“This is such a waste,” Cat said sadly. “These buildings were meant to be filled.”
Yes, but with who? Or what?
Eventually, they made their way back to the main building, but Azagoth hadn’t yet returned. Lilliana helped Cat cook dinner, and while they ate, Cat insisted that they watch a movie called Magic Mike. There hadn’t been any magic, but dayum...Lilliana would never look at a male stripper the same way again.
As the credits rolled, Cat gathered their dinner plates. “I think I’m going to see if Zhubaal wants some company,” she said with a sly smile that all but announced her lusty intent. “And maybe if you’re lucky, Azagoth will be back soon.”
Strangely, Lilliana hoped so. Not because the movie had pushed every one of her horny buttons, but because she was actually starting to like the guy.
He’s an asshole father.
Okay, there was that. But what if he wasn’t entirely to blame for whatever had gone down with Methicore? Now that she had a little distance, she could see a bit more clearly, and the guy had definitely struck her as a bit of an ass. But what could he have done to deserve the things his father had said to him?
Her own father’s harsh words clanged in her ears as she showered and put on her nightgown and robe. Had she tried too hard to build a relationship with him? Had she not tried hard enough?
Frustrated by the questions she asked herself way too often, she shoved a pile of clean, folded clothes inside the wardrobe. The box holding the necklace Azagoth had given her tumbled out, and the shiny silver chain skittered across the floor.
Picking it up, she admired the delicate little key pendant and finely-wrought clasp. He’d given it to her with an order to wear it, but she hadn’t, and he hadn’t nagged her about it or gotten angry. But then, with his emotional void, she supposed he wouldn’t have thrown a fit about it. Still, it had seemed important to him.
And it really was pretty...
She fastened it around her neck, and the cold silver warmed instantly on her skin.
As she climbed into bed, it didn’t escape her notice that Azagoth’s body did the same thing.
Chapter Thirteen
Azagoth hadn’t come home last night.
Inexplicably irritated, because yeah, why wouldn’t someone be upset about getting an uninterrupted night’s sleep, Lilliana skipped breakfast and stormed into his office, expecting to find him there.
Nothing. The fire roared in the hearth and his computer was humming softly, but the soul tunnel was closed and Azagoth was nowhere to be found.
Even more annoyed now, she went to the library, but he wasn’t there, either. Fine, she thought as she stared at the chronoglass. She should use it. Go someplace without Azagoth, just as he’d done.
But even as she thought it, she knew she wouldn’t do it. In all her years of existence, she’d never seen such unfettered joy in anyone, and she’d certainly never given it. Being able to give someone a gift like that made her feel good. Really good.
The door burst open and over six and a half feet of dangerously handsome male strode into the library. Black military-style pants and a black turtleneck made Azagoth seem even larger, sleeker, and deadlier, but then, he’d never come across as anything less than one hundred percent lethal grace. Raw power radiated from him like heat from one of Sheoul’s lava lakes.
His eyes smoldered as he took in her jeans and pink tank top, and she felt the blood rush to her face at the memory of the last time he’d looked at her like that.
It was yesterday, when he’d made her come, right here where she was standing.
“Morning.”
“Yes,” she grumbled. “It is.”
He cocked a dark eyebrow. “Something wrong? Is Cat not working out? I can find someone else—”
“No!” she said quickly, and then dialed it back a little. “No. I like Cat.”
“Then what’s bothering you?”
She hesitated. At what point in their relationship should she start questioning his whereabouts? Her relationship with Hutriel had never reached that point. He’d blown his lid the first time she’d asked him why he was late for their dinner date, and after that, she’d only asked to piss him off. Which it did. Every single time.
“Lilliana?” he asked softly. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
Feeling a bit like a fishwife, she blurted, “Where have you been?”
“Didn’t Cat tell you? I went to the Inner Sanctum with Hades.”
“She told me,” Lilliana assured him. He’d mentioned not being one for second chances, and she definitely didn’t want to get Cat fired. “But I didn’t expect you to be gone all night. Why did it take so long?”
His expression turned grave. “I had business to take care of.”
“That’s it? Just...business?”
“I’m the Grim Reaper, Lilli. I have business with demons sometimes.”
Lilli. He’d called her that yesterday too, when she’d had her hand curled around his erection, her palm stroking the stiff length as he moaned in ecstasy.
“Fuck,” he breathed. “Oh, damn...Lilli...”
No one had ever given her a nickname. Warmth suffused her, but she let herself linger on the name only for a moment before getting back to the subject at hand.
“What in the world can dead demons do for you?” she asked.
“Newly acquired demons have information I want and need. It’s how I make bargains and find new souls to take. Trust me, you don’t want details.”
No doubt he was right. Still... “If I did want details, would you tell me?”
“Yes.” He gave her a look that chilled her to the bone, and she knew for sure she didn’t want to know the particulars of what he did with the souls. “But please don’t ask.”
You got it, buddy.
She wasn’t sure where to go from there, but Azagoth seemed to have no such problem. He strode over to her, hauled her against him, and laid a kiss on her that had her melting into him like softened butter.
“I missed you,” he whispered huskily against her lips. “All I could think about was getting back to you and finishing what we started here in the library. You made me feel, Lilli. For the first time in...fuck, I don’t know, I felt something other than the cold.”
Oh, yes, she felt it too, in the bulge nudging at her center. Instantly, her breasts grew heavy and a warm rush of wetness blossomed between her legs.
“Azagoth?” she murmured, as he kissed a hot path from her mouth to her ear. “Have you been outside?”
“No.” He nibbled her earlobe and her knees nearly gave out. “Why?”
He didn’t know about the new growth out there, the signs of hope that were sprouting out of the black ash of his realm. But it wasn’t enough to tell him...she wanted to show him.
“No reason.” She moaned as he traced the shell of her ear with his tongue. “Maybe we could take a walk?”
Pulling back, he looked down at her. “A walk? Here?” He jerked his head toward the chronoglass. “How about somewhere more interesting. Where to today?”
She hadn’t actually thought about it. The last two journeys had been designed to thoroughly annoy him, but he’d been ecstatic. She no longer wanted to fool around like that. He deserved better.
“Maybe you should suggest a time and place,” she offered. “Surely there’s someplace you want to go.”