty have fallen,” Vical purred. “Is his blood as sweet as it smells? Does he scream your name when you’re fucking him?”

  Getting his hands between them, Alael shoved Vical away and, with a focus of his power, sent the demon spiraling through the air and crashing through the opposite wall. A general Vical might be, but even he couldn’t fight against one of the Order of Blood. “He’s mine,” Alael growled again.

  Ignoring the pain, he tore down the bars holding Lev prisoner. As he picked up the angel, Alael paid no heed to the shrieks of the lesser demon, demanding retribution. He didn’t know why he was so drawn to Lev…but he would be damned if anyone else was going to touch Lev before he could.

  Alael had freed him from a very bad situation. Eventually Lev would have been able to free himself, but not before a great deal more pain had been inflicted on him. After healing him, Alael had gently laid Lev on the angel’s bed and left without a word. Uncertain of why Alael was bent on helping him, Lev had stared silently at the demon the whole time.