Hotter Than Hell (11 page)

For some reason she made him feel more real, alive. Made him want things he had never wanted before. Made him look at who and what he was, and long for something different than he had always known.

Like wishing he was human so he could spend his life with her.

Aedan scowled. An idiotic thought. Why was the woman affecting him like this?

When a Succubus or an Incubus was sent to a human, the person had projected a powerful desire.

Perhaps a wish for the fulfillment of a fantasy, or a longing that included the phrase, “I’d give anything for…” The human usually exchanged his or her soul in payment, often unaware of the magnitude of what they’d done.

And that was the key.

Unaware.

I will take her soul, and she might not even realize what she has surrendered—if I don’t tell her.

He pictured Ericka’s beautiful body as he prepared to take everything from her. He imagined the way she would look at him when he finally thrust into her core. She was already wild in his arms when he went to her—the way she whimpered and moaned, trying to seek the completion he denied her.

It was his job to drive her insane with need nightly until she reached the point she would tell him anything, anything he wanted to hear—including giving up her soul.

But…damnation. Something about Ericka made him feel as if he were a part of her and she a part of him. An irrational thought that had him grinding his teeth. The idea of taking Ericka’s soul tore at him like a piranha eating his gut.

Piranha.

Hmmm.

Maybe I should get a piranha for my collection.

Godsdamn, I’m losing my mind.

Centuries of fucking women, yet this one drove him to thoughts of piranha. He had to shake off his madness. It was time. No matter how he felt, he had to claim the woman’s soul.

It was either that, or he would face eternity in the fires of the Realm of the Dead.

Aedan ground his teeth and left his bedchamber. It was time to go to the woman.

His thoughts churned as he strode down the Hall of the Lost. When he reached the Chamber of Veils, he walked to the archway that would take him to Ericka. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched her through the veil for a long moment.

Her eyelids were closed, hiding her startling blue eyes. Her lips parted as she shifted in her sleep, the sheets rumpling beneath her naked body. Her red hair was a wild mass against the white of her pillowcase, her nipples high and puckered with arousal. Around the room, several candles burned within their holders and the soft light danced upon her skin.

Gods and goddesses, he could already smell her woman’s musk and her warm vanilla scent.

Yes, there was something about this one. Something innocent, yet wild at the same time.

Something…perfect.

His groin tightened, his cock aching. He wanted to be inside her. So many times he had come close to pushing her over the edge when she neared climax. The thought of pleasuring her for the sake of pleasuring her made his lust spiral and his erection harder.

His muscles tensed and he swallowed the feelings of rebellion rising within him. Feelings he shouldn’t be having—that contradicted everything an Incubus was.

Ericka was his last assignment before he made the Great Transition to Annwn, that special place in Underworld reserved for those who pleased the gods and goddesses. Aedan had been successful with every assignment and had earned his place, earned the right to live in such peace and beauty. He was looking forward to it. He had lost his taste for his work years ago. It was time for a change.

More importantly, he had earned his reprieve from the flaming depths of the Realm of the Dead, where most demons and the soulless were sent.

He rubbed his forehead with his thumb and forefingers.

If he took Ericka’s soul, she would go to the Realm of the Dead when her human shell died.

The mere thought made him grind his teeth.

If he did not take Ericka’s soul…That was unthinkable for an Incubus or a Succubus. To fail in the last assignment, to be moments from salvation from the Realm of the Dead, then feel the fire’s hideous, terrible bite for all eternity. Sweat broke out on his skin at thoughts of the endless labor he would be forced to do as liquid heat splashed against his body.

Aedan returned his gaze to Ericka, to that beauty and innocence that called to his being like no other had before.

“You want her.” Jeff appeared at his side, bringing him out of his thoughts. The Succubus stroked his arm. “More than anyone you have taken in their dreams. This one is important to you.”

Aedan forced himself to tear his gaze from the erotic sight of Ericka Roberts. “She is naught but another human.”

“Hmmm…” The black-haired beauty at his side looked at him with her brilliant gold gaze. Her toga sparkled, the same color as her eyes. “This assignment is taking longer than normal.” She curled her fingers around his biceps that flexed beneath her touch. “Another Incubus, Kyne perhaps, should accompany you.”

A low rumble rose in Aedan’s chest. His jaw tightened at the thought of another Incubus touching Ericka.

That was irrational. Aedan had played out this drama with countless women over the centuries, fulfilling their needs and desires in exchange for their souls. What Incubae and Succubae performed had been twisted into something considered evil. When in fact what they did only served to pleasure men and women and bring their fantasies to life. So what did their souls matter if they could have every wish granted?

Jett gathered her long hair and pulled it over one of her shoulders. “Perhaps you have become too close to this human. Maybe you should have Kyne take your place completely, before you get into trouble.”

“No.” The word came out sharper than Aedan intended. “Ericka Roberts is my assignment and I shall deal with her.”

Aedan caressed Jett’s back at the base of her spine with his palm. Touching her in that location always served to distract her, and she released his biceps when he moved away.

As he watched Ericka his cock ached enough to drive him senseless. He hadn’t allowed himself an orgasm, just as he refused to let Ericka climax.

He vanished his toga with a thought as he prepared to walk through the veil.

Tonight…would Ericka be ready to offer up her soul?

Was he ready to take it?

WHEN THE BED SANK BENEATH THE WEIGHT OF someone easing onto the mattress beside her, Ericka wasn’t surprised. She opened her eyes and smiled at her dark lover.

Shadows still hid his gaze from her, but because she had left several candles lit, this time she could make out his angular jaw, a cleft in his chin, and his straight nose. Dark hair skimmed his shoulders and his smile was so sensual it made her squirm.

His naked body was a work of art. If she wrote fiction, she couldn’t have created a character to rival him. Broad shoulders, carved biceps, a muscled chest, well-defined abs—definite hero material. And his cock—wow.

Ericka reached up to touch his face and he captured her hand in his. He held it to his heart and she felt his flesh, so warm and real against her palm.

“Who are you?” she asked as his mouth neared hers. “What are you?”

“Aedan.” His accent sounded old-world, as if he came from another time, another place. “I am here to fulfill your fantasies.”

“That doesn’t include leaving me hanging like you have been, right?” His breath teased her lips as she spoke. She should have been irritated, but somehow she wasn’t. “I certainly haven’t fantasized about that.”

Aedan stroked her naked body with his fingers as he kissed her. It was sweet, incredible, and she hungered for more. She grasped his cock and began stroking his erection as their tongues met and she tasted his unique flavor.

He hissed against her lips before drawing away. Moonlight spilled through her window and when he moved she saw his face clearly for the first time.

The man was gorgeous. And he had gold eyes. Not brown or amber or any shade in between. They were gold.

In a powerful sweep of his arms, he caught her in his embrace, forcing her to release his erection. She gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck as he stood.

She couldn’t tear her gaze from his golden eyes as he carried her to the braided rug and laid her on her back in front of the lifeless fireplace. Additional candles flickered to life around them and she widened her eyes in surprise. Yet at the same time it seemed as natural as the way he came to her every night.

Candlelight touched his features, casting dark shadows on the planes of his face. He settled beside her and she caught her breath as he trailed his finger over one of her nipples that tingled beneath his touch.

In her heart and soul, she knew it had been him all week. It had never been just a dream.

He was here, now, and real.

Hell, she did write about paranormal events. Anything could happen.

He started to lower his head to slip one of her nipples inside his warm mouth. It was all she could do to make herself stop him.

“Aedan.” She captured his face in her palms and it surprised her how smooth his skin was, no roughness from stubble. He paused and his golden eyes met hers and so many questions rose within her. She wanted to know more about the man who came to her each night.

He caught her wrists in one of his large hands, pulling her palms away from his cheeks. “What, sweet one?”

She squeezed her eyes shut then opened them to stare at him. “We need to talk.”

For a second he furrowed his brows and then his features relaxed. He gave her a dark, sexy look that made her want to forget about questions and answers and just melt into him. “I can think of much better things to do,” he said as he lowered his head and slipped her nipple into his warm mouth. At the same time he moved one of his thighs across hers and pressed his cock against her hip.

Something between a sigh and a moan escaped her before she tried to draw her wrists away from his grip. “I’m serious—” She cried out as he bit her nipple then whimpered when he moved his mouth to her other taut bud. “I can’t think—stop.”

Aedan raised his head and studied her. She felt his body heat, the firmness of his grip around her wrists, his thigh pinning hers. “What do you wish to discuss?”

She tugged her wrists and he released them. “You.”

Something dark flickered in his eyes and for a moment his sensual expression slipped away. But then he smiled again. He placed his hand on her belly, and his warmth seeped into her skin and spread throughout her.

Ericka took a deep breath. “How do you come here? How do you get into my condo?”

“You believe in the unbelievable, Ericka Roberts.” He traced her navel with his fingertip. “You tell me.”

She frowned. “That’s not an answer.”

With a casual shrug of one shoulder, he said, “I am who I am.”

This was going nowhere in a hurry. “Are you real?”

He pressed his erection tighter against her hip and brushed her brow with his lips as his scent of sandalwood and male swept over her. She wanted him to roll her onto her back and feel his body weighing hers down.

“Do you think I am real?” he murmured.

“Yes—I think so. Yes.” She tried to focus as he moved his mouth to her earlobe and gently nipped it.

“But I need to know more.”

He bit her earlobe again before trailing his lips down her jawline. “And that would be?”

“Where you come from. Things about you .” She brought one of her hands up and placed her palm on his chest, forcing him to raise his head and meet her eyes. “Do you have any brothers or sisters? What about your mother, your father?”

Again that dark look flickered in his eyes, but vanished when he smiled. “I have many brothers and sisters. And my mother…she is different. ”

He gave a low groan as she scraped her fingernails from his chest to his abs. “Different, how?”

“In ways I find difficult to explain.” He sighed. “She has much to attend to and I do not see her often.”

“Oh.” Her fingers neared his cock as she skimmed past his abs toward his groin. “At home in Seattle, my family is constantly around and my mother fusses over all of us. Sometimes I need to get away, you know?”

A soft look came over his features. “Yes.”

Her hand reached his erection and she wrapped her fingers around it, causing him to suck in his breath.

Ericka smiled at the desire and strength rising within her. Power. She felt so much power over him and his desires. It was her turn to drive him crazy.

She pushed harder at his shoulder and he rolled onto his back at the same time he removed his thigh from where it had rested on hers.

Ericka moved off the braided rug and straddled him. “You will tell me more.” She gave him her naughtiest grin. “But not now.”

Before he could speak, she eased down his body so that she was between his thighs, her mouth brushing the soft skin of his erection.

Aedan groaned and tangled his fingers in her wavy hair. After all the teasing he had done, she was tempted to draw out his torture as long as possible. She ran her tongue along the length of his cock and cupped his balls with her free hand.

He gripped her hair tighter and raised his hips as she slipped her mouth over the head of his erection.

He was so big and thick, and tasted salty and delicious.

Tenderness filled his voice when he said, “I want to see your beautiful eyes.”

Immediately she looked up and she wanted to melt right into that wonderful golden gaze.

Damnation, but the feel of Ericka’s mouth was incredible around him. She sucked as he raised his hips and slowly thrust in and out of her mouth. She gave just the right pressure that would please any man.

The thought enraged him. He clenched his fist tighter in her soft red hair and she whimpered. He wanted to be the only man to please her.

But then he realized once again that he wasn’t a man, that he would never be a human male. He was an Incubus, here to take this woman’s soul.

Only he found himself not wanting her soul—but her heart. Her innocence, her intelligence—

everything that drew him to her again and again made him want her for so much more.