Until Darkness Ascends

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Her back hurt, and the fur that was on top of her seemed to stick to her sweat-stained skin. She could feel her thighs once again become slick from her readied sex. She was ready to be touched again, her body yearned for it, but there was no hellish pain. She didn't feel like her head was on fire or that she would be sick without the touch of a male.

She could go about her day, although horny, not in pain. She was grateful to an extent; the pain was unbearable when Altair wasn't touching her, but she was disappointed; now she wouldn't have an excuse for him to touch her. He'd been a passionate, dominant pleaser yesterday, coaxing her to a hot climax however many times she needed. Even after falling asleep, he'd felt her stir and demanded her release on his tongue.

A soft shiver ran over her skin.

Malachi had stayed the night. He had to. Altair ordered him to. It was clear several times that Altair's control was threatening to break, forcing Malachi to restrain him. She didn't understand. That remedy Altair had taken should have sequestered his response, but it didn't. In fact, if it had done anything to quench his hunger, she desperately wanted to see what he was like without it.

And poor Malachi. Malachi wasn't as affected by her, and the other archangels weren't affected at all. But the longer Malachi remained in such close proximity to her, the worse the effects got for him. At some point, even he was hard, ready to take her.

Both males were considerate and helped her through the pain. She was grateful. As sleep washed away, she felt an arm wrapped around her waist, capturing her against a hard chest. Her head rested on someone's muscular abdomen. Another stream of desire fell from her once she realized one of the males was hard against her ass, parting her legs.

She was laying her head on the chest of Malachi, which was much narrower than Altair's, but all as physically domineering. The rest of her body was firmly snug in the curvature of Altair's.

She should feel uncomfortable. Embarrassed. She should be concerned with her modesty, lying naked between two gorgeous men. But she wasn't. She felt so teasingly fulfilled. Neither male had woken up with her and she could still feel the allure of sleep, so she closed her eyes again.

She awoke to Malachi cursing as he grabbed his breeches and rushed out of the tent. She started to follow, but Altair grabbed her elbow.

"Don't. He's going into the city quickly."

"Why?"

"He needs a release."

She immediately sat back down, her lips parting in an 'o.' But then her mind wandered to last night and she turned to the archangel, the fur falling off her breasts. She watched, enjoying the way his eyes roamed over her chest before meeting her eyes. Those dark orbs flashed red for the slightest moment. "You didn't," she paused, "release either."

She remembered clearly that he would force his pleasure back and yesterday she didn't care. She was selfish. She only sought hers. But now, when the pain and pleasure faded, she realized that for him yesterday wasn't pleasureful at all. He was on the edge of orgasm the entire time.

"It's fine."

He removed himself from the makeshift bed of fur and quilt, reaching for his own breeches, but she grabbed his forearm from her knees. Her golden-rimmed eyes stayed on his as she shrugged softly. "I read that there are ways to please a male without sex."

He cupped her jaw, this thumb rubbing over her plump bottom lip. "You're beautiful, sunshine."

Her eyes left his. Lips met hers and she had to contain the moan deep in her throat. Every time he touched her it felt like she was finally able to breathe. It empowered her. It made her so very wanting for him. But the enjoyment that fogged her head disappeared just long enough that she realized her hands were so close to him.