After Dark (Between the Veils Series, Book One) Read online

  A low growl escaped his lips as he studied her, the intensity in his gaze hardening her nipples into tight buds. She inhaled sharply, drawing another rasp from his throat.

  “Damn, Temperance. You have the most beautiful breasts I’ve ever seen.”

  He trailed his fingers along her ribcage, smiling when she giggled, before cupping her breasts in his hands. Her head fell back as he teased her nipples between his forefingers and thumbs, pinching them to the point of pain, but not past. Swirls of colored light filled the darkness as she squeezed her eyes shut, a throaty moan rumbling free.

  “Simply exquisite, darling. Firm yet soft, the perfect size to fit in my hand. I love them.”

  Temperance gasped when warm, wet lips engulfed her flesh, his tongue teasing her sensitive bud. Fire erupted low in her groin, spiraling outward, following the slow progression of his mouth as he suckled each breast in turn, laving her nipples until she heard herself begging for more.

  Avery chuckled against her skin, planting a cherished kiss on each bud before drawing back, his eyes heavy lidded, his mouth curled into a sexy half smile. “Damn, I hope you’ll beg me as desperately when it’s your clit beneath my tongue.”

  “God, Avery.”

  “I’m not quite a god, darling, but I won’t argue the fact with you.” His hands fell to the waist of her jeans. “These have definitely got to go.”

  Temperance watched his face as he flicked the button open and lowered the zipper, the harsh sound of the metal teeth parting making his smile widen. He tapped the side of her ass, urging her to lift her hips as he tugged the denim down, pulling it out from under her.

  His groan of appreciation lit the air. “Fuck. I thought for sure you’d have panties.”

  “I find them cumbersome.”

  “And I applaud your decision.” He brushed his hands up her calves, stopping at the soft spot behind her knees. “Your skin is so bloody soft. I swear I might scratch it with only my tongue.” He settled his hands on the inside. “Open for me, Temperance. Let me see how truly beautiful you are.”

  Temperance closed her eyes, not sure she wanted to see his reaction, but he tsked her.

  “Oh, no. I want you to watch me, darling. I need this too badly for it to be only my pleasure.”

  She forced her lids open, captivated by the sheer desire raging in his eyes. He looked more dangerous than the demon had.

  “That’s better. Now show me what’s tickling my senses with the most alluring scent.”

  She took a deep breath, allowing Avery to ease her thighs apart, baring her sex to his gaze. Just seeing his reaction—how his pupils dilated further or how his breathing hitched, then sped—made her feel sexy and powerful, and she tensed her groin, making her clit flutter.

  His breath hissed through his teeth. “Dangerous. Teasing me like that won’t get you any closer to your release.” His gaze swung up to hers. “And you do want me to give you your release, don’t you?”

  She arched one eyebrow. “As much as you want to give it to me. I’m not the only one who’s hungry, baby.” She nodded at his groin. “If your cock gets any harder, that zipper is going to break.”

  “Touché. But I’m not the one soaking the sheet.”

  “And I thought you said something about my clit beneath your tongue.”

  “Yes, I did. I suggest you hold on to something. The ride’s about to get bumpy.”

  Chapter Six

  Avery stared at Temperance, her body flushed, her eyes barely open. She looked hot and sexy, and more beautiful than any woman he’d laid eyes on. He’d fully expected her to push him away…to need more proof of his sincerity. But she’d surprised him, offering a part of herself he knew she didn’t share lightly.

  He watched as his words of warning sent a delightful flush across her chest and up her neck, coloring her skin a warm pink. She glanced around the bed, no doubt looking for something to clasp in her hands, before smiling at him and sinking her fingers through his hair.

  He chuckled. He hadn’t meant for her to anchor herself to him, but he had to admit, he liked her way of thinking. Her small fingers scratched his scalp, the sensation pulling his balls tight and making his cock impossibly harder. Fuck, she was right. If he didn’t free it soon, he just might ruin his favorite pair of jeans.

  Temperance hummed, relaxing against the headboard. “I could help you with that. Rid you of those painted-on jeans and give you some relief.” She licked her lips. “I bet you’ll taste like pure sin.”

  He choked on his own saliva, her words accentuated by the images in her head—her lips wrapped around his shaft, her cheeks hollowed, as she took him deep to the back of her throat. He had no doubt she’d be every fantasy, and more.

  Temperance shook her head, tugging on his hair slightly. “Are you inside my head again?”

  He flashed her a wicked grin. “Guilty as charged, darling. But it’s not my fault. You’re practically screaming your thoughts at me.”

  “Then you know I’m serious. I can wait, but you…” She sighed, the sound clearly stating her ability to control her reactions. She could wait, while he…he needed release.

  “Can wait, as well. Trust me, you’ll get far more than you bargained for, but first…” He slid his hands along her inner thighs, teasing her mound with a brush of his finger through her slit. “If I wait any longer, you might come from your naughty thoughts, alone.”

  Temperance pushed forward, no doubt to chastise him, when he slipped his finger inside her crease, drawing it along the length of her cleft. Her moan was nothing more than a husky whisper, but it peaked his cock just the same, making him wish he’d taken her up on her offer. But as he drew his hand back, holding her gaze as he licked her essence off his finger, he knew his pleasure was just beginning.

  She tasted sweet and earthy, like wild strawberries, and he dipped his head forward, using his tongue this time. Honeyed spice creamed his tongue, and he couldn’t stop the moan in his chest from rumbling free.

  The slight vibration arched her hips closer to him as she tugged on his hair, urging him to press harder, deeper. He shook his head, mumbling that he wouldn’t be rushed as he licked her again, careful to stay clear of the tightly knotted bud at the top.

  “Avery. God, don’t make me beg you.”

  He eased back, watching as his finger glided through her juices, disappearing into her sex. “I’m not asking you to beg, Temperance. I’m merely taking my time. I never thought I’d truly get you into my bed, so I’m not about to rush my good fortune.”

  “You can have me as many times as you want, just please…”

  Her words morphed into a throaty rasp as he plunged his finger inside her, pressing through her wet folds until his hand cupped her mound. He shifted his position, rubbing her clit with the heel of his palm.

  “Harder. God, yes…”

  He glanced up at her, loving how her head fell back, exposing the sleek line of her neck. He longed to mark her, leave some primitive show that she was his, branded by his love. Testament to any other man that he’d staked his claim, and had absolutely no intentions of letting go.

  The thought should have scared him, but he was too lost in the soft press of her channel as he eased his finger out, circling the rim before sinking back in. She screamed this time, her voice shattering the sounds of his panting breath as her hips arched higher, her thighs spreading wider.

  “God damn, darling. You’re so fucking beautiful when you’re desperate to come.” He peppered kisses along her thighs until he reached her mound again. “Scream my name, and I’ll let you climax.”

  He thought she cursed him first, but as he pushed in two fingers, his tongue flicking across her clit, his name was the only word that resonated off the walls. He smiled, victoriously, and attacked her cleft, licking and sucking as he pumped her sex, feeling her walls quiver with her impending release. He didn’t stop, ignoring the nearly painful pull of his hair in her hands as her body tensed beneath him, her breath stalled in h
er chest. He gave her one last plunge of his fingers and she broke, shouting his name again as her cream coated his tongue. He lapped at her, humming in pleasure until she rolled her hips away, her thighs falling to the edge of the bed in completion.

  He moved back, still keeping his body wedged between her legs, but enough he could see her face. A satisfied smile graced her pretty mouth, as her eyes drifted back open.

  “I love the way you scream my name when you come.” He pushed to his feet, yanking his shirt over his head before practically tearing his pants off. “I want to hear you scream it again.”

  She welcomed him into her embrace as he launched himself forward, taking them both to the bed. Her legs snugged around his hips, her ankles locking behind his back. He cursed, hissing out a hard breath as she tilted her pelvis, sinking his crown inside her.

  “God, Temperance. You’re so fucking hot and wet. Now I know why that demon picked you. You’re even hotter than it is.”

  She nipped at his ear, levering herself up, sinking another inch inside her. “I promise not to burn you, baby. Not as long as you don’t tease me.”

  He chuckled, then sobered. “Damn. I forgot the fucking condom.”

  She held him tight when he tried to push to his hands. “No, Avery, please.” Her voice wavered and she looked away, her mouth pulled into a tight line.

  He furrowed his brow, drawing her face back to his with a single finger. “Temperance?”

  She sighed, the gentle movement clenching her pussy around his cock. “I know you probably don’t make exceptions, but…I haven’t been with a man for over a year and never without protection. I’ve been on the pill since I was sixteen for medical reasons and I…”

  Her gaze shifted again, as if she’d suddenly found something interesting about his chin. He tried to ignore the hot wash of juice along his cock as every movement sank him deeper inside her, focusing instead on how her eyes looked almost sad.

  He kissed her nose, finally drawing her gaze back to his. “I’ve never had sex without protection, either. And it’s been several months for me.” He leaned in closer, brushing his lips over hers. “But this isn’t just sex, and there’s nothing I’d like more than to feel every inch of your skin against mine. If you trust me.”

  Her smile made the room dim. “I trust you.”

  “Then let’s make love.”

  Tears pooled behind her blue eyes, but he knew she wasn’t sad. She leaned into him, claiming his mouth in a kiss that bound him to her as surely as the demon had marked her skin. He surrendered willingly, granting her access as he slowly thrust forward, taking her channel in a slow, steady tilt of his hips.

  He released her mouth, tipping his head back as her warmth engulfed him, making his heart clench tighter in his chest. Her mouth descended on his neck, her teeth nipping the corded muscle in the way he longed to bite her. The pressure felt good, felt right, mirroring the snug grasp of her walls around his shaft, threatening to unhinge him with only a single stroke.

  “God, Temperance. I’ve never felt anything as good as you.”

  She bit his shoulder this time, her teeth scraping against his skin. “More, Avery. I need more of you.”

  He forced his gaze to meet hers, regretting the decision when he saw the love reflected in her eyes. Whether she realized it or not, she wasn’t holding her emotions back, and he knew she was daring him to refuse her.

  He couldn’t.

  He sighed in defeat, knowing he’d never be the same, never be the man he was before she’d taken him inside her. Temperance seemed to sense his vulnerability, dropping kisses along his jaw as she whispered how much she wanted him…needed him.

  He clenched his jaw once, then claimed her mouth, dragging his cock back through her walls before plunging in, hilting his shaft in one firm thrust. Her voice sounded beside his ear, a raspy combination of his name and a word he couldn’t make out. Her heels flexed against his tailbone, silently begging him for more.

  He reared back again, slamming home as the wet sound of his entrance vibrated off the headboard. She growled in his ear this time, urging him on, begging him to take her harder, faster. He kept moving, pounding into her, shuffling her across the mattress, thankful no one was around to hear the bed crash against the wall. Her channel spasmed, and he knew she was close.

  Avery lowered his body, rubbing his skin against hers as he licked her neck, ending it with a firm bite to the hollow below her shoulder. She arched her back off the bed, shouting his name as her body tensed, then climaxed, warm cream coating his cock as her sex convulsed along his shaft, the rhythmic pulses sending him to the edge. He gritted his teeth, pushing through her clenching channel, fighting against the tight grip of her pussy until the fire shooting down his spine ignited, and he came, his cock jerking inside her as spurt after spurt of seed shot from the tip, leaving him breathless.

  He collapsed, aware that he was squishing her into the mattress, but too exhausted to move. Her arms settled on his back as a warm breath feathered across his shoulder. He smiled against the soft skin of her neck, finding the energy to plant an open-mouthed kiss on her collarbone before easing back slightly.

  She pulled him down, snuggling her head into his shoulder. “Don’t go.”

  He chuckled, lifting his head enough to stare at her. “I have no plans on going anywhere, I simply didn’t want to suffocate you beneath me.”

  “I like having you on me. It makes me feel…”

  “Squished?”

  A shy smile lit her lips. “Safe.”

  Her reply humbled him, and he kissed her, long and deep, rolling off her and dragging her onto his chest once he was done. She nuzzled into the crook of his shoulder, kissing his chest once before closing her eyes.

  He inhaled, loving the hint of coconut shampoo on her hair. “I really should grab us a cloth or something.”

  “Later,” she said, her voice already thick with sleep.

  He sighed. “And you said you wouldn’t be my first anything.”

  She scrunched her face into a furrow, looking at him with confusion etched across her brow.

  “Like I said, I’ve never gone bareback before, darling.” He kissed her forehead. “You are the loveliest of surprises.”

  Something flashed in her eyes, but he didn’t try to read her, too caught up in the feel of her fingers resting across his heart. He smiled at the sensation, wondering if she’d be up for another round, when the soft sound of her breathing drifted through the air, the steady rhythm telling him she’d already fallen asleep.

  Avery gathered her close, drinking in the combined scent of woman and sex. Though there was no denying the musky aroma of their deed, there was a fruity edge to it that was all her. He sighed. He’d almost lost her. Almost allowed that thing to take her, even after she’d risked her life to save him. And all because he’d been careless. Allowed his curiosity to outweigh his good sense. If he hadn’t regained consciousness in time…

  Not again.

  “I won’t let that bastard touch you again, darling. Not a bloody hair on your head.”

  Once they’d quenched the raw edge of their desire, he was going to learn everything he could about their evil friend. Then he was going to send it back to Hell, even if he had to show it the way.

  * * * *

  Temperance squeezed her eyes closed, a distant thrum tempting her senses. She blinked through the foggy haze, allowing her vision to adjust to the muted light. The room was dark with only the light from the half moon casting a hazy glow across the floor. She lifted her head then realized she was still draped across Avery’s chest, his firm muscles rising and falling beneath her fingers as her arm curled across his ribcage. The spicy scent of his cologne wrapped around her, spreading a smile across her lips.

  Though she’d had a handful of lovers in her life, she’d never experienced anything like the passion she’d shared with Avery…Avery Smith! The same man she’d cursed just a few short days ago, so certain his only redeeming quality was his c
hoice in cars.

  And now, here she was, curled into his side, her thighs still sticky with their release, her heart thundering at the prospect of loving him again. God help her, she’d lost her mind. Perhaps that demon had actually killed her, and this was some weird kind of existence. Maybe she was really the one caught between the veils.

  Avery mumbled something in his sleep, the gravely tone of his voice sending a shiver of longing straight to her sex. She was wet…again…maybe still. So unless spirits engaged in sexual activities, she was definitely alive. Alive and ready to have her turn at tasting him. She frowned. She wasn’t generally a passive lover, though from the moment he’d stripped her down, praising her body as he touched and tasted every inch of her, she’d barely had a chance to explore him. In fact, she’d hardly touched him at all. Okay, she’d taken him inside her…bareback…for the first time ever, but that wasn’t really her idea of touching.

  Bareback…god, what had snapped inside her head to encourage him to take her naturally? She’d never trusted any of her lovers enough to bypass that one, simple barrier, yet with him, the mere thought of having something, anything, between them had seemed unbearable.

  She sighed. Whatever the reasoning, it was the best sexual experience of her life. And they hadn’t even gotten kinky. What would it be like to have him satisfy her fantasies? To feel him move within her as her hands pulled against restraints? Or allow his thick cock to take her other ways…ways she’d only thought about, but never experienced. She had no doubt he’d be keen to try anything she had in mind, and with his penchant for reading her thoughts, there’d be little she’d be able to keep from him.

  He had powers…real powers.

  The immensity of the previous day settled in the pit of her stomach, tempering some of her scorching arousal. They’d barely made it out of the tomb with their lives. Who knew what would happen if that demon caught them by surprise? Or worse…if it gained enough energy to take its true form, and come after them with real weapons.