Darkness Rising (Dark Angels 2)

“That was not a bad starter,” he murmured after a while. He raised his head, his wicked smile creasing the corners of his bright eyes. “You realize, of course, that after not having sex for well over a week, I have an almost unquenchable desire to lose myself in your flesh for the next week or so?”

I touched his cheek then ran my fingers down to his lips. He caught one finger, sucking on it lightly. A tremor ran through me. “I’m afraid I can’t manage a week. I can, however, promise you the next eight hours.”

Which would mean I’d have to go straight to work from here—but right then, I wasn’t caring.

“Only eight?” He clicked his tongue as he swung us both around and walked across to the king-sized bed. “That’s hardly enough to take the edge off.”

I laughed as he lowered us both to the bed, somehow managing not to break our intimate connection. “Then what about if I also promise to give you as much free time as I can manage over the next week?”

“That,” he murmured, as he began to move inside me again, “will just have to do. Now, shall we get down to business?”

“Let’s,” I agreed, and we did.

I relaxed against the back of the large bath and lightly played with the bubbles floating around my toes. Lucian walked in and offered me a glass of champagne, then sat down on the edge of the bath and studied me with a smile.

“If you don’t get out of that water soon, you’ll prune up.”

If I didn’t get out soon, I’d be horribly late for work. I sighed wistfully and took a sip of bubbly. “I know. I’m just all languid and content. Moving would spoil the moment.”

He laughed softly and clinked his glass against mine. “My job has been done, then.”

“For a while, at least,” I agreed. Which didn’t mean I’d offer too many protests if he decided he wanted another round. Even if it meant I’d be late.

“So how did the book hunting go?” he asked after a moment.

I blinked. “So it’s true. You can invade my thoughts.”

“I wouldn’t really call it invading,” he said, amusement teasing the lips I’d kissed so often this morning. “Nor is it truly telepathy. There are only a few relatively minor areas of your thoughts open to me. Unlike most, you seem to have more than your fair share of secret compartments.”

“Well, good,” I said, a little tartly. “A girl does like to keep her secrets, you know.”

“Then have no fear. I can only read what is foremost in your mind, and the Dušan book appears to be your biggest concern.”

I sipped my champagne and studied him over the rim. Was he telling the truth? For some odd reason, I suspected not—even though I wasn’t seeing any of the usual signs of deception. But maybe he wasn’t. Maybe I was just being over

ly suspicious thanks to everything that had happened to me over the last few months.

But if he knew about the Dušan book, then he undoubtedly knew we’d appropriated it from the Raziq. And why.

“It’s supposed to tell us what form the keys take,” I said eventually.

“Supposed?” he said. “You haven’t tried to read it yet?”

I shook my head. “Azriel suspects the book may have a locator on it.”

“Azriel being your guardian reaper?”

“Stalker,” I corrected, even though he’d saved my life that very morning. “Azriel wants what everyone else wants—my father.”

Lucian grinned and dipped a hand into the water, running his fingers lightly up my leg. “I don’t want your father. I’d much rather have the luscious, wanton female lying naked in my bath.”

My skin tingled where he touched and my hormones shifted from languid satisfaction to eager anticipation. I ignored them and said teasingly, “I vaguely recall you stating that you’ve indulged in more than your fair share of threesomes and orgies over the centuries. Are you saying that not one of those involved a male?”

“No, I am not,” he murmured, his fingers caressing higher up my thigh, making my breath grow ragged. “And I’m always more than happy to share some loving with several females and males. Now, however, the idea of a regular, one-on-one coupling has taken my fancy. Did you get this wound when you were retrieving the book?”

I nodded. The bullet wound was still raised and nasty looking, but at least the ache had eased. In a day or so, it probably wouldn’t even be noticeable. Which didn’t stop me wishing yet again that I’d gotten a higher percentage of a werewolf’s natural healing ability, because I had a bad feeling I was going to need it over the coming weeks.

“I hope our athletic escapades haven’t caused you any discomfort.”