No Prince Charming Page 11

  “Good girl,” he whispered. He stared into her eyes, let her feel what it did to him just watching.

  Then he slipped behind her.

  Bracing one hand between her shoulders, he eased her down until the bed supported her upper body. Then he grabbed the bottle of lubricant. “Are you playing with that pretty pussy?” he asked, keeping his voice soft, light, even as the wild hunger burned inside him.

  “Yes…” She rocked her hips and he shuddered. The sight of that, watching her ride her hand and stroke herself to climax—he could come just from that.

  He slicked the lubricant over his cock. Closing his fist around his length, he stroked up, down, once, twice. His cock jerked, throbbed. In her—it wanted to be in her. Squeezing more lubricant into his hand, he moved closer. With one hand, he gripped her hip as he pressed his slicked fingers against the pucker of her ass.

  She jerked under his touch and he stilled, waited.

  But then she pressed back.

  The connection between them was flooded with heat, longing. He felt the barest edge of nerves, but it was overshadowed by the hunger. Gripping his cock, he held it steady and pressed the head against her. She flinched.

  Bending down, he pressed his lips to her shoulder. “I can stop…just say the word.”

  Wordlessly, she shook her head.

  He felt her frantic need, the fear. Scoring her shoulder with his teeth, he said, “Then relax for me, darling girl. I want to fuck your virgin ass so bad I hurt.”

  The dirty talk did exactly what he’d hoped. She whimpered and pressed back. This time, when he pressed against her, she held still. Frozen—still as a statue. But tight, so tight, the muscles of her ass clenched down, resisting his entry. “Push down for me, Elle. Do it.”

  She cried out. “I…I can’t…Michael, I think it’s going to…” Her voice wobbled and faded away.

  “Do you want this?” he rasped, lodged with just the barest inch of his cock inside that silken sheath.

  “Yes, but…”

  He slapped her ass with the flat of his hand and ordered, “Push down.”

  She did, wailing out his name, and he slipped another two inches in. She was shivering, shaking. He retreated, just a bit, and then he surged forward. “Again, darling girl. Do it again.”

  She did and this time, he sank half his cock inside her. She tensed up again and he reached out, seeking out her clit. “You’re supposed to be playing with yourself,” he teased. “Come on, darling girl. I want to think about you fucking yourself with your fingers while I fuck your ass.”

  “Pervert,” she gasped out and then her hand came up, nudging his aside.

  He held her hips with both hands now, steadying her as he pulled out, then surged forward. This time she pushed down without any encouragement, and he groaned as he sank his entire length inside her.

  Elle whimpered, her body trembling, shivering.

  “Have I hurt you?” he whispered, eyeing the faint red mark of his hand on her ass.

  “No…yes, hmmm… I don’t know, I can’t explain…”

  He stroked out, stroked in and trailed his fingers over the imprint of his hand. “I spanked you.”

  She shoved her hips back and whispered, “Yes…do it again.”

  He grinned and brought the flat of his hand down on her rump.

  She mewled in her throat and straightened her upper body, bracing her weight on her hands—then she pushed back, taking his dick inside her. Riding it. The muscles in her ass convulsed around him, gripping him, milking him.

  “You’re going to kill me,” he rasped.

  “Spank me again.” She flexed around him as she took him back inside.

  Michael spanked her, watching as he brought a blush to the pale, perfect flesh of her bottom. Watching as she slowly moved back and forth on his dick, he held still, letting her control it. The sight of it, watching as she took one slick inch of his cock after another, had his balls drawing tight against him in warning.

  She was close too—he could feel it. But not close enough. He crowded against her and slid a hand around, dipped it between her thighs. He hooked two fingers inside her pussy and pressed down on the little bed of nerves buried there.

  She stiffened…and then she went crazy, moving back and forth on him, harder, faster.

  “It’s not enough,” she whimpered.

  Michael growled and took her hips in his hands. Desperate desire bloomed between them, flaring in them both. Snarling, he began to drive into her, using the strength of his lower back and legs.

  She came with a sob. He felt the rush of heated moisture from her just as a warning tingle raced down his spine.

  Fire tore through his balls and he bellowed out her name as he came.

  And as he pumped his seed into her, the skin on his body went tight.

  Something…

  Something in the air…

  Hunger.

  I swallowed and tried to hear something beyond the roaring in my ears, the beating of my heart. Michael slumped against me and wrapped an arm around my waist, easing me down to the bed. I winced as he pulled out, suddenly aware that I was sore.

  But there wasn’t time for that—I felt something. “Michael…”

  “Shhhh…” He grabbed a sheet and flipped it up over us, hiding us from the neck down.

  I hissed out a breath, aware that he hadn’t said anything. Out loud. In my head. In my fucking head.

  “Don’t say anything,” he warned me.

  “Why the hell not?” I wanted to ask. I also wanted to ask him to get out of my head. Then I wanted to shower, clean up…and then pounce on him. Maybe. I might sleep first.

  But…

  Oh, shit. Oh, hell.

  Now I felt it more clearly. I shivered and pressed back against him. Strong arms came around me, held me tight, secure.

  “Can you hear me?” I thought, pushing my thoughts towards him.

  “Yes.”

  “We’re not alone, are we?”

  “No.” A tense silence passed as we both lay there, pretending to bask in the aftermath.

  I wasn’t basking though. I was pissed. Mostly, I was pissed because I wanted to be basking.

  Not lying there while a voyeuristic demon played Peeping Tom.

  “It’s the queen,” I thought.

  “I know. None of the others are strong enough to reach this far. I don’t think they would have even sensed us—we’re too far away.”

  It was just her presence—her incorporeal self. If demons had souls, I’d say it was her soul, but demons lack anything resembling a soul.

  It was her essence, the closest thing to a soul a demon had…and she was hungry, hungry for more of the feast we’d just given her.

  I could feel her vibrating, all but orgasmic over the energy she’d sucked up from us.

  It hadn’t done us any harm. She would have to come inside us to harm us, but still, it pissed me off. Fucking parasite.

  I started to push away from him, but Michael didn’t let me go.

  “Be still,” he warned me. “If you get out of the bed, she’s going to see us.”

  “We just gave her the fucking show, what does it matter if she sees us?”

  He reached up and tugged on the pendant resting between my breasts. This… She’s been off to the side, watching us. She’s not corporeal, but she can see us—but only from whatever angle she’s watching us from. She hasn’t seen these. She might not know what we are.”

  Light dawned. Slowly, I relaxed my muscles. “Good point.” As pissed off as I was, I knew the advantage of surprise could work for us. Especially now.

  She’d gotten a taste of us.

  And apparently it had been intriguing enough that it had drawn her to us across the miles that separated us.

  She’d want more.

  She’d want to seek us out.

  Then…we could kill her.

  She had taken over her host completely—her life force was bonded to the human’s now. Otherwise, she
wouldn’t be this strong. So when the human body died—she’d die.

  Regret washed through me. We’d have to kill people tonight. At least one person.

  Michael kissed my shoulder. “That person is already gone, darling girl. There’s nothing we could have done anyway.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  I got ready for the night.

  After sleeping the day away with Michael, I felt as ready for this as I was going to be. Which was pretty damn ready. I wanted it over and done so I could concentrate on Michael.

  I smirked at my image and murmured, “Cinderella, you’re going to the ball.”

  Of course, if my stepmother could see me in this get-up, she’d probably die of a heart attack.

  It was blue. Soft, pale blue, nearly the same shade as my eyes. With all the red and black and purple inside that joint, I’d stand out, which was the point. We wanted to be noticed after all.

  It was short. Short as in nonexistent. The skirt was nothing but swaths of lace that barely covered my butt and when I bent over or moved in the wrong way, those around me would get a flash of the blue thong I had on underneath. The bodice was similar to a corset, lacing up in the back, cinching my waist and putting my boobs on display. Tiny little crystals covered the material, catching and reflecting the light.

  I scooped up my hair, but that had nothing to do with looks and everything to do with practically. If I was going to be in a fight, and it was very likely, I’d rather my hair not be flying all over the place—makes it too easy to grab. Pulled back into a chignon, it was out of my face and out of my way. Plus, it worked well with the dress.

  The shoes were, of course, Cinderella shoes, completely clear, both the upper and the heel. More sparkles covered the upper, and as I studied my feet I decided I should have gotten a pedicure, but nothing I could do about it now. The best part about the shoes was that I could kick them off in just a few seconds. I really hate fighting while wearing a pair of heels.

  Other than the long chain holding my medallion and some sparkling platinum earrings that dangled from my ears, I wore no jewelry. The earrings were clip-on and the chain was tucked down inside my bodice so nobody could grab it that easily.

  Yes, I was going to the ball and I was prepared to kick ass. Literally.

  I was still so furious that demon bitch had been spying on us. I can’t explain how enraged that made me, nor could I understand it. That was what those kinds of demons did—they thrived on sexual energy and we’d been giving off plenty of it. I should have expected this.

  But I was still pissed.

  The door behind me opened and I turned to see Michael standing there with a stupefied look on his face. His throat worked as he swallowed and I gave him a cheeky smile as I turned in a circle with my arms held out.

  “How do I look?”

  “Delicious.” He looked me over, his eyes lingering on the tight, low cut of my bodice, the nearly-not-there skirt and down to my pretty little shoes. I lifted a foot and wiggled it.

  “Cute, huh?”

  A smile curled his lips.

  “They don’t look like they’ll be fun to fight in, if it comes to that.”

  I shrugged. “I’ll kick them off. That’s the plan anyway. Whoever designed heels never took into consideration how awkward they’d be to fight in.”

  Michael sauntered closer and caught my hand. I bit my lip as he bent over and kissed it. Running my fingers through his hair, I said, “Careful…your charming streak is showing through.”

  He nipped my knuckles and then lifted his eyes to mine. “Careful…your mischievous streak is showing through.”

  “Well, I never tried to hide that.” I smiled and then turned once more to study my reflection.

  Michael rested his hands on my shoulders and his eyes met mine in the mirror.

  “If things go well we could be done with this tonight,” I said softly.

  “Yes.”

  Reaching up, I wrapped my fingers around his wrists. “Then what do we do?”

  He nuzzled my neck. “I was thinking we could get married.” His voice was a soft, rough whisper in my ear and for a moment, I was too caught up in a shiver to understand his words.

  “Married…” I turned around and looked up at him. He wasn’t smiling. He looked dead serious.

  My heart skipped in my chest and I licked my lips. “Married?”

  “Yes.” He cupped my face in his hands, pressed a kiss to my brow. “It’s what I should have done three hundred years ago. It’s what I’ve always wanted. Then…and now.”

  After brushing a kiss across my mouth, he whispered, “How about it, Cinderella? You want to marry a not-so-charming ex-prince?”

  I wrapped my arms around his neck. He boosted me up in his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pressed my brow to his. “A not-so-charming ex-prince?” I teased. “Who would that be?”

  He swatted my rump. “Don’t tease about this, Elle. Whether the answer is yes or no or that you need time, just give me an answer.”

  I smiled against his mouth. “Oh, we’ve had plenty of time, I think. And I’d love to marry you… You’re my prince, and you always have been.”

  “Elle…my darling girl,” he muttered as he kissed me. “I love you so much, I hurt with it.”

  I knew the feeling. As he pushed his tongue into my mouth, I groaned. Then I nipped at him, delighted when he shuddered. I could make him shake. It would never cease to amaze me. This man, this strong, arrogant man, I could make him shake.

  He tugged on my thong and I shivered as it pressed against the sensitive flesh between my thighs. He skimmed his lips down my neck and I arched back, my breath catching as I pressed against the swollen ridge of his cock. I wanted him.

  Here. Right here.

  Now. Right now.

  Reaching down between us, I fumbled with the button on his trousers. It gave way, but just as I started to drag down his zipper, there was a loud knock at the door.

  Scowling, I glanced towards the living room.

  “Who in the world could that be?”

  Ren.

  I was at Michael’s side when he opened the door and I felt a blush rise to my cheeks as the other man’s gaze moved between us.

  His gaze lingered on Michael, cold with dislike. When he looked at me, a shutter fell and there was no expression on his face. I couldn’t see what he felt, but I could feel it and it was a stabbing pain in my chest.

  I bit my lip. I’d hidden away from the fact that Ren thought he was in love with me. I hadn’t wanted to think about it, but now I had no choice.

  It wasn’t just an illusion. What I felt inside him was real. Solid.

  Perhaps if Michael hadn’t ever come back into my life, I might have even returned his feelings.

  “Ren.”

  Thick lashes lowered over his eyes, hiding them from me. When he looked back at me, he had a shield in place…over his features, over his emotions. I’d seen him use it often over the years.

  But never had he used it with me. Never had he hidden from me.

  “Lovely night, isn’t it, my lady?” he asked, giving me a cocky grin.

  I stepped aside and Michael, after a brief hesitation, did the same, letting Ren saunter into the condo.

  “What are you doing back here?” I asked. I realized I wanted to fidget and I linked my hands behind my back to keep from doing just that.

  “Oh, was just in the area, you know. Figured I might help you two wrap up that pesky little…problem.” He waggled his brows at me. The jaunty smile on his face was firmly in place.

  “I thought Will said he needed you elsewhere.”

  Ren shrugged and leaned back against the bar. Holding his arms out, he said, “Well, that’s what he told me too, but then he sends me off to play errand boy. Lot of fun that was too. Great fun. Then he up and decides I’m supposed to come back here.” The mask on his face cracked, revealing just a sliver of real emotion to show through in his eyes. Only for a moment.

 
Bleakness. Pain. Loss.

  Damn you, Will. Would you stop playing games? I thought darkly. No…he wasn’t cruel, but he did like to toy with people sometimes. I wasn’t blind to that.

  Then Ren blinked. The mask fell back into place and when he looked at me again, he had a wide, easy grin on his face and a cagey look in his eyes as he looked me over from head to toe. “Poppet, I have to tell you, you look utterly biteable. It leaves me tempted to…”

  Michael tensed. “If you want to live through the night, you’ll resist whatever fool notions are dancing through your head.”

  “Oh, well now. If I resist all of them, I’m going to tear your chest open and rip out your heart,” Ren said. A mean smile curled his lips and intensity shown from his eyes. “Trust me, you don’t want me resisting all fool notions. The only thing keeping me from tearing into you is the knowledge that my lady wouldn’t like it. I’m resisting for her, and only her.”

  “She’s not your lady,” Michael snarled.

  Somehow, they’d managed to close the distance between them and now just inches separated them. Scowling, I pushed into those inches and shoved them apart. “Back off,” I warned. “Both of you.”

  “Oh, come on, poppet. It could be fun.” Under my hand, Ren’s heart was racing and I could feel too much of the emotion he kept trapped inside.

  Anger. Jealousy. Frustration.

  “Besides, now that I think of it, why shouldn’t I tear into him?” he asked, but the question wasn’t directed at me. Or Michael. “After all, whether I like it or not, I’ve already lost you.”

  Blowing out a breath, I shot Michael a look. Let me handle this.

  I could tell by the narrowing of his eyes that he’d caught my unspoken message. He gave a tiny shake of his head.

  “Please.”

  Abruptly, he turned away, moving so fast it threw me off-balance.

  Ren reached out and steadied me. I let him, leaning against his chest for just a moment. I didn’t want this. The last thing I’d wanted was to hurt him. I should have known…should have looked…should have realized. But if I’d done that, I would have pulled away and I’d needed him. Needed his friendship and his strength, needed the way he brought laughter back into my life.