Samael Read online

She set her pizza slice back in the cardboard box. “Have you been with a vampire before?” Did she really want to know the answer to that?

  “Have you been with a demon before?”

  Her face heated enough to keep the pizza warm. Demons were her favorite. Vampires and humans paled in comparison. Lexie had always hated demons, especially those from the First Angelic Revolt, but Jade had been the opposite. Demons had been there and done that, knew every position in the book. Hell, they wrote the book.

  “Ah, so you have.” He smiled and set his own slice back in the box. He used his thumb and index finger to wipe the corners of his mouth.

  The need to defend her honor bubbled up inside her. “Samael, I’m over seven hundred years old. I’m not a virgin.”

  His smile came slowly, and it crinkled the skin at the sides of his eyes. “I’m quite a few millennia older than that, so it’s safe to say I’m not a virgin either.”

  A nervous laugh escaped her. Or had it been a hysterical giggle? “Well…”

  “Your place or mine?”

  “Ha. Funny.” She’d heard people say they felt butterflies at the onset of a relationship, and now she knew what they had been referring to. Only this wasn’t the beginning of a happily-ever-after. This would be sex—just sex. She’d denied his advances before because of some misplaced infatuation. Her feeding—and whatever came after—was based on necessity. There was nothing more to it than that.

  He pushed his chair back from the table and raised a hand, crooking his finger in a come hither gesture.

  The butterflies went wild, and the world stopped as she slid off her chair and made her way to Samael, pizza forgotten. He sat back and patted his thighs, which he spread apart slightly. Did he expect her to straddle him, or sit on his lap like she would a mall Santa Claus? She would have to straddle him to get access to his neck. Sitting sideways would make it difficult to get her sexy on, as Lexie put it.

  Yes, necessity. She had to feed. He offered.

  She straddled him and placed her hands on his shoulders, horrified to find herself shaking. What was this? Her first sexual encounter? Now that she was sitting on his lap she could smell his spicy cologne—one of her favorite things on a man. She could think of nothing better than a man who smelled so good you wanted to lick him senseless. Taking a deep breath, she leaned in, instantly aware of his energy that wrapped around her body like a glove.

  * * * *

  Samael had never allowed a vampire to feed off him. He could try and convince himself he was doing this to get her in bed, but that was a lie. He wanted his blood to sustain her. The thought of her feeding from another grated on his nerves something fierce.

  Her hair tickled his cheek as she bent forward. He splayed his hands on her hips, ran them up her sides to rest on her slender back. When her fangs penetrated his neck, his head fell back as lust slammed through his body.

  Certainly there had to be some unspoken Alliance rule against fucking the very person you were sent to report on. It put a whole new spin on keeping a professional distance. Not that he cared at the moment. He couldn’t recall a woman feeling so damned good in his arms before. She fit perfectly.

  Jade had done a one-eighty on him, and he wasn’t the type of man to question her decision to get closer. Ever since the night in the jail, when he had coaxed a kiss from her, he’d wanted her right where she was. He wasn’t going to start asking the reason for her change of heart now. He’d experienced it from the beginning—something about Jade made him think of spending eternity with her. He hadn’t been joking with her when he told her sex between them had been a matter of time. What he hadn’t included in that sentence was the word relationship. It had been too soon for her … but not for him.

  He cursed the clothes that separated them. He doubted it would alarm her if he de-materialized them. She was aware of his powers. Without another thought, their clothes were gone. The feel of her naked body against his was better than Heaven.

  She pulled away when she realized what he had done. “Impatient?”

  She had no idea how long he had wanted her in this very position. He’d fantasized about this moment when he’d met her in Scotland and a thousand times since. “Yes.”

  She leaned forward and nibbled on his lower lip. “That’s too bad. I had some sexy lingerie on just for you.”

  It took him several seconds to wrap his thoughts around that statement. Only hours ago she had kept her distance from him, then out of nowhere she’d made it her personal mission to seduce him. The hours she spent getting herself ready, the smile she’d offered, and the lingerie…

  She had every intention of using him, and not just for sex. She wanted to procure a good report, and she thought sleeping with him would get it.

  He refused to stop her. Let her think he had no idea what she was up to. Her tactic angered him. Enough so that he picked her up, and without warning tossed her on the bed. She wasn’t getting another ounce of his blood. He couldn’t keep the scowl off his face, and she took no time in misinterpreting it.

  “Uh … I take it you like to play rough.” She scooted back on the bed, all legs and no inhibitions. She told him without words she was ready to take on anything he dished out.

  “You’ve no idea.” Spread before him was his sexual fantasy come to life. Long, thick hair, flushed cheeks, full, cherry lips, and curves. Curves that would make any straight man drool. She didn’t hide her body from him as most younger, less confident women would do. She let him feast his gaze on her body, unashamed with herself.

  Leaning his leg on the edge of the bed, he wrapped a hand around her ankle and yanked her down into the position he desired. Her legs dangled over the bed, her back against the bedspread. Her glistening folds only inches from his mouth.

  She was no docile flower here, either. Setting herself up on her elbows, she positioned herself perfectly so she could watch him taste her. A smile tugged at his mouth when he saw her own mouth part, her breath quicken—she wanted this as badly as he did, even if her reason differed from his. She still wanted him.

  Slowly he lowered himself to his knees before her. Placing his palms below her thighs, he raised her legs, set them on his shoulders and leaned in to lick her clit. Thoughts of her deceiving him skittered away, replaced with the all-consuming need to bring her to orgasm.

  He made lazy circles around her clit with his tongue, knowing she ached for more pressure and a faster pace. Instead of giving that to her, he left her most tender piece of flesh and nerves to trail kisses down her inner thigh. The moan torn from her throat was not one of pleasure, but one of impatience.

  He brought his lips around her clit again, sucking gently. Her hips came off the bed. He bit her gently, forcing her back down. For the few days they had been together, he’d wanted to see the softer side of Jade, and Lord help him, he was halfway there. The truth of why she slept with him came to mind again—unwanted and unexpected. The truth was a solid reminder that this wasn’t the softer side of Jade. This was the assassin who wanted to remain an assassin.

  He let go of her left leg and slipped a finger inside her. He flicked his tongue over her clit faster, applying more pressure. Her core contracted around his finger, her legs began to shake. A disturbing question entered his mind—why couldn’t she want him just for him? Not what he could do to save her job.

  “Yes, yes…” Her hand snaked out of nowhere and latched onto his head, fingers curled into his hair painfully. She announced her orgasm by calling out his name.

  Upon hearing his name, part of him felt so guilty he wasn’t sure he could go on. When she let go of his hair and looked at him with eyes half-closed, and lips curling into a smile, he forgot what the hell he’d been thinking and crawled onto the bed without hesitation. The scent of her arousal hit him with such force he had to keep himself from thrusting his cock inside her right then and there.

  He couldn’t take her unless she assured him she wanted this. If he were a complete asshole, he’d take what was offered
without question. He’d give her one last chance to change her mind.

  She used her elbows and heels to move farther onto the bed. He took hold of her arm and flipped her over onto her back. Grabbing his cock in one hand, he leaned down and whispered, “Are you sure you want this?”

  She rubbed her ass against his erection. “Yes.”

  That one word was all he needed to hear. He slid into her wet core, groaning at the tight fit. Her ass tilted up at a perfect angle, and he held onto her hips as he drove inside her, her moans goading him on.

  He moved his hips slowly, wanting to give her a few minutes to recover from her first orgasm. Another would be on its way shortly. Leaning forward, he reached around her legs and began running his finger over her moist clit to make her come again. Her back arched and her head tilted up. Her light perfume smelled like vanilla. The smell brought back the realization she had set out to seduce him for a better report. She’d pampered herself with perfume and sexy clothes to get him right where he was.

  No matter what he concentrated on, the same realization kept creeping back into his mind. With anyone else, he wouldn’t have pondered the whys of sex. With Jade it was different.

  She cried out, thrusting her hips into his while riding her latest orgasm. He brought both hands to her breasts, holding onto those beautiful peaks while he quickened his pace. The pressure in his balls built, and he tried holding the orgasm back. The feeling of being inside her was too good … so tight.

  He wanted more time to explore her body, feel her legs wrap around his torso. He ached to see the pleasure on her face, watch her tongue glide across her lower lip, swollen from their kisses.

  Suddenly she arched her back, and his will shattered completely.

  He came silently, gritting his teeth as he closed his eyes. Letting out his pent-up breath, he waited until his breathing became normal once again before pulling away.

  She rolled onto her back and ran a hand down his arm, admiring the tattoos there. How he wanted their first joining to be different, and yet he didn’t have the will to keep her seduction from his mind.

  The sight of her skin flushed, the sated look on her face, made him want to savor the moment, but instead he heard himself say, “I hope you don’t expect me to give you a better report because of this.” The words came out of his mouth of their own accord.

  Her eyes widened with surprise. She pushed herself up onto her elbows. “What? Absolutely not. I—”

  He stood and glanced down at her. “Because I won’t.”

  “What? That wasn’t my intention. Samael, where is this coming from?”

  Her skin glowed from having just fed. Her hair framed the face of an angel. He flashed his clothes back on and left the room.

  * * * *

  Jade stared at the door Samael had just walked out of. She could only imagine what this must have looked like to him. The lingerie, the primping … no wonder he thought she was trying to seduce him for a better report. One minute she’d been annoyed at him, and the next she was on his lap purring like a kitten. She could understand she sent him warring signals, but hadn’t he already given her glowing reports when all she did was fuck up?

  Why the hell would she have to sleep with him for something he already gave her?

  It hadn’t occurred to her what he might think of her seduction. He’d wanted her in bed for so long she’d figured he would be happy—thrilled even. It never crossed her mind their night would end up like this. While they were having sex she had the idea that they would go at least two more rounds. Licking her lips she could still taste him.

  Oh God, he tasted good. His blood ran through her veins, carrying a power she’d never felt before. He must have been some angel in his day to still contain that much power. For all intents and purposes she knew very little of his past.

  But what she did know surprised her. He was gentle and demanding in bed. Those attributes complimented each other perfectly. Whether his actions were right or wrong, he protected her during missions. She had no idea if he did so because he truly wanted to keep her safe, or if it had more to do with Samael wanting to take the lead.

  Had he thought she attempted to seduce him for a better report right from the onset? Why had he slept with her if that was the case?

  Warring emotions strangled her better judgment. No matter which angle she looked at it from, it all started to feel wrong. The sense of peace and safety she’d felt from his embrace melted away, leaving her cold and angry.

  She had never been the type of woman who needed a Mr. Right. She didn’t need saving, and she sure as hell didn’t need a man to take over her life and start making demands. It seemed not only had Lexie’s vision screwed up her fighting ability, it had also affected her outlook on relationships and the like. The thought of imminent death must have screwed with her head in more ways than one.

  She slid out of bed and headed for the door that separated their rooms, not wanting to be here when he got back. If he came back. Once she reached the door she glanced down at herself.

  Where the fuck were her clothes? Damn! They were brand new and he’d vanished them to somewhere.

  She pivoted on her heel and headed in the direction of the pizza. She snatched the whole box of pepperoni.

  Game on. If he wanted to think she was out to get a better report, so be it. There wasn’t anything she could do to change his mind. But she had proven a point to herself.

  Their time together had just been sex.

  And that was the most disappointing thought of all.

  * * * *

  Ambrose pinched the bridge of his nose to alleviate the phantom headache encroaching. Never had another vampire experienced a migraine due to stress, but he sure as hell had. Keeping over six hundred vampire assassins in line proved detrimental to his health.

  Jade was going to be the one to do him in. Either the woman took joy in testing him or she had a death wish. The more he thought about the situation involving Jade, the more he’d come to the conclusion she was hiding something from him. Lexie had been MIA every time he tried to reach her. If anyone knew what was going on in Jade’s head, it was Lexie. They were two peas in a pod.

  It had crossed his mind Jade could be upset because she’d lost her best friend to a man. Azazel was now the focus of Lexie’s attention, and that had to be hard for Jade to accept. Ambrose figured Jade would lean more toward the other assassin in their trio, Kelsey, to fill in the place Lexie had left, but she hadn’t.

  Kelsey had her own problems. Ambrose could see the lingering terror in the assassin’s eyes. After Kelsey had been possessed by a spiritual group of rogue demons, who controlled her for over a week and fed off her every thought and secret, she was due for a serious vacation. Instead of taking the offered time off, Kelsey had thrown herself back into work, and there wasn’t a damn thing Ambrose could do to change her mind. Everyone dealt with emotional scars differently, and Kelsey’s choice to bury the memories remained her prerogative.

  Which had him right back to where he had started: Jade.

  Unlike Lexie, Jade didn’t relish fighting. He’d sensed it about her from the start. She took pride in ridding the vampire species of scum, and yet that was the extent of her desire to be an assassin.

  She’d always been a damned good assassin until now, and he hated to lose her, but her actions were more than questionable. Now, after he exhausted his efforts with Lexie and Kelsey, he only had one more person who might know what the hell was wrong with Jade.

  Sighing, he opened his eyes and flipped open his cell. He clicked on Samael’s name and leaned back in his chair.

  “Hello?”

  “It’s Ambrose. I have a few questions for you. Are you alone?”

  Samael’s voice held a hard edge to it. “I am.”

  It was times like these Ambrose wished he could hear other people’s thoughts right through the phone. Too bad he could only use that power in person. “I’ve been trying to figure out what could have happened to Jade that aff
ected her fighting habits so drastically. Don’t get me wrong, she’s always been a bit … heavy-handed. But she only started bringing attention to herself a few months ago. Before that I’d had the occasional problem with her, but nothing like this. My question to you is, do you have any idea what might have caused this? Has she said anything to you?”

  There was a pause on the other end. “No.”

  Ambrose waited for Samael to say more. The line remained silent. Another brick wall. He could push Samael, but something in the demon’s voice stopped him. “Okay. I guess that settles that. End of questions.”

  “If you need anything else give me a call.”

  Samael hung up. Ambrose removed the cell from his ear and stared at it. If he wasn’t mistaken, Samael had seemed angry. He tossed the cell onto his desk, not willing to delve into another problem-assessing adventure with a new assassin, and shut his eyes.

  “Did you get word on Jade?”

  Ambrose opened one eye and glanced at the door to his office. Sven stood in the doorway sipping a can of Coke. The ancient Viking leaned against the frame of the door. One of his oldest friends, Ambrose depended on Sven like no other. He and Sven were the actual founders of the Alliance. Both had done things in their past they weren’t proud of, and both were trying to make it right.

  During the marauding days of the Vikings, they had killed their fare share of innocents. In doing so, they had created more vampires without their knowing. It wasn’t until years later they found out the evil they had birthed through their bloodlust. The Alliance had seemed the only answer to keeping rogue vampires in line. Sven had been there from the beginning.

  “Yeah. She completed the second mission effectively, taking out the toughest vampire of the four.”

  Sven smiled. “That sounds more like our Jade.”

  Ambrose shook his head. “I don’t believe Samael. Number one, she’s supposed to be completing these missions on her own, and he’s supposed to observe. Two, I can detect something different in his voice when he talks about her. Their dynamic changed.”

  Sven touched his chin and cracked the bones in his neck by wrenching his head side to side. “You know Jade. She loves her demons. They probably shacked up.”