lava. Was it? Could Raphael turn water into lava? I wouldn’t put it past him. Clearly, he didn’t want me to leave. Clearly, he’d secured me inside this place. Fine. I’d piss in his pool.
I removed my clothes and dived in briefly, then went to dress. From his closet, I grabbed a towel and dried myself, bending to search the sack the lady in the city had filled for me. No panties. No bras. Oh man, how would I go around with no bra or anything to wrap my girls in? Lots of dresses, but no pants, shirts, or other things I’d want to wear. Just as well. Raphael said to dress for the evening. I dreaded seeing more undead, but I wanted to leave the chamber. It felt like he’d imprisoned me in luxury.
At the bottom of the sack, I found a white dress and pulled it out. It had beautiful gold trim at the top. I put it on, checked to see if it showed through—it didn’t—and walked to the waterfall, which reflected my figure. My breasts had never been free this way, and neither had my ass. I fluffed up my wet hair. No hope for taming the curls, so I just let them do their thing. Dressed and ready to go, I couldn’t leave. I paced around the pool, getting angrier with each passing minute. For the millionth time, I paused by the exit and assessed it.
My only exit point was a fifty-foot waterfall I couldn’t seem to control, and if I made a run through it, I bet it would fry me. Raphael was the only way out of here. I threw up my hands and sat beside the pool, staring at the gold-flecked shimmer over the water, wondering what it was. The shimmer soothed me, made my eyes droop, and I jolted upright, fighting sleep. I couldn’t sleep. I absolutely could never sleep. Could I? Lucifer had said to feed the prisoner, and I had done that. I’d completed my end of the deal. Even if I had dreamt, he wouldn’t mark me.
Briefly, I closed my eyes. A weight settled over my soul and body, and sleep took me under.
“Good evening,” a male voice said.
I snapped open my eyes, throwing a hand over my heart. “Didn’t hear you come in.”
“That’s unfortunate. I’d like you to stay vigilant and remember your training. Awareness of surroundings in particular.” Raphael moved toward his closet.
“Sorry, Commander,” I said, then sighed. I pressed my fingertips over the bridge of my nose. Still sleep deprived, I couldn’t think clearly. When I looked up, I saw him undressed, wings parting slowly to reveal his ass, legs, shoulder-width apart.
He turned his profile, revealing the perfect line of his nose, the dimple in his left cheek when he smirked. “Michael’s conditioning is hard to break. Try.”
Unable to speak, I nodded.
He moved out of sight. Disappointed, I pursed my lips, while at the same time trying to recall one thousand and one reasons why I should guard my heart better.
Because he was out of my league. Out of everyone’s league.
Because he was too powerful for my own good.
Because he was immortal.
Because he was the irresistible. Okay, never mind that last one.
I cupped my face, shook my head.
Raphael emerged in a tight deep-purple shirt and leather pants, hair pulled back, beard neatly trimmed and then braided. My belly fluttered, and not with hunger. Or maybe that was hunger, just not the kind food could sate. Raphael walked toward the waterfall, hand extended. “Come. It is time.”
I joined him, and when I didn’t offer him my hand, he grabbed it anyhow and pulled me through the exit. The second we stepped onto the platform before the empty bath, I halted. Thousands of men and women crowded inside the house, all looking up, mouths gaping open. My heart thudded in my ears. Raphael pressed a thumb over the pulse on my wrist and pulled me to stand in front of him. I felt his hardness at the small of my back.
“I don’t believe you understand what it’s like to feel your heartbeats, your blood rushing through all the parts of your body, especially the ones I’m interested in licking.”
I visualized him feasting between my legs and an ache for him to do so made my clit pulse.
He lifted my hand and sliced my wrist. I winced, though not from pain. There was no pain. Blood welled, spilled, dripped onto the floor. He guided the blood into tiny