Kellsie reached for her orgasm. She was so close. She moved with Marko, shoving her hips back on each of his forward thrusts. It was too good. She knew it couldn’t last.
Her inner muscles clenched down hard on his shaft. Heat flashed over and through her like a wildfire out of control. Crying out, she threw back her head and screamed his name as she came.
He didn’t slow down. Didn’t stop. If anything, he pumped even harder and faster. Only his grip on her was holding her up. Her orgasm went on and on. Or maybe she had two. All she knew was she was on fire, burning from the inside out in the most marvelous way.
Marko gave a yell, ramming against her one final time. Hot jets of semen filled her as he came. When it was over, he groaned and collapsed, taking her down with him. He rolled them onto their sides, still buried inside her.
His lips grazed her temple. His warm breath bathed her face.
Kellsie was content to stay like this forever. What she got was a few minutes before Marko stirred and slowly disengaged his body from hers. She bit her lip to keep from whimpering at the loss.
He turned her onto her back and traced her forehead, nose, cheekbones and jaw with his fingers, as if memorizing her features. She thought he might say something, give her some indication of what he felt for her. She waited with bated breath, silently begging him to give her something to hold on to.
Nothing.
He sighed and sat. “We need to get dressed.”
That fast the mood was shattered. Kellsie blinked back the tears that came out of nowhere. She would not cry. She was a modern single woman, totally independent. She didn’t need anyone, least of all a man.
Just because the sex was spectacular didn’t mean there was anything else between them. And she was lying to herself. She already cared way too much. Heck, she loved him and nothing would ever change that. He’d ruined her for other men. If she survived this mess, she knew she’d grow old alone. No way any other man would do after Marko.
Don’t think about it, she admonished herself. She had more important things to deal with. Like the fact she was still stark naked.
Grabbing her underwear, she dragged them on. God, she wished she could get a shower. She was sticky and sweaty.
Marko moved into her line of vision. He was already wearing his leather pants and boots. Of course he was. He could just poof them on. He didn’t need to get dressed like a mere human did. It was another bucket of cold water in her face, a reminder that he wasn’t human. He was her lover for this brief interlude, but she couldn’t expect any more from him than that.
The reminder settled on her like a heavy weight and she didn’t look at him as she pulled on her jeans, socks and sneakers. He hovered beside her as she hooked her bra and tugged on her long-sleeved top. Thankfully, the sleeves had dried. The last thing she wanted to do was to wear damp clothes.
As much as she wanted to wrap herself in the cloak it was too bulky. “You need to get rid of that.” She pointed at the rumpled fabric that had served as her bed only minutes before.
“Kellsie.” There was an underlying emotion in the way he said her name, but damned if she could figure out what it was. And right now she didn’t have the time or energy to figure it out.
She rubbed her arms and moved away from him. “How much time do you think we have?” Better to get things back on a business-like setting. It would be all too easy to forget Hades and his minions were out there. And that would be a fatal mistake. They’d been left pretty much alone up until now, but Kellsie had a feeling in the pit of her belly that told her the situation wasn’t going to last.
Marko sighed but said nothing as he picked up the cloak and shook it out. Between one moment and the next it disappeared back into the void or wherever the hell that stuff came from. It was like a cosmic closet or something. She’d love to have one just like it in her tiny apartment. Talk about a space saver.
The sword he’d given her was resting against the wall and she reached for it. Marko caught her arm and stopped her. She looked at him then. He looked every inch the intimidating warrior he was. Massive and dark and not the kind of guy you’d want to meet in a dark alley. But definitely the kind of man you wanted by your side in a fight.
He didn’t say anything, didn’t make any promises or declarations. He simply pulled her against his chest and closed his arms around her. The tender gesture almost undid her. She swallowed the lump in her throat and dragged in a shaky breath. She had to get a grip on herself.
“We have to go.” She thought she detected some regret in his voice but maybe she was projecting. Either way, he was right. It was past time.
And speaking of time… She glanced at her watch but couldn’t see the hands in the dark. For once she wished she wore a digital with backlighting instead of an old-fashioned watch with hands.
When he released her, Kellsie took a deep breath and reached for the sword. Marko manifested his own weapon and led the way to the opening of the cave. “Stay close.”
As if she’d run off into the woods by herself. Hello. She was an actress in horror flicks. She knew what happened to the dumb-ass chicks who ran off alone into the woods. No way did she want to meet one of those scary demons by herself. Not when she could have an immortal warrior beside her.
“No problem,” she muttered when he seemed to be waiting for her reply before stepping out into the night.
Chapter Eighteen
She didn’t know what time it was, but evening had closed in around them. Kellsie stood beside Marko and looked up at the sky. The moon rode high and the stars flickered against the dark backdrop. It was a beautiful night. Would be even better if Hades and his demons weren’t after them.
She shrugged philosophically. A girl couldn’t have everything.
“But you can,” a deep voice answered her thought.
She threw up mental blocks. Better late than never. A black circle formed in front of them. It was like a void, sucking the light from all around. It grew larger, spinning in a counterclockwise circle.
Marko shoved her back a few steps as figures formed in the opening of the circle. Kellsie quickly realized it was a gateway or a portal of some sort. Hell of a special effect. Further proof that the god was simply playing with them. He’d known where they were all along.
Had he watched them making love?
Kellsie shivered and her gut clenched. She felt sick at the thought. It was too late to worry about that now. What was done was done. And she wasn’t ashamed of anything she’d done with Marko. No way in hell would she allow Hades to make her feel any differently about it.
Hades stepped into the clearing, looking as dapper as ever in another of his expensive suits. He wore a red power tie and even had a little hankie folded into a perfect triangle sticking out of his pocket. He looked more like a Fortune 500 CEO than the devil. Of course, she’d often thought some of those guys had made deals with the devil. Maybe she wasn’t so far off.
The god threw back his head and laughed, exposing the long column of his neck. His dark hair brushed his shoulders. He was a handsome devil. Pun intended.
He brushed at the corners of his eyes. “You are a never-ending source of entertainment, Kellsie. I’m going to enjoy having you around.” She could see miniature flames flickering in his black eyes. “Think about it. You’ll be the star in a continuous horror flick for all eternity. The star. The leading lady.”
Kellsie tried not to tremble but her limbs weren’t paying her any attention. If it weren’t for the fact she was wearing jeans the sound of her knees knocking together would have been heard by everyone there, which included Mordecai who was standing silently behind his boss with his arms crossed.