Repent in Love (7 page)

The Fates, if thwarted, would live in misery and anguish for
eternity.

“I can’t permit this.”

* * * * *

“You must give me the child’s soul, Yael.” Morta’s eyes
followed Heaven’s newest angel as she walked to a sofa. She sat and patted the
cushion beside her. “I didn’t come here for coffee-time chat,” Morta spat out.
“Are you aware of what’s happening?”

“Do you remember a conversation we had not too many years
ago? I believe you reminded me I was not a stupid woman. Neither are you,
Morta. Sit, let’s talk.”

Yael’s gaze shined so kindly on her that Mort felt the color
rise in her cheeks. This serene and regal woman would drive her nuts. There
wasn’t time for this.

But she did remember that day. She’d told Yael to let Ram
go. Is that what Yael intended to tell Morta now, to let Uri go? Oh, God, could
she? He threatened her sisters, their very existence, but could she live
without him? A chasm of pain opened inside and spread through her whole being
at the idea of never having him again.

How had Yael kept strength and hope? And how had Morta ever
suggested to this woman to let go of the one thing that made her whole?

“How did you stay strong? I’m so out of control I can’t
think in a rational manner anymore.” Tears welled in Morta’s eyes.

“I can’t tell you what to do, but you must follow your
heart.”

“Samael will not wait long. Uri is preparing to do something
dire and I can’t allow it.” Morta rubbed her hands up and down ice-cold arms.

“Ram has already spoken to Sam. He will be patient a little
longer.” Yael’s eyes bored into her. “You really must work through this.
However it ends between you and Uri, it needs to stop.”

“I know, but I’m not sure I can be without him.”

“Then don’t be.” The woman grasped her hands, held them. “Things
are changing rapidly. We all learn something new every day. Heaven struggles to
keep up with humans and our responsibility to them. I think we’re doing well.”

“Yael, I’m sorry for what I tried to do to you and Ram.
You’ve been the best thing to happen to us. You brought a breath of fresh air
to the staleness that had settled on us all.” Mort brushed tears from her eyes
as she thought back to the day she offered on behalf of the Fates to take
Yael’s child after it was born in hopes Ramiel would forget Yael and his love
for her.

“Things will work out, I’m sure. Now, I have to see to the
children.” She stood and walked to the door. Her parting words sent Mort’s
spirits soaring. “Have faith in Uriel. The meshing is meant to be beautiful.”

Uri tagged along with Luke. Maybe the devil would let
something slip. Not likely but worth a chance.

No cool jazz or blues here. The club they sat in teemed with
young people, and hip-hop blared from humongous speakers in every corner. Some
guy with his cap on backward stood on a stage scratching the hell out of a vinyl
record. The hellacious sound skittered across Uri’s nerve endings, and he rubbed
the back of his neck to relieve some pressure.

“Loosen up, Uri. Shit ain’t that bad.” Luke smiled his way.

“It’s going to be. Sam will not be kept waiting much
longer.”

“Well, you could be in luck. A couple big games this weekend
and Dallas is playing too. That’ll buy you a few days.”

“I doubt a few days will be enough.”

“Whew, check out the blonde. Sweet.”

Uri followed the devil’s eyes. The cutter of the threads of
life had taken such hold of his heart, a pang shot through him seeing the woman
who resembled his Fate. “Yeah, I might enjoy a piece of her.”

“Liar, and umm… Brother, you don’t want to tempt fate?”
Luke’s attention zeroed on something behind him.

Uri didn’t have to look. Her smell, the scent that kept him
alive, wafted over him. Morta.

“We need to talk.” Morta appeared tense.

“I’ll see you both later.” The devil vanished into thin air,
leaving a scorching heat in his wake.

“About?”

“Don’t play with me, Uri. I want to know about Marcan.”

“You don’t need to be concerned with him.”

“He is Marmaroth’s son.”

“Yes, he is, Morta.” Her woman’s scent coiled through his
body, tying him in knots. She belonged to him and he’d never let her go. Not
until he’d had his fill and he knew now that would be never. “I won’t hurt you,
no one will hurt you. I won’t allow it.”

“They won’t let you get away with this.” Tears filled her
eyes and wrenched him in two. He gripped the table top to stop from doubling
over in pain.

“Why did you leave me?”

“Uri,
please
.”

“Come with me.”

“I can’t allow you to harm my family.”

He wanted her so badly. “Come with me. No magic, and I won’t
ask for anything you don’t want to give.” Entering her mind, he found it in
shambles, torn between him and her family. “Have dinner with me? That’s all I’m
asking.”

“Promise me you won’t do this.”

“I won’t do anything if you come with me.”

A fledgling ready to leave the nest for the first time would
not be this nervous. If Uri’s wings were out, they’d be fluttering at
hummingbird speed.

“Come on, you can do this.”
Shit, now I’m talking to
myself
. Uri preferred wearing his shirts open, or he fabricated V-neck
tops. He hadn’t worn a tie in over a hundred years but he refused to use magic
in any way tonight. He wanted to take Morta out to a lavish dinner as a man
would. Monkey suit and all. He gave up and let the blue-and-gray-striped piece
of material hang down the front of his pristine white dress shirt. What was
that thing called he used to wear? Cravat or something. Hell, he’d deal with it
later.

Sitting in the winged-backed chair, he reached for the
nearby shoebox. Men’s footwear hadn’t changed that much and these weren’t old.
The black slip-ons had small leather tassels that would look spiffy with the
finely creased charcoal pants and matching jacket. He liked comfortable shoes
and wore them all the time with his slacks, unlike Luke and Sam who had taken
to wearing leather boots. Gabriel, Heaven’s fashion police, had assured him the
tailored suit he had decided on for the evening would never go out of style.
He’d better be right. Uri wanted to see her eyes light up with pride when they
saw him.

Finally dressed, and without thinking, he flashed behind his
fully stocked bar. He’d forgotten that quickly. No more magic. At least for the
night. Pouring two fingers of bourbon, he leaned his hip against the side and
waited. What would she wear? He hoped something short and tight. That way he
could see her long, shapely legs and watch her ass wiggle all night. And it had
to be violet colored—like her beautiful eyes.

He readjusted his cock, which had swollen unbearably at the
thought of Morta. He glanced into his glass. “This is fucking nuts.”

“What’s nuts?”

His head flew up. Chrissakes, he hadn’t even heard her
arrive and he wanted to watch her walk in. Uri prayed the rest of the night
wouldn’t be like this.
Get it together
. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come
in.”

“I’m glad. That means you’re keeping your word of no magic
tonight. That way it’ll be really special.” Her deep purple eyes glittered like
diamonds.

How could he make the night after this memorable? And the
next, and the next. This was only the first of many. Morta had promised to stay
with him. Uri knew it was for the child’s soul and to keep him occupied, making
it impossible to search for Marmaroth. Shit, he didn’t care. She was in his
earthly domain, where he intended to keep her.

“Yeah, but I wanted to gaze at you with loving eyes when you
walked in.”

Her laughter drifted from the glassed walls and set his
heart racing as the room spun around him. She swiveled around on her high,
spindly shoes and click-clacked right out the door.

What did I say wrong now?

The sound of her heels on the floor drew his attention back
to the entrance. Oh Lord, she walked, no, she floated back in, and
damn,
she was magnificent. Her white hair hung down around her bare shoulders in a
mass of soft curls. For the first time he noticed the lavender sheath-like
dress clung to every curve and accentuated her porcelain skin. How she stood in
the spiked silver heels was a mystery to him. She looked at least five inches
taller. He would not have to bend far tonight to taste her painted red lips.
His cock jerked to immediate attention.

“Satisfied?”

“Hell, yes. You’re beautiful, Morta.” Could she hear his
heart beat? It would pop right out of his chest if he dared breathe. He had a
long night ahead of him, one he would remember forever. Already he didn’t want
to forget and it hadn’t even begun yet. “A drink?”

“Bourbon, please.”

Needing time to gather himself, he reached for the bottle
and poured a shot. Angels, all heavenly bodies, drank mostly because they liked
it. Unlike humans, no matter how much they imbibed, their faculties remained
intact. If anything, it took the edge off just a little. Stepping from behind
the bar, he carried the glass to her. The closer he got, her perfume mingled
with her woman’s scent and washed over him. His hands shook by the time he
reached her.

Morta’s fingers brushed his when she took her drink. She
moved sideways and set the glass on an end table. His dick quivered before he
felt drops gather on the tip. Uri had never been so glad he’d chosen not to go
commando. Should have picked tighty-whities, they would have helped restrain
him.

“Here, let me fix this for you.” Her hands moved to the front
of his shirt and grasped his tie. Shit, he’d forgotten about that. She deftly
flipped the material through her fingers. The top of her sugary white hair was
level with his nose and the lavender aroma of her shampoo drifted into his
nostrils.
Yeah, a long night
. “There, that’s perfect,” she said, patting
the knot at his neck.

“Thanks.”

“You’re very handsome.”

The guys would have had a good laugh at how his spirits
soared at those simple words. And if it would make her say them again, he’d
wear a suit every day.

She picked up her bourbon and poured it down in one swallow,
setting the glass back on the table. “One thing I’d like to change if you don’t
mind?”

“Anything,” Uri mumbled. His tongue was stuck to the roof of
his mouth.

Morta walked behind him and he felt her hand pull the
leather hair thong away. “I want to see it free.” Her fingertips rifled through
and fluffed his hair. Another drop slid from his penis.
Damn
.

Easing around to face her, he pulled her into his arms. “I
don’t know if I can do this, Mort. You’re too fucking hot. My underwear is
stuck to my cock.”

“This will make you feel better.” She grabbed his hand and
shoved it beneath her dress. “My panties were useless the minute I put them
on.”

“What are we going to do?” His fingers slipped under the
elastic band and stroked her pussy.

She answered him by rolling her hips on his hand. “You need
to stop that and we need to get out of here. Or we never will.”

“You smell good.” One last thrust of his fingers through her
folds before he pulled them out. Bringing his hand to his mouth, he gazed in
her eyes as he licked one, then two fingers. “And you taste good.”

Her throaty groan traveled around the room. “We’d better
go.”

“You’re right.” He took her hand and started toward the
door. “Aww hell. Mort, how are we getting there?” Uri hadn’t thought of that
when he promised no magic. He should have planned better and stayed at one of
his above ground homes. A limousine wouldn’t have been a bad idea either.

She grasped his chin and pulled his mouth to hers. After
planting a chaste kiss on his lips, she grinned and twisted in his arms. “I got
this one, lover.” Cool air surrounded them as they emerged from inside the
earth. “
I
didn’t promise not to use magic.”

Morta whisked them into the warm night air and he was glad
she didn’t dematerialize to the restaurant. That would have been too fast. He
wanted to hold her in his arms for as long as he could. The stars were
brilliant tonight and he saw every single one of them. He wished she was facing
him, not enclosed in his embrace with her back against his chest. His cock
nudged into her butt, jumping slightly and causing her to laugh. The gleeful
sound shattered the silence. It was infectious and soon had him joining her.

Uri didn’t even feel foolish. He felt lucky.

They plopped down in front of an Italian restaurant on South
Ninth Street in Philly. His pleasure at her choice rippled in his voice. “How
did you know?”

She turned to face him. “That Italian food is your favorite?
Or that this is your favorite Italian restaurant?”

“Both, I guess.” At a loss for words, he hugged her to him
and tugged her long hair from behind before he squeezed her ass cheeks. “Nice.”

“Two can play that game.” Mort rubbed a hand along his
length, setting his blood to the boiling point. She chuckled when he moaned.

“You’ll pay for that.”

“Mmm, I hope.” She slipped out of his arms and walked toward
the door. Her ass swung saucily in front of him. “You coming?”

“Yup, one hell of a long night.” Uri followed his Fate.

* * * * *

Morta had lost her mind. At least what little was left. The
minute she had entered the room and saw Uri behind the bar, she was a goner.
Not that she hadn’t already been. The day she laid eyes on the angel of
repentance centuries ago, it’d only been a matter of time.

Tonight his dark blue eyes swallowed her up. She slipped
into them like a pair of well-worn fuzzy slippers. They were warm and
welcoming. His striped tie lay undone already around the crisp white collar of
his dress shirt, making him appear ready to undress. Moisture gathered in the
second pair of panties she’d worn tonight. The whole time she bathed and
dressed he had held the uppermost part of her thoughts. She never did get her
nether lips dry. She hadn’t even tried to sneak up on him at his house. The
fact Mort caught him completely off guard endeared him to her all the more and
insured him a solid place in her heart.

Uri really intended to keep his promise to her not to use
magic tonight.

Mort was glad she had unbraided his hair. When he rifled his
hands through it, pushing it from his face, the chiseled angles of his cheeks
really showed up. A strong, straight nose sat above the most luscious pair of
lips she’d ever seen on a man. Her fingers itched to touch them and slide
inside to be nibbled on. His deeply tanned skin was hot, a definite
counterbalance to her coolness. His raw, masculine scent reached her nostrils
and damn near made her swoon.

Morta told herself repeatedly while she prepared for their
evening out that she was doing this only to keep an eye on him to make sure he
did nothing stupid.

She’s the one who had acted impetuously. Every day she woke
beside him would be another nail in her coffin. She was absolutely sure of one
thing—she belonged to Uriel. Body and soul.

And she’d promised to stay with him.

When he had brought the drink to her earlier, she couldn’t
resist the urge to touch him. His tie hung loose and she was glad because it
gave her the reason she needed to relieve the itch in her fingers. Done with
the knot, she had wanted only one other thing. That’s when she loosened his
ebony hair.

Their unexpected playfulness unhinged her.

Touching and kissing, wanting to be in his arms, and his
bed, drove her to the edge of insanity. Mort liked that Uri stood on the
precipice with her.

Sitting across from him now, she smiled while she toyed with
the stem of her glass. “I didn’t think I’d enjoy this so much.” She didn’t want
it to end but how long could she find reasons to watch him and make sure he did
not harm her sisters, and in turn, himself? Morta had been stupid to think even
for a minute this could work.

Samael would have no mercy once sent to retrieve what he
needed to finish his duty. She understood now that Uriel would never give her
up. These weren’t the thoughts she wanted to have; this is not how she wanted
their night to end. He stirred in her mind as his eyes slowly perused her
before they settled on her face.

“Why wouldn’t you enjoy it?”

His fingers traced the rim of his wineglass. She squirmed in
her seat at the memory of how those fingers felt when he had massaged her body.
Her temperature spiked at least twenty-five degrees. “Uri—”

“No, damn it. You made a promise. Is it so hard to be with
me?”

“I’m with you every minute I’m alive.” Her head bowed.

“Look at me.
Look. At. Me
.”

She did. His eyes electrified her and stole the breath from
her lungs. “It can never be.” Geysers dotted the pit of her stomach, each
gushing the painful truth in heated spouts. “Never,” she whispered. A blinding
white panorama of nothingness appeared in her mind on the blank movie screen
that was her future. She struggled to draw air through her lips. “I can’t
breathe without you, Uri.” Tears clouded her vision, coursed down her cheeks in
rivulets, and touched her mouth with their saltiness. “But we can never be.”

Suddenly, she was outside, and air swept across her legs and
beneath her dress. Uri carried her wrapped in his black-tipped wings. Mort lay
against his chest, listening to the hammering sound of his heart. She wished
she could stay hidden there forever.

“I will not let you go.”

She realized her body was naked when her butt touched the
downy soft mattress in his bed. Pulling his wings in, he stood before her in
all his male beauty. Lying down, he stretched out and bundled her into his
arms.

Uri held her close, asking for nothing.

Morta should have left. But the woman in her would not be
denied. Curved as she was with her cheek resting on his biceps, his musky scent
permeated the space between them. She inhaled deeply and took pleasure in the
fact his arousal was because she lay in his arms. Raising her hand, she
feathered her fingertips across his broad chest, causing his muscles to bunch
together. The power that emanated from him drew her like a magnet. She turned
her head far enough to stroke his nipple with her tongue. Drawing the nub
between her lips, she sucked hard.

“You’re playing with fire, babe. I can’t be responsible for
what happens if you keep that up.” His stomach knotted under her hand.

“I want you.”

His hand moved the curl of hair from her forehead and he
brushed down her cheek. The tips of his fingers were warm as they swept across
her lips. Mort drew a finger into her mouth and swirled her tongue over it. She
nibbled the end before sucking it all the way in.

Uri groaned and pressed her back on the bed. In a fluid
move, he rose above her and pierced her with a heated look. “I warned you.” His
lips came down hard in a kiss that sliced straight to her pussy. He pried her
legs open using his knee.