Duncan's Descent (6 page)

“What else, Zelec? Surely you wouldn't come telling tales unless you had more to go on than Uriel's bragging in the upper realm.”

“True. I'm worried there's more at stake than Duncan's soul. The lad's been seen in the company of a most desirable angel, my lord. And they appear to be quite close.”

“Well, who is she?” Curiosity struck. Duncan had done well for himself. A fine piece of ass and information he was no doubt gathering to bring the angels to their knees. Fat lot of good it would do the angels to continue stealing the souls of the blood elves, not when Asael got his hands on the angelic traitors in the Abyss.

“She is Sapphira…daughter of Charmeine.”

Asael swore. “I warned Duncan to steer clear of that one. The mother must be out for blood. Can we get word to my son?”

“I'm afraid not. He and the angel are fairly joined at the hip,” Zelec huffed. “I've tried several times, but he won't hear me around her. It's as if she's blocking any communications I've tried.”

Asael frowned. Very few demons in the Ethereal had telepathic abilities. Zelec was a rare power, and one Asael actually trusted. If Zelec couldn't get through to Duncan, there was a problem indeed.

“Very well, Zelec. Bring me Eve.”

Zelec smiled, an honest grin out of the demon most citizens of hell fought to steer clear of. “As you wish.” Asael knew how fond Zelec was of his daughter, and of the damned dragon she'd mated just a few days ago. He watched Zelec disappear and wished he weren't so busy. He'd find his son himself if he could, but even Asael reported to another. And displeasing Morax wasn't even a question.

When Eve and Ranton, her dragon mate, appeared moments later, Asael calmly told her what needed to be done. Worried for Duncan, she quickly agreed to bring him back. And with Ranton at her side, the angelic terms of Duncan's penance could easily be broken. They left and Asael smiled, pleased again to have a dragon for a son-in-law. Unable to control the dragons, the Ethereals left them alone. But Ranton loved Eve, would do anything for her, in fact, as would the new dragon king. And Asael was clever enough to keep that in mind should Eve fail to bring Duncan back.

He returned to his work a contented demon. “Oh, and Zelec.”

“Yes, my lord?” Zelec turned from the doorway through which he was about to exit.

“Have our contacts keep an eye on Charmeine. She gives me pause.”

“Aye. She worries me as well.” Zelec nodded as he saw his way out. “And that's why you never dally with the upper realm,” he muttered, loud enough to be heard. “Especially not with a Virtue.”

Asael guffawed at his affront and continued to gather the names Morax had ordered. Keeping Duncan out of trouble posed a greater task than it had been to keep Eve safe. But at least James was proving more cooperative. Asael frowned, realizing he hadn't heard from James in days.

“Zelec,” he bellowed.

Zelec quickly returned to the stone doorway. “My lord?”

“Check on—”

“James while I'm at it. Done.” Zelec disappeared and Asael sighed, pleased he hadn't fried his trusted servant. “So hard to get good help these days.”

The hands stroking Sapphira's thighs grew bolder as she moaned her pleasure into her pillow. He pushed her legs apart, and then she felt an intrusion, something thick filling her channel as pressure prodded her clit with sparks of pleasure. On her belly, Sapphira lifted her head and blinked into the hazy light of morning, her desire growing as Duncan covered her with his large body, his shaft taking her with a subtle tension of ownership that should have worried her but didn't.

His thrusts deepened, his jolting presence within her quickening her womb as she spiraled higher toward her own climax. But Duncan shuddered and came before she could join him, much to her disappointment.

“No, not yet,” he rasped and withdrew, only to prod her slightly higher. He lifted her pelvis, putting her on her hands and knees, and knelt between her thighs. “Now that the urge isn't so fierce, I can take what's mine without hurting you…much.”

Anxiety flared, fear and more than a hint of arousal, which shocked her anew. “Duncan?”

He laughed, the deep chuckle both menacing and sexy. “The angels don't want you to overly enjoy it, so they treat sex with that reverent bullshit. But not us demons.” He spread her ass cheeks and rubbed his still swollen cock along her seam, coating her body with both his and her cream. “No, we prefer to enjoy the carnal impulses of the Ordinary. We actually appreciate this one great thing humanity's given us.”

“What's that?” she breathed, tense when he pushed against the tight rosette of her anus.

“Orgasmic sex,” he answered and pushed further. “That's it, sweet, take me deeper.”

Pain intruded, and Sapphira instinctively tried to move away, but Duncan wouldn't let her. He gripped her hips hard enough to bruise and groaned. “Hell, when you move like that it's all I can do not to rip right through you. Claiming you is driving me wild.”

“You're not…claiming me,” she managed as he withdrew. She felt him shove his fingers inside her wet heat again before he pulled both his finger and shaft back out. “What are you doing?”

“Lubing myself with your come.” Duncan sighed. “You have no idea how sexy you are. How much I get off just looking at your dark skin, your firm, round ass begging me to take it. A woman should have curves like yours, Sapphira. Ripe and full.” He palmed her ass. “I still can't believe no one's ever taken you before.”

He pushed against her anus again, and this time she felt him sink further, the pain not as bad.

“If you push out with your muscles, you'll actually make it easier for me.”

And why was she agreeing to this anyway? Anal sex with her own personal demon? Sapphira could literally feel her Descent creeping along her skin like the steady thrumming of static electricity. But the pleasure in Duncan's voice, in his touch, made her want the same, no matter the cost.

The forbidden had always called to her, and Sapphira readily admitted she wanted to know more.

“That's it,” Duncan hissed his pleasure as he sank deeper, while Sapphira did her best not to cry out her pain. “Let the hurt take you, Sapphira. Embrace it so that the pleasure is that much more intense.”

“Tell you what,” she huffed, trying to move so that he didn't feel so big, but he slapped her flank and forced her to remain still while he plundered deeper. “You let me take
your
ass, then
you
see how easy it is to remain still. Damn it, that hurts.”

“Hurts so good,” he rasped, finally fully seated within her. “Hell's core, Sapphira. You're as hot as eternal flame, and so fucking tight.” He groaned and pulled out, slowly.

And every touch of his flesh against hers burned. “When does this start to feel good?”

A sudden warmth stole through her loins, and pleasure burst over her in waves of bliss.

“How's that?”

She couldn't answer, dimly aware when he shoved back inside her. Duncan had done something to her, something beyond the physical taking of her virgin flesh. His energy pulsed through her, and she cried out as ecstasy possessed her.

“That's it.” He rocked, taking her harder. Duncan rode her with an urgency bordering on desperation. “Feel my flame, love. Take me, Sapphira. Let me wash you with seed. Everywhere, angel. All of it,” he groaned as he fucked her, his balls slapping her clit with each pummeling blow.

Through it all, Sapphira cried her pleasure, inundated with so much joy she could barely breathe. Her body spasmed as it took everything Duncan gave. His rod, so thick and long, finally filled her with seed. And the warmth of his desire pushed her into another state altogether.

There was nothing pleasant about this surrender to pleasure, nothing tame or loving. Instead, Duncan's possession was everything fierce, raw and true. Honesty surged between them as Sapphira felt his carnal appetite settle over her, finally sating them both as the warmth filling her finally faded.

“
Sapphira
.” Duncan leaned over her, panting, still thick inside her. But as his magic eased back, the discomfort of their position increased. He hugged her tight before he slowly pulled out, and each departing centimeter added to her aches.

“Too bad that fire didn't last.” She groaned when he finally withdrew, sinking to the bed, a mess of sweat and come and pain. “Because that really hurt.”

“Good.”

She rolled to her side and glared at him, more annoyed with the male arrogance settling over his features.

“Pain is remembered. And I want you to remember this moment.”

“What?”

Duncan nodded and gathered her into his arms. He lay back and settled her on top of him, and they stared at each other, nose to nose. “Pain is the other side of pleasure. It's real. As real as you and me, together.”

“Then why didn't you get to be on the bottom?” she grumbled.

He chuckled. “Because I'm bigger. And I'm the one with the cock.”

“You got that right.” But her anger faded as he caressed her. He infused her flesh with his warmth, and the stinging gradually faded. “Hmm, that's better.”

“Good. Honestly, I'm not into pain. It's not my thing.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“But I'm well aware of how it makes an impression.” He frowned. “I can't imagine being near Sarah or Abigail again without cringing.”

Jealousy reared its ugly head, and Sapphira paused, wondering at the fierceness of her thoughts.

“Sapphira? You look a bit green.” But the way he said it told her he read her correctly. The damned demon looked positively ecstatic.

“Green as in ill? As in I was just screwed in the ass, and rather painfully?”

He laughed and kissed her. “Sure, sweet. But don't worry. Uriel's minions—and I don't mean you—leave me cold. Believe it or not, all that sugary-sweet love with sex made me green as well.”

“I know. That's all they preach up there.” She sighed and linked her fingers over his chest, resting her chin on them. “I'm a very bad angel, Duncan. I think Uriel sent me with you to punish you.”

Instead of laughing, as she'd thought he would, Duncan frowned. “You're fine, Sapphira. You're just inexperienced.” His smile returned. “Well, maybe not so inexperienced now.” He cupped her ass again.

“Mmm.” She closed her eyes, soothed by his comforting touch. “You know, right now, at this very moment, I don't care about Uriel, the angels, sways, or my mother.”

“Your mother?”

She heard laughter in his voice. “Yeah. My mother's a Virtue, and nothing I do is ever good enough for her. Just wait until she finds out she's been undermined by Uriel, a lesser angel. I was supposed to be helping her with her second sphere duties when a lowly angel from the third sphere commanded me to obey.” Sapphira chuckled. “Wish I could have been there to see Charmeine going up against Uriel. Two peas in a pod, those holy-rollers.”

Duncan suddenly stiffened under her.

“What's wrong?” She blinked into his suddenly shuttered gaze. “Duncan?”

“Did you say Charmeine?”

“Yeah. So what?”

“My father's Asael.”

“And?” At her confusion, he took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

“And according to my father, your mother has an axe to grind with him.”

“That's nothing new,” she said dryly. “My mother has problems with everyone and everything not in the second sphere or higher.”

“What about your father? Does she have problems with him?”

She thought it an odd question to ask, but shrugged. “I don't know. She never talks about him, and I assumed he's one of the Ethereal floating around in the upper realm. I probably take after him.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I'm nothing like my mother. She's as dark as mahogany, and I'm several shades lighter. She's gorgeous, righteous, and the perfect Virtue. I've been on probation since birth, or at least it feels like it. And I just sent a soul to hell.” Sapphira sighed. She really didn't want to think about Charmeine right now. Her time with Duncan was precious, and so peaceful. Who knew what the future held, especially if what he said were true, and Charmeine was pissed at his father? No doubt Sapphira would take the heat for that unhappy coincidence.

Deciding to focus on the now, Sapphira leaned over Duncan and kissed him, building their combustible desire into an all-out fire in seconds. “Now do you want to talk about heaven, or do you want to sin some more?”

His kiss was answer enough, and as Sapphira lost herself in his arms once more, she decided to let tomorrow handle itself.

Chapter Five

“I'm telling you right now, I won't stand for it.”

Asael shared a glanced with Zelec, who stared stonily back.

“
The aura of light around her hurt, and she took advantage of the fact,
” his minion admitted. “
But you did tell me to bring her down here for some answers. She simply jumped the gun.
”

“So I did.” Asael stared at Charmeine, a Virtue and one of his more colossal mistakes. But no one could accuse him of lowering his standards.

She was small yet robust, and one of the most beautiful females he'd ever seen. Physically, she possessed a bounty of assets that did her kind proud. Pure, smooth skin, the color an ebony-brown, stretched over blessed femininity. Her hair was long, braided in coils of black and reddish gold, an intriguing mix of light and dark that only complemented her vibrant face. High cheekbones, a strong chin and full, kissable lips rounded out Charmeine's more appealing assets. She had the requisite curves, a nice rack and a killer ass, one Asael clearly recalled gripping in the heat of the moment.

He met her glance and noted the abject humiliation in her gaze as she must have remembered their liaison so many years ago. Funny, she hadn't minded trying to force his Ascension back then, with her body or the promise of her soul. But Virtue that she was, she hadn't the time or energy to fully mesh with him, a mere fallen angel. Not when the choirs of heaven sang for her return. But the passion. Asael hadn't realized an angel could be so damned hot in bed. Only Bethany, his dearly departed wife, had given him more satisfaction. A mere human, yet a woman worth every damned soul he tormented in hell.

“Dear Charmeine, you should have told me you were coming. I'd have prepared a feast in your honor.”

Zelec, to his credit, didn't crack a smile.

Charmeine, however, scowled her displeasure. “I'm not here for frivolities, Asael. My daughter is missing. And I believe your son is at fault.”

“Oh?”

“Don't mistake godliness for weakness,” she warned, drawing her flattering light around her as tightly as her white robe.

Her anger warmed him, and Asael wondered if her wrath would be worth another dalliance. It certainly wouldn't be smart, but he'd seduced her once before, and could so very easily again…

“Asael.
My lord
.” Zelec's mouth curved down, a faint sign that he was fully aware of Asael's thoughts. Then again… Asael stared down at himself. His mounting arousal would be impossible to miss.

“Really, Asael.” Asael could see embarrassment clouding Charmeine's dark eyes. “I didn't come here for this.”

“Maybe not. But the last time we were together, you came all the same.”

Zelec choked on his laughter, but Asael didn't hold back. He chuckled at his play on words, more amused when Charmeine cracked the floor of his hall with one hard stomp of angelic righteousness.

“I don't have time for this.” She raised a graceful hand and pointed at Zelec, her voice a heavenly reminder that Charmeine was not one to toy with. She let out a soul-shattering song of love and forgiveness that had Zelec shuddering and on his knees. Asael fought not to let the pain show, but his anger he gave free reign.

“You do not come into my realm and threaten, Charmeine.” Standing, he crossed to her and towered over her smaller frame. With blood in his eyes and fire in his heart, he let loose a ring of flame to surround the Virtue. “State your purpose and depart, before I forget old times.”

“Your son had no right to my daughter. She is meant for better things than Decision.” The scorn in her voice soured him. And once again Asael praised the devil for giving him the sense to heed his inner warnings and Descend. “In your son's keeping, my daughter has turned a half-dozen souls these last few days. And all of them have gone to hell.” Charmeine's eyes glowed with fervor. “Sapphira will take over for me when I pass on. She is meant to provide guidance and harmony to those better than humanity, to those better than the pathetic first-sphere minions poised to do nothing more than grapple with your kind for control over a populace better off dead.”

“Why, Charmeine, your good breeding is starting to show.” Asael sighed when she refused to relent. Her lips curled in stubborn resentment, she continued. “The day is coming, Asael, when the reign of man will be no more. The Ethereal shall fight for His will to be done. And your realm will crumble under the weight of our holy light.”

“Then why, Charmeine, if His will is to crush the middle and lower realms, do we exist?” He pointed to Zelec, who had regained his feet. “Why allow the Abyss to stand, for demonkind to punish those in the Ordinary? Hell, why allow any of the fallen to exist?”

She fumed but said nothing.

“I'll tell you why. Because He wants balance. The universe, all creation, needs it. Without my kind and our inherent darkness, you have no light. So piss off, Charmeine. And let my son and your daughter do their jobs.”

It delighted Asael to no end to realize a Virtue's progeny was working to put souls in hell.

“You don't worry that something might happen to Duncan should he stand in the Creator's way?”

Asael raised one black brow in a perfect arch. “Do you threaten my son, now, Charmeine?”

“
I
threaten no one. I'm merely warning you to be careful. There are forces at play that you know nothing of. And Sapphira has a destiny far beyond the Ordinary and the Abyss.”

She waved a hand dismissively. And Asael wondered why she was down here bugging him when she should have been talking to her daughter about all this.

“Where is Sapphira, now, Charmeine?” he asked blandly. “I'll talk to her and Duncan, set them straight for you.”

She tugged at one long, snowy sleeve. “She's in the Ordinary, convinced by blessed Uriel she's needed there.” Charmeine cleared her throat. “But it's Duncan who's puzzling. I hear he's turning her against her nature. And that, Asael, also interrupts the balance.”

Ah, so that's why Charmeine was itchy. Her daughter wouldn't conform, and she had no way of controlling the contrary girl. Asael liked her more already. “How old is she, Charmeine? Can't you demand obedience? Even angels have a hierarchy and set of rules. Don't blame Duncan for your daughter's misdeeds.”

“She's old enough to know better.” Charmeine twisted her hands, and Asael decided to have a bit of fun with her.

Zelec suddenly sent Asael a mass of images and thoughts that had Asael smiling with anticipation. No doubt about it, after Charmeine left, Zelec was due a promotion.

“You know, we were together not so long ago. And our passion burned brightly.”

Her head shot up, and she locked gazes with him. “What do you mean?”

“Young Sapphira has your beauty, my Virtue. But her stubbornness, her height and strength…she's much more like her father.” He paused, just long enough to make her draw her own conclusions. “The young human I possessed one very special night so long ago. When you refused me, my dear, I took the form of another…of a human. And it pleases me to no end to see that my daughter takes after her
real
father. You know, I even think she looks a bit like me.”

Charmeine shrieked her denial and began shouting.

“Yes,
my
daughter.” He reveled in her pain. “And she's been fucking her brother for several days, correct, Zelec?” By the fire, her reaction was everything he'd hoped.

“Yes, my lord. Quite thoroughly, I might add. It wouldn't surprise me if she was soon breeding.”

His fictional relationship with her daughter had Charmeine looking faint, and Asael wanted to howl with glee.

She cried, “You lie. I'd know it if… I'd sense that you…”

“What's wrong, my dear? Was her existence meant to be a secret? Was I never supposed to know my daughter? And yet she shares my very nature, does she not?”

Charmeine sobbed hysterically and vanished.

Zelec began clapping. “Oh, very nice, my lord. Well done.”

“Indeed.” Asael bowed. “You don't think I overdid it?”

“Not at all.” Zelec grinned, a sight Asael didn't often see. “That touch of incest sent her over the edge.”

“I thought it might. But it was your information that helped drive her away. Why don't you take the next week off? Go haunt a human. Fuck a few or possess them, whatever you like. Enjoy yourself.”

Zelec bowed. “My thanks. And I'll let Eve know to come directly to you once she finds Duncan. No doubt about it, Duncan's really stirred some trouble this time. Screwing with the upper realm.” Zelec smirked.

Asael nodded with pride. “That's my boy.”

“And your angelic
daughter
?”

Asael laughed. “Sounds vastly intriguing. I can't wait to meet her.”

Charmeine didn't know what to do. She'd tried for so very long to put the past behind her. Devoted herself to her work, prayed and repented all the time. And she'd demanded nothing but perfection from Sapphira—the evidence of her past transgression, and a sin she'd never give up, not even if it meant expulsion from the upper realm.

Dear Lord, that child meant the world to her. After three thousand years of constant devotion, she'd been rewarded with a baby, a little girl. For a while, she'd imagined the beauty in Sapphira a reward for such staunch holiness. Her child held such a wealth of insight and power in her small hands. Sapphira was far from perfect, however, and Charmeine took that as a sign to work harder. To repent her own sins and endeavor to pull her daughter with her, closer to the first sphere and heaven's perfection.

With time, Sapphira had grown from a beautiful child into a beautiful woman—one bent on her own destruction. Like Charmeine, Sapphira had lain with humans. And now, it seemed, she'd followed her mother's path yet again, having sex with a demon as well. But praise the Cherubim, Sapphira would
not
get with child…

Charmeine had done her best to keep her daughter by her side and away from the temptations abundant in the other realms. But Sapphira wouldn't listen, wouldn't heed her mother's words. And now she was not only working in the third sphere, but she was sending souls to hell…
and having sex with her half-brother
. What would her peers think? On the verge of hysterics again, Charmeine took a deep, calming breath, reaching for the harmony she cultivated so easily in the second sphere.

Arriving home, she immediately Called Raphael and Seir, the only two angels she knew of who loved Sapphira as much as she did. And while she waited, she castigated herself for not foreseeing this ugly possibility.

Charmeine knew she herself was to blame. Pride had insisted she keep the identity of Sapphira's father a secret. A human was bad enough. The few progeny of angels and humans inevitably turned evil. Nephilim, they were called, and as impure as the fallen themselves. But Sapphira had seemed so different, so bright. Yet it now appeared Sapphira's father wasn't human, but a demon in disguise.

Thoughts of her daughter indulging in the baser acts of sexuality with
her brother
made Charmeine ill, and she was half out of her mind with worry when Raphael and Seir appeared.

“Dear Virtue.” Seir held her gently and wiped her tears, his strong arms a balm to her battered soul.

“Easy, Charmeine.” Raphael, one of the wisest Principalities, spoke. Though fairly young and from a sphere below hers, this particular angel radiated calm authority. “How may we be of assistance? We felt your pain as soon as we stepped into your home.”

“It's Sapphira.” Relieved when both angels lit with concern, she shared her worries, confessing her sins with veracity and remorse.

“Sister, you did as best you could.” Seir rocked her in his arms, his color a perfect match to her own. “Will it ease your burden if Raphael finds Sapphira and explains to her your concerns?”

“Perhaps we should bring you two together, that you might soothe the rift that's been growing between you for so long,” Raphael added gently, though in his voice she heard disapproval. “You cannot grieve when you don't know the truth of the matter. Asael has lied before. Who's to say he's not lying now?”

“You may be right.” Charmeine sniffed, and like magic, her tears dried up and her face shone with radiance. “Find her, dear friends. And we'll restore the harmony that's been missing for so long. You're right. With love we can cure all our ills, our hungers and lost hopes.”

Seir and Raphael murmured their agreement and turned to leave. They found Uriel staring at Charmeine in surprise, a veil of anger on his face.

“Uriel, we must talk,” she said quietly. She nodded to her daughter's protectors, pleased that at least she could count on them to help her and Sapphira find peace. “Go with our blessings, and walk with hope.”

Rafe and Seir bowed their leave, ignoring Uriel in their wake.

“He is such an ass,” Seir muttered as they teleported to the Ordinary.

“True.” Rafe sighed as they landed in an alley filled with refuse and a few bodies strewn about. “But this mess with Sapphira, that's a headache, for sure. She's been Uriel's problem, and Charmeine's, for years.”

“Too long.” Seir nodded. “Think we should have told Charmeine not to worry?”

Rafe chuckled. “Are you kidding? Pride goeth before the fall, my brother. And she's needed to step back and take stock of reality for some time.”

“I can't argue with that.” Seir stepped around a wide-eyed homeless man and smiled. “Don't worry, my friend, today you will count your blessings and rise to begin a new tomorrow.”

The man stood on unsteady legs and blinked at the bulging wallet suddenly in his fist.

“Well, hell.” He stared at the wallet, then at Seir and Rafe. With shaking hands, he held out two twenties.