Need you. In and out he thrust.
Yes! Her nails dug into his back, scouring. There was no holding back, not for her. She needed this. Needed this memory to keep her warm at night. Just like that.
Harder and harder he pounded inside her. It was heaven and it was hell. So good, so close to ending. Last forever, she prayed, but she knew it wasnt a prayer that would be heeded.
The railing rocked with them, whining, then finally giving out entirely. Over they tumbled, fallingfallingAeron never slowed his thrusting. She loved it, reveled in it, the wind whipping around them. Freedom and love and pleasure, all wrapped together. Without fear or regret. Aeron would keep her safe.
And he did. Just before they hit, he twisted and his wings expanded, gliding them to a slow stop. He settled her gently on the ground, those thrusts continuing still, never ceasing. She kept her legs locked around him, accepting him, arching up into him, desperate and eager and lost.
The sun fell steadily, pretty and pink, and anyone looking down would be able to see them. She didnt care. Her need was too great.
Olivia, he panted.
Aeron.
Their gazes met, his violet irises wild. His expression was taut, feral, his lips thinned and bleeding from where she must have bitten him. There was something so hauntingly beautiful about him like this. Something so savagely tender.
You are mine, he gritted out.
More than anything, she wanted to be. Yours. Until he gave himself to Legion. Then, as the girl had said, Aeron would be hers. Stop. Enough. She had now, this moment.
As though sensing her thoughts and wanting to drive them away, he lowered his head and kissed her again, this one even more wonderfully vicious than the last, his tongue stabbing at hers, his teeth grinding against hers. So much passion
She scratched and bit and shouted, hurtling over the edge of sanity, once again falling, this time spiraling apart, screaming, clutching at her lover, every muscle in her body spasming deliciously. There. Oh, yes, there. He hit her just right, and her orgasm soared higher. She couldnt see, her eyelids squeezed firmly, but she felt him shudder over her. Heard him roar her name.
When he collapsed on top of her, his weight crushed her, but she loved it too much to offer a rebuke. If only they could stay like this forever, lost in the here and now.
Olivia, he croaked.
Slowly she blinked open her eyes. Aeron was watching her, his features somehow stripped bare. Open, needy. Dont say it, she said. If he planned to tell her that this had changed nothing, she knew that and didnt need him to sink the knife deeper into her chest. If he planned to ask her to stay, even though he had to be with Legion, even only once, she would be tempted to do so. Even though the Council would send someone to kill him. Even though images of him with the demon would haunt her forever.
No matter which way this played out, they were doomed.
I have to. His voice was throaty. I want you to know
Uh, Aeron, someone called. Hate to interrupt, but its time to go.
Caught again, she thought with a sigh. Would they never be allowed to enjoy the afterglow humans so praised? Except, this time she was glad of the reprieve. She scooted out from under Aeron and stood, smoothing her robe to her ankles.
Go, she said without looking down at him. As promised, Ill be here waiting. And then well say goodbye.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
3:00 A.M. MOONLIGHT was no longer quite so bright, and the streets were deserted. Shops were closed, and partying humans had finally left The Asylum. The lights were out, not a single movement inside.
About a hundred yards away, Aeron was crouched beside Strider in a shadowed corner. The warrior held a remote control and a tiny four-wheeler with an even tinier camera attached to its roof. Apparently that camera could cut through the dark, filming faces and bodies as clearly as if they were bathed in sunlight.
Torin always found the coolest toys. The proof rested in Striders wide grin as he launched the vehicle forward.
The rest of the men were scattered around the building. A building theyd once helped restorea building they were about to destroy. Some were high on rooftops, gun barrels pointed down. Others were on the street like Aeron, hidden in different locations.
Aeron lifted the portable monitor that would allow him and Strider to see through the cameras lens. And sure enough, the buildings and roads hed traversed since their creation were visible. Amazing.
Were good, he told Defeat.
Were ready for you, Willie, Strider said into his earpiece.
Aeron wore a headset, as well, and heard Williams reply. Gods, I cant believe I let Anya talk me into this. Im going in.
A few seconds later, William abandoned his post and rounded a corner. His clothes were disheveled, and he clutched a bottle of whiskey. He bore no resemblance to himself, his dark hair now bleached, his piercing blue eyes hidden by dark contacts. And his facesomehow, hed roughened his skin and changed the shape of his features.
Every step he made looked as if it threatened to topple him over, but he managed to belt out a love song while moving forward.
Mocking bastard. Not that he knew Aeron planned to betray Olivia.
Sweet Olivia.
Mine, his demon stated.
Ours. No. He nearly smashed the device he held. No ones. Not Wraths, and certainly not his. Except
How was he supposed to go on without her? She was light, and she was happiness. She was love, and she was bliss. She waseverything.
You with me, Wrath? Strider muttered.
The question came just in time, drawing him to the present. He watched as William tripped, as planned, and crashed into the front door of the club. Distraction. Glass shattered as he fell. He lay there a moment, sputtering drunkenly. The remote-controlled truck raced over the shards of glass, slipping inside the building unnoticed.
Didnt take long for a flood of armed men to come barreling toward the immortal.
What are you doing?
God, he reeks!
Get him out of here and clean this up. Now!
Two of the guards latched onto William roughly, hauling him to his feet. Hey, gents, he slurred in an appalling British accent. This where the partys at? Oh, lookie. A gun. How bloody manly. But I should probably warn the angels on the hill. Cant encourage crime, you know.
Boss? one of the men holding William said. We cant just let him roam. Hes seen too much.
First, Im not your boss, William said, then he frowned and clutched his stomach. Second, I think Im gonna be sick.
The man in chargeDean Stefano, Galens right-hand man, Aeron realized, even as Wrath prowled through his head, ready to hurt, to killflicked his attention to William before turning back to the shattered remains of the door. Make it look like he was mugged. And do it away from the building. I dont want anyone sniffing around here.
A cold, utterly uncaring death sentence for a man they assumed was human. Humans, the very beings they allegedly strove to protect. But then, Stefano was a cold, uncaring man. He blamed the Lords, particularly Sabin, for his wifes suicide, and wouldnt rest until all of them were dead.
Punish
In the past, Aeron would have secretly loved the demons command and hated himself for it. No matter how much the victim deserved what he dealt. But no longer would he castigate himself. Losing Olivia was reason to rage. Destroying someone evil? A reason to rejoice. And he would.
Hed have fun.
Soon.
The two guards jerked a now-protesting William outside. Whats going on? Just let me go and well
Shut up, asshole, or Ill cut out your tongue.
Thats when William began sobbing like a child. If Aeron hadnt known better, he wouldve thought the warrior was truly scared. But he did know better. This was all part of the role William had volunteered to play. And by volunteered he of course meant caved to Anyas threats to burn his book if he didnt cooperate. Theyd hoped it wouldnt come to this, to what was about to happen, but deep down theyd all known it would.
William couldnt free himself and run; that might raise their suspicions, put them on guard. He had to take whatever was dished, and let the men walk away afterward.
The guards rounded a corner and hurried down a back alley, out of sight. Even though Aeron could no longer see them, he could hear what was happening through his earpiece.
When they reached their destination, their footsteps tapered to quiet.
I didnt mean any bloody harm, William cried.
Sorry, pal, but youre a liability now. Next there was a slide of metal against leather, followed by the rip of flesh and muscle. A grunt. Another rip, another grunt.
William had just been stabbed. Twice.
Aeron flinched in sympathy. To take whatever was dished, just to leave an enemy unsuspecting, required gutsguts William was probably spilling all over the pavement. Hed survive, though, and hed be able to repay the favor. They all would.
He heard clothing rustle, then a thump. William must have dropped to the ground and slumped over as if dead. The footsteps started up again, and then the two guardssmiling now over a job well donewere once more rounding the corner. They headed back inside.
Strider kept the hidden car trained on Stefano and the workers even now boarding up the hole. Finally, they finished up.
Fuckers, William grumbled in his ear. Those two are mine. They went for my sweet, innocent little kidneys.
There was nothing sweet or innocent about William. Not even his kidneys.
Just a few minutes more, Aeron promised.
I want two guards at this door until morning, Stefano barked. The rest of you go back to what you were doing. And for fucks sake, someone contact Galen. Better we tell him what happened than he hear it from someone else.
The two whod stabbed William nodded and claimed their posts.
So Galen wasnt there. Disappointing.
As Aeron watched, the rest of the Hunters filed out of the lobby, through the club and down a hallway. Strider stared at the monitor as he maneuvered the car silently behind them. In that hallway were several doorways. One, the camera showed, led to a room where a few Hunters were relaxing in front of a TV. In the second room, a few were peering at screens and clicking at computer consoles, much like Torin did. In the third, bed after bed stretched. Several Hunters were clearly sleeping in them.
Stefano entered the fourth, an empty room. There were no people and no furnishings. There was only a rug. A rug that had been flung aside to reveal a dark, yawning void. A void into which Stefano descended.
An underground tunnel.
Digging their way to the fortress?
Planning to sneak inside, never having to deal with the traps on the hill?
We have the location of their hideaway, Strider said smugly.
Go time. For Aeron at least.
You know which way you have to go? Strider asked.
Yes. As hed watched the monitor, hed memorized his path.
Strider patted his shoulder. May the gods be with you, my friend.
And you. Aeron pushed to his feet. He hadnt worn a shirt because hed known he would be flying. With a single mental command, he popped his wings free from their slits. Grateful for the freedom, they stretched to full length.
Good luck, my man, Paris said.
Be careful, a few others echoed.
If anything happens to me, he said to no one in particular, make sure Olivia returns home safely.
Aeron didnt wait for their replies, but shot into the air.
Punish
He soared highhighermoving so quickly he would be no more than a blur to any camera in the area. Even one that could cut through shadows. Finally, he leveled out and hovered.
Punish
Below him was the club. He searched the darkness, but there were no Hunters on the roof, and he couldnt see the Lords he knew were scattered nearby.
Tonight, victory would be his.
Punish
My pleasure. Descending now. Down, down he fell, wind whipping over his skin, wings tucked into his sides, increasing his momentum. When he reached the building, he flattened out and burst through the wooden slats that had just been erected. They brutalized his wings, cutting and breaking them, but they also knocked down the guards.
Aeron didnt pause, but flew through the lobby, the dance arena, and then the hallway. Hunters had heard the newest crash and were springing into action, but they were doing so behind him, too slow to catch him. Only when he reached the room with the rug did he finally stop.
Wrath laughed, images flashing through Aerons mind. The sins of his targets. Beatings, stabbings, kidnappings. So much violence, so much hatred. These men deserved what they got.
Demon!
Stop him!
He hid his wingsor tried to. Once again they were too mangled to fit into their slots. No matter. He strode toward the repositioned rug just as Hunters reached the doorway. A bullet cut through his back, but he didnt slow. He simply spun as he walked, withdrawing a gun from his underarm sheath and firing, sending several men ducking for cover.
A reprieve. He threw back the thick, colorful mat.
Bastard! Another bullet whizzed behind him and slammed into his side.
He returned fire.
Amid the new gunshots, he heard his friends pounding into the building. Soon there were grunts and screams. Shattering glass. No time to rejoice. Yet another bullet hit him, this one in his thigh, dropping him to his knees.
Some help, he gritted into his earpiece. He continued to fire, sending the Hunters back into hiding. He couldnt hold them off much longer. The guns clip wasempty. Shit. He tossed the now-useless piece to the floor.
Punish. More. More!
Almost there, Strider panted as the shooting started up again.
Aeron withdrew a second gun just as his friend arrived. Within moments, bodies were falling forward, motionless, then Strider was peeking inside. Blood splattered his face, but his eyes were gleaming brightly and a smile kicked up the corners of his lips.