Key of Solomon: Relic Defenders, Book 1 Read online

  Yikes.

  Shaking off the effect of Mikos’s sleep-softened appearance, Lexi cocked her head. “A disturbance? What, like the force? Do I call you Luke now?”

  As usual, she attempted to find refuge in humor. And as usual, it fell flat. How do you joke with someone who doesn’t get the references? As evidenced by Mikos’s current puzzled look.

  “I don’t understand your reference.”

  See what I mean? Shrugging inwardly, Lexi grinned and then shook her head. “Never mind.”

  She sat up and looked over at the clock on the nightstand. Three a.m. She was up. He was up. Maybe they could get in some practice. Then she’d get him to go out to try to track down some leads on Devyn.

  Real or not. Dream or not. Either was enough to remind Lexi she’d made a deal with Mikos, and it was time he started honoring it. For nearly a week, she’d practiced, studied and learned.

  To her mind, her skills in close contact fighting, thanks to the intensive Krav Maga sessions, had increased significantly. Yet, sometimes, Lexi saw a lingering concern and disappointment in Mikos’s expression. Like he wanted, no needed, something more from her.

  Eons ago, previous to this past week, and before her life imploded around her, she had told Mikos he couldn’t have her faith. Maybe that was what he believed she lacked. Didn’t matter. She’d warned him. The only faith she had was in herself.

  So what if she had this empty feeling inside? She’d lived with it most of her life. This little hiccup in her life was just that. A hiccup. Nothing she’d seen so far had changed her mind that anything about the human race was worth saving.

  Enough. She threw back the sheet and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

  “So what do you say to some training? And then we need to—” Her voice trailed off, whatever she’d been about to say draining from her mind.

  Mikos’s dark eyes captured hers. The smoldering flame in his eyes startled her. Okay, her mental voice dragged out the syllables. Now what?

  His gaze dropped, traveling down her neck and lower. Lexi looked down and an exasperated grunt escaped her.

  Ah, shit. She’d forgotten she had gone to bed in a light camisole and shorts. The points of her breasts pressed against the thin material, as if recognizing an appreciative audience.

  Lexi looked back at Mikos, only to find him standing by her side, his eyes now completely silver. She started to skitter back, across the opposite side of the bed when he lunged. Grabbing her by the shoulders, his hands hot against her skin, he yanked her to her feet.

  She had barely enough time to let out a squeak of protest before those sensual lips she longed to touch were on hers.

  The touch of Mikos’s lips on hers sent a shock wave through her entire body. Not gentle, not soft, the press of his mouth demanded a response. Her emotions whirled and skidded, the drugging kiss sapping her desire to move. To flee.

  Instead, after a final shudder, she challenged his kiss with one of her own. Savoring the hard velvet of his lips, her senses reeled as if short-circuited.

  His warm hands cupped the sides of her head, gently pressing into her cheeks, yet forcefully pulling her closer. And not just her head, but her whole body until she felt every contour of his lean form.

  When his lips left her mouth to trail a fire-hot path down her neck, into the hollow of her throat, Lexi felt her knees buckle. Only his arm about her waist kept her upright. Otherwise, she feared she’d have dissolved into a human version of melted caramel.

  Oh my God, she thought. She couldn’t ever remember when a man’s kiss had left her in such a state. If one ever had. A moan slipped through her lips.

  In the back of her mind, sensible Lexi screamed and beat against the mental barrier that this was wrong. That she didn’t want to feel.

  The not-so-sensible Lexi couldn’t believe she’d denied these feelings for so long.

  His warm hands left her face, to slide up her thighs, pulling her lower half closer to his. She gasped as those same hands snuck up under her sleeping boxers to reach the curve of her ass.

  Almost of their own volition, her hands came up to caress the solid surface of Mikos’s back, exploring the ridges and planes of his firm skin.

  He pushed his body against hers until the back of her knees hit the edge of the bed. Her knees gave away, and she fell backward onto the bed she’d recently vacated. She barely had time for a brief moment of concern before his lips reclaimed hers, more demanding this time.

  His hands slipped across her belly, the rough hardness sending shivers of desire dancing across each tiny nerve ending until she felt like arching from the bed. Energy rushed through her, filling each molecule with a charge.

  Her center pulsed, the space between her legs throbbing with need. A need she hadn’t fulfilled in years. A need less associated with mere release, but more completion. As if she’d been waiting for Mikos.

  His hands slipped under the waistband of her shorts. She lifted her hips, freeing the material so he could slide them down. She wanted him inside her. Thrusting, filling her up until she couldn’t take anymore.

  “Lucifer’s balls!”

  The shout had the effect of ice cold water dumped over Mikos’s head. Christ’s wounds! He stared down into Lexi’s gaze, the pupils so large they almost engulfed the irises.

  In Heaven’s name, what was he doing? If not for the shapeshifter’s opportune appearance, he’d be traveling a path that would destroy any chance he had to return home. A path that led to the final and eternal loss of his soul.

  For centuries, he’d been able to ignore mortal women’s charms. Why did this hardheaded, disrespectful and cynical one affect him so strongly?

  She was not the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He’d known others who’d had men lay kingdoms at their feet. Striking, yes. Sensual, extremely. Strong of mind and soul, most assuredly.

  “Mikos?”

  The grating voice of the shapeshifter pulled his attention from the woman, and his perplexing attraction to her.

  He glanced over his shoulder at the hovering demon. The immortal’s dark gray skin mottled into a pebbly ash. A visible acknowledgement at how shocking, and discomfiting, finding Mikos about to make love with a mortal woman. He knew this because he had the same sense of uneasiness.

  “Yes?” he finally asked.

  “Marisol has words.”

  Mikos nodded. He looked back down at the woman lying under him. Parted lips glistened, swollen and moist from his kisses. Her chest heaved gently under his embrace.

  While obviously affected, he saw the realization of what had almost happened begin to glow in her cinnamon gaze. That realization would soon be followed by anger.

  “I’ll be down momentarily.”

  “Uh, okay.” Rocky cleared his throat, a low rumble of sound. “I’ll tell her.”

  This time he sensed what he hadn’t before. Rocky exited, his soul-light disappearing. Wrapped up in being with the woman, Mikos hadn’t felt Rocky’s presence. Another reason being with Lexi cried danger. How could he protect her when his abilities were clouded by his desires?

  When he was sure they were alone, Mikos gently pushed off her. He rolled to the side then off the bed and rose to his feet. She yanked at the disheveled covers, pulling them over her body. Their gazes clashed. Humiliated fury lit her expression. He wondered what she saw in his.

  “I am sorry,” he said.

  For a brief moment, he didn’t think she planned to respond. He saw her throat pulse as she swallowed. She raised her chin and gave him a cool stare.

  “Get out,” she whispered, her voice cool and flat.

  Yes, he expected her anger. He felt it as well. She was a lost soul in need of his guidance and what did he do? He nearly dragged her into the depths of his personal hell.

  And nearly destroyed his chance to go home.

  “Mari has news you’ll want to hear,” he offered in a tense, clipped voice.

  Without waiting for a reply, he turned aroun
d and walked out the door.

  Lexi clutched the thin covers against her body, staring at the door where Mikos had just left. What the hell had just happened? She’d been so ready to give herself to him. In fact, if Rocky hadn’t popped in when he had, she would have had sex with Mikos.

  With an angel.

  He had this power over her. A power that made her body quiver with desire.

  The bastard.

  After the vampy demon left with whatever news she had, and thank God for the timely interruption, she and Mikos would need to have a discussion about what kept happening. She wanted it to stop. No, she needed it to stop, and if he continued to use his powers on her—

  Well, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. She’d figure that out later. When she wasn’t still reeling from the effects of Mikos caresses and the warmth of his lips on hers. This time, she couldn’t blame it on his use of the woo-woo thing.

  Turned out she’d wanted to be with him as much it seemed he wanted to be with her. It had been a long time since she’d sex. And never had she had sex with a man she felt some emotional tie to. Yet, she’d nearly done that with an angel.

  Flipping the blanket back, Lexi flung herself out of the bed.

  She quickly tugged on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve top and hurried out of the room. What kind of news, however fortuitous for Lexi’s state of mind, would bring Marisol here just before daybreak?

  After making a brief stop in his room to put on his normal outfit of dark denim and a black shirt, Mikos entered the library. Mari faced the fire, her back to him. Her long red hair cascaded down her back in a tangle of tight braids. There was a tenseness about her shoulders he didn’t like.

  “Mikos.”

  Her sultry voice rippled down his spine. Once upon a time, he’d considered a relationship with the lovely Fallen. That had soon passed. First, compatriots in Lucifer’s army, now friends. Family.

  Their familial relationship didn’t mean he remained unaffected by her potent presence. There were few who could. Part of her power rested in her ability to make men worship at her feet. A succubus of a sort.

  Lucifer had made extensive use of that ability to snare mortal rulers into his camp. Now that she’d turned her back on Hell, she no longer worked her sensual wiles on males, immortal or mortal.

  Regardless of her decision, her control over men remained unchanged. So she hunted alone. Lived alone. Worked alone. He knew he was the only male she ever visited because he’d proven over the years to be unaffected by her power.

  Mikos often wondered what she did when she wasn’t hunting or sparring with him. Where did she go? He’d never asked. What she did was her business.

  Her mouth curved into an unconscious smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Which were a deep, purple, like amethysts. She wore contacts when she was out among the mortals. Her fangs were retractable—her red eyes could not be changed.

  “Mari.”

  “I have found the female the protector searches for.”

  “Devyn? You found Devyn? Where?”

  This from Lexi who rushed into the room as if she’d been running. Despite taking the time to slip into regular clothing, her hair still outlined her head in a disheveled mess, tumbling about her shoulders in waves of ebony.

  Mikos clenched his fists, fighting the urge to bury his fingers into the unruly mass. To smooth back the loose tendrils at her cheeks. He took a deep breath. While a part of him blessed Rocky’s timely interruption, another part, the dark part, damned the shapeshifter’s arrival.

  Mari looked over at him, a question in her eyes. He nodded, and she turned back to face Lexi.

  “The girl is being held on a farm outside…”

  “How is she? Is she hurt? Who has her?” The words tumbled from Lexi’s mouth before she’d even fully entered.

  “Lexi, please let Mari finish.”

  Despite the tension, Mikos hid a smile as she clamped her lips tight. She fidgeted from side to side. He could tell it took all the willpower she had to remain quiet. Pride swelled when she did.

  Mari inclined her head then continued. “The human is damaged but in a relatively whole condition.”

  “Damaged? What the hell does that mean?” Lexi’s patience had lasted all of two seconds. “And her name is Devyn, not the girl or the human.”

  Yeah, she knew she sounded petulant at that moment, but she was getting mighty tired of these supposed immortals and angels labeling Lexi and her fellow mortals as humans. It wasn’t the terminology. No big deal there. It was the way their lips seemed to curl in disgust, as if being human was something much less worthy than being an immortal.

  The strength of her reaction stopped Lexi a bit. Since when was she worried about her fellow humans being thought of in such a disreputable light? Since when did she care? Had she changed her mind? In that instant, she mentally shook her head. Nope, she hadn’t.

  Right?

  “My apologies, Lexi. I meant no offense, nor disrespect.” Light stains of scarlet appeared on Mari’s cheeks. “It’s just that, well, I’ve spent a lot of time recently with other immortals who don’t share—oh, hell’s bells.” Her apology cut off.

  Even though she suspected that Mari felt the same thing, she took pity on the uncomfortable woman, “Yeah, I get it.”

  “Mari, please continue.”

  Lexi swung her head around and eyed Mikos. Was that a trace of laughter in his voice? And what about that suspicious twitch of his lips? Despite her worry for Devyn, Lexi had to admit, in the deepest, darkest part of her, how much she enjoyed seeing the humor sparkling in his icy gaze.

  “As I was saying, Devyn,” Mari went on, a jerk of her head at Lexi who sent Mari a half smile acknowledging the demoness’s use of Devyn’s name, “shows some signs of a struggle, and is somewhat banged up but she appears unharmed otherwise. None of the wounds is life threatening.”

  Oh, God. Devyn. Icy fear twisted around Lexi’s heart. How could she have let this happen?

  Chapter Sixteen

  “The shaft of the arrow had been feathered with one of the eagle’s own plumes.

  We often give our enemies the means of our destruction.”

  Aesop

  Well on the way into fall, the night air had a fragrant blend of fallen leaves, crisp coolness and wood smoke from someone’s fireplace. A lovely night for hayrides, bonfires and snuggling under the blanket.

  Instead, she was snuggled into a thin jacket with her sanjiuen strapped to her hip and heavy steel-toed boots covering her freezing feet. She felt like stamping to warm them but figured Mikos wouldn’t appreciate the noise. Instead, she blew quietly on the other pair of cold appendages and looked around.

  The dilapidated barn leaned to the right, much like the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. What held it even in the semblance of standing was beyond comprehension. The barn, despite its battered appearance, seemed like it should be in a fairytale. Silver moonlight bathed the old wood in a soft, silvery light. Here and there, flickers of movement danced upon the surface from the trees near the barn. A fairytale not a prison which it was if Devyn was in there.

  Lexi looked askance at Mikos, and on his other side, the lovely Marisol. Human, angel and demon. What a combination. Perfect for breaking and entering to save an innocent. By now, it sounded almost commonplace enough to make her sick.

  Mikos wore a jet-black jumpsuit that appeared to absorb any light that touched it, giving him the appearance of blending in with his surroundings. At least the dark surroundings. Long, inky hair, bound in a dark band completed the picture of someone deadly serious.

  And deadly attractive.

  She didn’t want to feel the attraction. Earlier in her room, had proven she wasn’t the only one whose hormones were running rampant.

  Did angels have hormones? Whatever they were called, Mikos had plenty to spare. If it hadn’t been for that urgent summons delivered by the oh-so-subtle shapeshifter, would she and Mikos have finished what they’d started? She suspected they would ha
ve.

  When she closed her eyes, Lexi could almost believe his warm, strong hands caressed her bare skin while his sexy lips kissed her into submission. For the first time since she could remember, she wanted a man with soul-encompassing passion. She hadn’t believed she could ever want so strong. Especially not with the ugly specter of her childhood never far from her consciousness.

  Shaking off her travels down a road she didn’t care to go, Lexi asked Marisol, “You sure this is the right place?”

  The vampy-demon nodded. Her eyes, like the moon above, reflected silver. Unlike Mikos, she didn’t dress in basic black. Nope, not for her. Marisol, for all her dark-demonic appearance, looked striking in a form-fitting deep emerald green tunic and split pants. Well, actually, the pants were a heavy leotard with some sort of gauzy material making a skirt.

  Her outfit wouldn’t have been complete without the emerald belt about her waist. A small, silver crossbow hung from a thong on one side. Some kind of dagger sporting an ornate hilt had a prominent place strapped to her right thigh.

  By comparison, Lexi’s subdued gray-blended jeans and tank top covered by a shorty jacket compared with Marisol like vanilla compares with mint chocolate chip. Lexi had to fight back a snort of laughter.

  Mikos met her gaze. A dark eyebrow lifted. She lifted her shoulders into a shrug. When one corner of his full lips pulled into a slight smile, her brow lifted. Had he read her thoughts? Damn, she hoped not.

  He leaned in, his breath brushing against the nape of her neck. She sucked in a startled gasp at his closeness.

  “She does like to be a show off, doesn’t she?”

  Um, right. Lexi didn’t trust her voice so she nodded. Relief, both that he couldn’t read her mind and that he’d stepped back, swept through her. For Pete’s sake, what the hell was wrong with her?

  Pressing her lips together, she ignored Mikos’s knowing glance and checked her own gear. Her sanjiegun rested in its usual place, a sheath belted to her waist. She held the kubotan clenched in one fist. Held tightly but relaxed so her fingers didn’t knot.