I held my angel down as I took what I needed; my hips hammering frantically against his, desperate to get his sex deeper into mine. My hands spread out on his chest and my feet dug into the mattress so I could bounce onto him violently. But that wasn't enough; I wanted more. I dropped to my knees and shoved my breast against his lips. Azrael groaned in delight and sucked my nipple into his wet heat. He tongued me expertly, raining more sparks onto the unstable powder keg inside me. I kept pummeling our bodies together until the powder caught and blasted through me. I clenched around Azrael spasmodically and his shouts added to mine.
I collapsed over him, and Azrael clasped me tightly to his chest as if trying to hold us both together. Our breaths started to slow along with our heartbeats. With a reverent touch, he pushed back my wild hair and kissed my cheek.
“I love the halo effect,” I whispered against his chest.
Azrael and I laughed low and lustily together until he began to harden inside me again. Then the laughter turned back into love.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Sunshine drifted through the net that stretched over the top of the open-air, butterfly garden. The net was to keep the butterflies in while also allowing the rain and sun to nourish the plants. I luxuriated in the current sunlight as I stretched out on the soft grass of the central meadow in the garden. My cats were lazing with me; Kirill behind and beneath me, Lesya curled up on his other side, and Nick sleeping half over my stomach. The scent of tropical flowers rolled in and out like the tide with the warm breeze while the sound of steady breaths and purring settled my soul. It was pure Bliss.
Then Nick got up to find something to kill.
I suppose that's the way of all cats; we sleep, storing up our energy until we pounce. Nick woke Lesya, who crawled to her feet and tottered off to pick flowers. I adjusted my head on Kirill's chest so I could see his face. I'd rather stare at him than plants any day. He smiled softly at me and stroked my hair with a contented sigh.
“Zis makes everything vorth it,” Kirill murmured. “Your head on my chest, our daughter happy nearby, and sun shining down on us; making stars in your hair sparkle brighter.”
I had a stripe of starlight hair just above my left ear; a pure white lock that twinkled like stars. It seemed ironic that they'd shine brighter in the sun. Although come to think of it, they glittered in any light. The glow wasn't due to a reflection, it came from within the strands themselves. I'm not sure, but I think it may actually be stars, or perhaps an echo of them. Or a reflection of the star inside me.
“And you looking at me like that,” I added to Kirill's list of worthwhile things. “I would do anything to keep that look on your face.”
Kirill pulled me up his chest, and I turned to slide over him; pressing my hands against his heartbeat as I pressed my lips against his. His fingers wove through my hair, pressing against my scalp to draw me closer. The smell of lion and man overpowered the blossoms around us, and I groaned into our kiss. It was just getting good when a laughing little girl pounced on us and ruined the mood.
But neither of us minded. Kirill and I joined in Lesya's laughter as we turned to tickle her together. She squealed, throwing her flowers in the air, and a rain of petals floated down around us as she giggled.
“We've received another summons from Athena,” Odin said as he walked up.
Now, that was a mood killer. Our laughter died as Kirill and I stared at each other over Lesya's head.
“Is it bad?” Lesya asked with a serious, cerulean stare.
“It could be, Kotyonok,” Kirill said gently. “But Mama vill take care of it.”
“Okay,” she said in the trusting way of children.
Kirill looked at me. “You go ahead, I'll stay vith her.”
“Thank you.” I kissed him and then our daughter goodbye.
Kirill gave me another grim look before he picked Lesya up. Then he pasted on a grin and tossed her up in the air. Lesya's giggles returned, and Kirill nuzzled our daughter as I followed Odin out of the garden. There was nothing like seeing Kirill and Lesya together; their long, dark hair swinging and their sapphire eyes sparkling. I decided to focus on that image and burn it into my mind as I often did when I killed someone. I remembered all of my kills to prevent myself from turning into a psychopath, but perhaps I'd been focusing on the wrong things. Maybe it wasn't death that would keep me sane but life and love. We draw to us what we focus on after all.
“Did Alex say anything?” I asked Odin.
“Hestia is missing.”
“Hestia?” I asked in surprise. “So, Narcissus didn't go for Apollo?”
“It appears not.”
“Then he either got wind of Athena's plan or has other motivations.”
“I think Hestia is weaker than Apollo,” Odin mused as we headed downstairs. “He's culling the herd and gaining confidence.”
“Humph. I didn't think Narcissus had the brains for that.”
“It's an animal technique, Vervain,” Odin pointed out. “It doesn't require a lot of brains, just instinct.”
“Fair enough,” I muttered.
We stepped out of the elevator to find the rest of my men waiting for me. They were worried. Rarely did all of them feel the need to attend me. Even Toby was there, his long, raven hair gleaming like glass. The black
