Binding Fire: Paranormal Romance (Bad Boys of the Underworld Book 3) (25 page)

“Well, just remember that in this case the end justified the means,” said Kier.

Samuel shook his head. “The prophecy said that when you went after Azazel, you would be powered by a broken heart.”

“When it became apparent that you had feelings for me, I had to assume that I would be the one doing the breaking,” said Kier. “Since I had no plans of hurting you, I figured I would have to fake it.”

“Everyone knew this?”

Ava probably looked the guiltiest out of all of them. “We just didn’t see what good it would do you knowing. You were already convinced you were going off to your death.”

“Are you pissed?” asked Samuel.

“I don’t know. I think I’m still too relieved right now to really be pissed about anything. Ask me again tomorrow.”

“Thank God,” breathed Ava. “I thought you would never forgive us.”

Kier leaned forward to whisper in Muriel’s ear. “What do you say we go celebrate?”

His hot hand on her hip let her know just what he meant by “celebrate.” Muriel blushed as she understood his meaning.
How could he fluster her so easily?
She was more than twice his age.

“I think a celebration is in order,” she agreed. “Probably not until after I take a good twelve-hour nap. Killing and resurrecting kings takes a lot out of a girl.”

Jared made a jokingly disgusted face. “Ew. They’re talking about sex.”

“No, Kier is talking about sex. I’m talking about napping.”

“My self-esteem can’t take this abuse,” teased Kier.

“Oh please, every vampire and werewolf in here heard us going at it like bunnies all week. I think your ego can handle a little teasing.”

A wicked grin came across Kier’s face as he looked down at Muriel. His gaze darkened and he bit his lip. Muriel knew he was reliving all those noises they had made together.

Suddenly the room was too crowded and too hot. “Maybe we should get out of here,” muttered Muriel.

“I told you they were talking about sex,” said a smug Jared.

Ava knocked him on his shoulder. “Yes, everyone in a five-mile radius understands that, Captain Obvious. Why don’t you two take some time to celebrate? We can get in touch if we need to.”

Kier’s arms wrapped around Muriel and she embraced the sense of rightness that filled her. She smiled at her friends as she was whisked away to a well-deserved vacation.

Two Weeks Later

Muriel stretched out and let the sun caress her bikini-clad body. “Kier, we need to talk.” The stretching rumpled the towel she was lying on, and she twisted to straighten it before any sand crept onto her makeshift bed.

“Are you really so afraid of sand?” asked Kier from above her.

Muriel squinted against the sun to get a better look at him. The tropics agreed with him. His broad chest was bared, and the sun glistened against his rippling muscles. He had just emerged from the ocean, and his swim trunks clung to his thighs.

She bit her lip as she held herself back from pouncing on him.

“If there is one thing I have learned from this trip, it’s that sand was created by a prude who was determined to prevent perfectly innocent couples from having sex.”

He plopped down beside her. The impact brushed sand on her legs and arm. “You think a little sand would prevent me from wanting you?”

“Well, I did say innocent couples.”

Kier leaned toward her. “You definitely don’t qualify.”

“I have been fully corrupted,” she agreed as she met him halfway for a kiss.

The last two weeks had been magical. It was freeing to be careless. To act like a new couple in love, with no fear of demons coming after them or kings who needed assassinating.

Kier had brought her to a small island in the Bahamas. It was a very exclusive resort that he picked for the sole purpose of beach sex. Muriel wasn’t as fond of the sand in naughty places, but whenever he gave her one of his heated stares or bit his lip in the way that told her that he was imagining her naked, it was impossible for her to keep her clothes on.

To be fair, he was just as responsive to her. One pass of her tongue over her upper lip was all she needed to do to get him on his knees before her. She might be older than him, but he was centuries more advanced in the lovemaking department. She had a lot to learn.

Muriel pulled away before the kiss got too heavy. “You’re are trying to distract me.”

“It’s not my fault you’re so easy to distract.” His mouth touched her neck, sending shivers down her spine. His lips and tongue slowly trailed up to her earlobe.

Muriel struggled to keep her wits about her as his tongue worked its magic along her sensitive skin. “Has Teryn called?”

“You shouldn’t talk about other men when I’m busy seducing you.”

“Well then, I could never talk about anyone because you are always seducing me.”

“Good point,” he conceded, but instead of answering her, he moved to the other side of her neck.

“Seriously, Kier. I’m worried about him. All those demons saw him protect me. He could use some friends.”

Kier pulled away. “Believe me, I know. He is a demon, though, who can be anywhere on Earth with a quick thought. I haven’t seen him since he let me know that I could transport you out of Azazel’s mansion. I have called and left a dozen voicemails on his phone. At the moment, there is nothing more we can do.”

His tight jaw and somber eyes told her that it was a sore subject. He was obviously worried about his friend, and she knew he would hate feeling helpless as much as she would.

Muriel changed the subject. “Ava called today. The vampire situation is getting worse. She said they could use some backup.”

Kier leaned forward again and blew softly against her neck where his mouth had just caressed. It was like an electric spark touched her skin. “Is that right?”

It took her a moment to collect her thoughts as she muddled through the sensual haze that he had wrapped her in. “I was thinking that, since our reservations are up today, we should go help out.”

Kier sighed against her neck. “So you want to be a vampire hunter now?”

“I want to help people. I have protected this realm for a thousand years. I love you, but I’m still a guardian at heart.”

“My nature is to destroy. What does that say about my future with you?”

“It says that we will kill a lot of evil together. I might be a guardian, but I’m by no means peaceful. We’re both soldiers in a way. We can make a difference together.”

Muriel pulled back and stared into the dark depths of Kier’s eyes, trying to decipher his thoughts. She wasn’t trying to change him. She just wanted to funnel his darker urges and instincts into a good cause.

“So where is the Van Helsing required?”

Muriel squealed in delight as she wrapped her arms tightly around him. “Thank you for giving this a chance.”

“Running across the world and killing things with you sounds like the perfect life to me,” he muttered against her hair.

Muriel pictured their future together. It might not be easy to bring their conflicting backgrounds together, but Lucifer was right. On some basic level, Kier was hers. He understood her and loved her in a way that no man of any species ever could.

Running across the world and killing things with him really did sound like the perfect life, and Muriel couldn’t wait to live it.

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Check out Book 4 in the Bad Boys Of The Underworld Series, RULING FIRE!

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Werewolf shifter, Brock Holt refuses to put his paws all over his sexy accountant.  She's off limits--no questions asked.  But when a perilous situation forces him to turn in front of her, all bets are off.  She knows his secrets, and now her life could be in danger. Claiming sultry and smart Elsie as his own, Brock swears it's only for her protection.

Brock missed one small fact: Elsie is far from helpless--or innocent.  A born and raised siren, Elsie spent her life fighting against her destiny, refusing to lure unsuspecting men into her clutches.  But now that she has Brock, does she really want to let go? 

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