Her Dangerous Desires [Notorious Nephilim 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (5 page)

“Sofia was missing. She was last seen dancing with Jerry and then no one could find her. We sent Zach with Michael and Vince to search inside. I returned to the basement with Niko and Reeve, and that’s when Emmett and Abigail told us they’d found Jerry outside the on the patio with a nice big lump on his head. Rake had knocked him out when he and Sofia went outside for some air. I took him to the ER.”

Demetrius raised his eyebrows. “You did what?” It wasn’t like Gregory to step up and do anything unless it involved a payoff for him. “Is he okay? What about Sofia?” Demetrius didn’t regret his night with Paige, but the guilt washing over him at the realization he’d let down the others was strong.

“Her hand is broken, and she has some nasty bruises on her face. That bastard had her duct-taped to a chair in the boathouse. He hit her a couple of times and the chair tipped over. She started screaming and when we found them he drew his gun on the FBI.”

“He was going to kill her.”

“Yeah, after who knows what else he would have done to her. Fucker was crazy.”

“Gregory, I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

Gregory looked mollified by the apology. “Yeah, well, it all turned out okay I guess. Sofia is back here now with Niko and Reeve.”

“With them, as in…” Demetrius was afraid to voice it out loud.

“Yeah, exactly like that. If she hasn’t already said the words, there’s no doubt she’s crazy about them. It’s only a matter of time before she chooses them.”

“Fuck.” Demetrius stared at Gregory. “We’re the only two left.”

Paige had been an eavesdropper all her life and was proud of it. No guilt or regret for her. Gregory and Demetrius were throwing out a lot of names—some of which she’d heard last night—but she still had trouble keeping up. One thing was certain. Something straight out of a movie plot had happened last night while she and Demetrius had been burning up his bedsheets.

The only question was whether she should reveal her presence now or after Gregory left. At least now she understood why he’d left her on the dance floor. She tiptoed back into Demetrius’s bedroom. Her clothes were neatly folded on a chair, and her shoes were on the floor in front of it. He must have done that sometime in the night because the last thing Paige remembered was falling asleep in his arms with her shoes still on.

Her dress was wrinkled, but she had nothing else to put on. Barefoot, she waltzed into the sitting room as if her presence there was the most natural thing in the world. No point in pretending with either of them. “Good morning.”

Both men stared at her.

“I’m starving. Mind if I order breakfast?” She picked up the receiver and punched the button for the front desk. “Would you two like anything?”

“Ah, no,” said Gregory. “I’ve eaten.”

A chipper voice answered, and Paige asked for room service. While she waited to be connected, she glanced toward Demetrius. “What would you like?”

“Just coffee. Thanks, Paige.”

She smiled. “My pleasure.” After Paige had ordered breakfast and coffee, she sat on the sofa. “So, sounds like you had quite an adventure here last night.”

The men exchanged a veiled glance.

“Sorry,” she said. “I was already awake. Your voices carry.”

“What exactly did you hear?” asked Gregory, his face full of alarm.

“Oh, don’t worry. I won’t say anything. You two are the only people I know here anyway.”

Demetrius glanced toward Gregory with a sheepish look on his face. “Um, Paige and I had a frank talk last night.”

Gregory narrowed his eyes. “How frank?”

Paige leaned forward and offered Gregory a generous view of her cleavage. “He told me your secret.”

“He what?”

Demetrius looked bored. He leaned back and crossed his right ankle over his left knee. “Chill out, Gregory. Does it really matter now? We’re the only two left. We should take out an ad in the
Trib
. Come spend two weeks with a Nephilim. Maybe it would bring in guests.”

Paige giggled at the thought of seeing Lilith’s Playground advertised as being owned by former fallen angels.

“You find that funny?” asked Gregory.

“Yes, I do. It’s no big deal. I think it’s fascinating. So who’s going to tell me more about Lilith?”

Gregory glanced around as though the demon might be listening. “I wouldn’t around go saying her name too often.”

“Why not?”

“We wouldn’t want to encourage her.”

“He’s right,” said Demetrius. “We don’t talk about her anymore than is necessary.”

“Can they actually be summoned? I’ve always wondered if that’s true.”

Gregory’s jaw dropped, and Demetrius’s face filled with concern. Both looked like they were going to say something, but a knock on the door stopped them.

Paige rose. “That was fast. Thank goodness. I’m starving.” She opened the door and stepped aside to allow the staff person to bring in the tray then smiled sweetly at him as his knowing gaze roved over her wrinkled dress.

“Thank you. We’ll call down when we want the tray taken away,” said Demetrius. Was that jealousy in his eyes? Paige shivered at the thought he would be jealous of another guy giving her the once-over.

After Paige closed the door, she sat down at the table and began to eat. “This is delicious. Are you two sure you’re not hungry?”

“Paige, you aren't serious, are you?” Gregory’s green eyes were filled with trepidation.

“About the food? Yes, I am. It’s wonderful. Do you have chefs on staff here?”

Demetrius’s chuckle earned him a glare from Gregory. “No, I mean about summoning demons.”

She stopped chewing and glanced at him. “You sound like you’re afraid of her, but that makes no sense. Don’t you outrank her or something? You’re angels.”

Demetrius slapped one knee. “Oh, she’s just too cute, isn’t she? Outrank them. Paige, that’s adorable.”

“That’s one word for it,” muttered Gregory. “No, we don’t outrank her. It doesn’t work that way.” He glanced at Demetrius, who had a grin plastered across his face. “I can’t believe you told her all this. She just checked in yesterday, right? That’s got to be a record.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. And she didn’t freak out or anything. You can see that for yourself.”

“I’m not going to tell anyone,” said Paige. She stuffed the rest of her hash-brown casserole into her mouth and closed her eyes for a second as the flavor assaulted her senses. The food here was the best she’d ever tasted.

“It does matter,” said Gregory.

“Why?” Demetrius uncrossed his leg and sat forward. “Why does it matter? We’re the last two. None of us are going to have children. Unless we sell this place or deed it to strangers, there will be no one left to run it but you and me.” He cut his gaze to Paige for a second. “And you know we’ll only fuck it up. We can’t even do the simplest jobs the others have asked us to do.”

“Don’t say that,” said Paige. “You’ve been in business for what…ninety years? More? You must know something about running a resort.”

“The others did all the work,” said Gregory. “Demetrius isn’t lying, Paige. We’ve never taken an active interest in it.”

“So start doing so now.”

Gregory ran a hand over his face. “What if I said I didn’t give a shit? What if I just don’t care anymore?”

“Then sell it.”

Demetrius shook his head. “We’re jumping the gun, at any rate. Zach and Emmett will be around for a long time. So will Reeve and Niko.”

“And when they die?” asked Gregory. “Then what?”

“How old are they?” asked Paige. She crossed her arms as a shudder ran through her body. If anyone had told her three months ago when she booked this vacation that she’d be calmly discussing the fate of fallen angels and their resort, she’d have laughed.

“We’re ageless,” said Demetrius. “Midthirties are our best guess for the chronological age from which the others have started once they chose a mortal life.”

“Well, they have years ahead of them then. Sounds like you’re safe for now.”

“The past ninety-one years have flown by,” said Gregory. “At least they have for me.”

Demetrius’s gaze grew thoughtful. “They have for me as well.”

Paige looked from one to the other. “So do something now before it’s too late.” She patted her mouth with a linen napkin then rose from the table. “Want me to call down and ask for them to pick up the tray?”

“Knock yourself out,” said Gregory, rising. “I need some air. Think I’ll go for a horseback ride.” His gazed roamed over Paige slowly, from her bare feet to her tousled hair. “Would you like to join me?”

Paige was momentarily stunned. He had balls—she’d give him that much. “I don’t know how to respond to that, Gregory. You ditched me last night, although I understand why. And I’m in another man’s suite, in the clothes I wore last night.”

Gregory’s green eyes danced with humor, and the corners of his mouth turned up. “Paige, I apologize for leaving you on the dance floor. If it hadn’t been a true emergency, you’d have been in my bed last night, not his.” His gaze penetrated her soul. Paige trembled as those green eyes held her captive.

Demetrius snorted. “You don’t know that.”

She looked from one man to the other, debating. What would be the harm in enjoying the company of both on this gorgeous spring day? “Why don’t we all go for a ride? I haven’t been on a horse in ages. Sounds like fun.”

Gregory shrugged. “Fine with me.”

“I’d love to,” said Demetrius, glaring at Gregory.

The air in the room grew uncomfortable, as though a storm was brewing. “Well then, let me go and change into something more suitable for sitting on a saddle. Where should I meet you two when I’m ready?”

“We’ll meet you in the lobby,” said Demetrius. “Take your time. Gregory and I have things to discuss.”

Paige left without another word. If those two wanted to act like bullies on a playground, let them. She was going to enjoy herself regardless. As she showered and dressed, she played over the events of last night in her mind. She couldn’t help but wonder if Demetrius would have been as incredible in bed if he were a mere mortal instead of an angel. Either way, she hoped there would be a repeat of their adventures. And what about Gregory? Would he be just as amazing? Would she have the chance to find out?

Before she left her suite, she stopped in front of the mirror hanging next to the door to survey her outfit. She didn’t have riding clothes, so she hoped the jeans and sweater she’d chosen would do. It was cool outside, but not cool enough for a jacket. At least she’d thought to bring along boots.

As she was about to open the door she stood still as a sudden blast of icy air swept across the room. Had she left a window open? Paige walked back through the suite, but all the windows were closed. How odd…

She returned to the sitting room and stopped cold when she spotted a long-stemmed black rose on the table beneath the mirror. Where the fuck had that come from? No one had entered her suite while she’d been checking for open windows. She was sure of it. And it hadn’t been there two minutes earlier when she’d been critiquing her clothes.

Paige crossed the room slowly and reached out to touch it with one finger, just in case. When it didn’t burn her skin or disintegrate, or whatever she’d been imagining it might do, she laughed softly. What a silly heart she was. There was a logical explanation for this. There had to be.

She picked it up and carried it into the kitchen, holding it at arm’s length. After filling a glass with water, she dropped it in. Paige stared at the flower for a few seconds then slowly bent her head toward it. Maybe it was fake? The delicate scent of roses filled her nose, negating that theory. But where the hell had it come from?

As she returned to the sitting room and walked toward the door, soft mocking laughter filled the air. A chill settled over her so quickly she shivered. She whirled around, her palms damp and her heart racing, but the room was empty.

Gregory turned his attention toward Demetrius as soon as Paige was out of the suite. “What the fuck?”

Demetrius strolled toward Paige’s breakfast tray and lifted the coffee pot. “Shit. She drank the rest of it. I really could use some more.” He yawned loudly and stretched.

“Are you going to answer me or not?”

Demetrius regarded him with a bored expression. “Did you ask me a question?”

Gregory wanted to deck Demetrius on the best of days. Today, he’d like to row him out to the middle of Pine Lake and drown him. Too bad doing so wouldn’t actually kill him. “Why the hell did you tell her what we are?”

“She practically figured it out on her own, Gregory.”

Gregory’s blood ran cold. “How?”

Demetrius shrugged. “She’s a marketing consultant. She does freelance work for businesses that cater to the occult, and she frequents message boards about it.”

“She found our secret online?”

“No, not exactly. What she said was that there were rumors online.”

“She told me the rumor was that we were all cousins, but that could have come from any of our guests.”

“Perhaps if you’d stayed with her last night you’d have heard the rest of the story?”

Gregory wanted to wipe Demetrius’s sudden smirk off his face with a fist. “All right, knock it off. Would you rather I’d ignored the fact that Sofia was missing? Where were you during all that?”

Demetrius had the grace to look guilty. “Point taken. Paige told me about the rumor that we’re all cousins, but she also said there are rumors that this place was started during Prohibition and was a front for mob activity.”

“Fuck.”

“Don’t worry. She never mentioned Frankie Fillipone’s name.”

“So, how did all that lead to you telling her about us?”

“There’s more.” A knock on the door interrupted Demetrius. Once the tray was out of the suite, he took a seat beside Gregory. “She also found speculation that we’re everything from demons to vampires.”

“See? I told you the damn Internet would be our downfall.” If it were up to him they’d have never installed cable. No TV and no Internet for their guests. But that still wouldn’t stop the guests from researching the place before or after they came here. Once it was out there in cyber space, they had no control over it.