A long sigh filled with amusement echoed in response. Each eclipse that had lit the chamber with thin rims of blue moonlight went out, creating pure darkness.
"Tell me the name and I shall consider your request to raise him. We are royal family. Heirs of the world, so to speak. If you can handle the job, you can rule it."
A low, mellow chuckle filled with heat began to melt the ice-crusted floor. "But do notever freeze over Hell again without my per�mission... I will allow this one transgression, given your Neteru arrogance from your mother's side and the insanity induced by your apexing condition. We don't see that much down here. It does in�trigue me to witness it bloom on one of my thrones-even Dante never had that in him... and I must admit that I've never seen it turn so thoroughly, boldly dark as quickly as you have taken it. My com�pliments on the way you sire, as well." The sound of hooves began to retreat. "Well done. Yes... done outrageously enough to entertain me this evening. Therefore, tell me the name you seek from my pris�ons and we shall bargain."
Cain smiled, knowing the melodic, sinister voice had relented. He nodded and reinserted himself into Lilith's body with a shuddering wince. She covered her mouth to silence the pleasure gasp that threat�ened to bring her husband back into chambers less amused.
"Fallon Nuit," Cain called out in a tone of authority, moving against Lilith as he stared down into her stricken eyes.
"Nice move... very, very nice," a sinister voice thundered in the distance with another round of slow applause. "Done. Youdo take af�ter our side of the family, after all. Vengeance served-icecold. Great voice, too, kid. Excellent set of pipes and fantastic projection." Rum�bling laughter with a hint of implied danger in it made the bats seek shelter again. "Think about what you want to give me later."
Both male entities chuckled.
Cain closed his eyes, threw his head back, and groaned softly, inten�sifying his thrusts as Lilith arched with a shiver. "Done."
CHAPTER ONE
La Paz. Mexico
Total contentment wafted through Carlos as he sat on a kitchen stool in their honeymoon villa, watching Damali bop around the kitchen. He leaned on his elbows on the wide butcher-block island and smiled. She looked so thoroughly happy and so in her element, buzzing around trying to fix their last private supper, he could only shake his head.
The last of the sun was bringing gold and rose-orange light in with the beach breeze from the decks and open windows, dappling the white rooms and Damali's beautiful brown skin.This was sanctuary; the Light had provided a few hallowed days of drama cease-fire and obligation so he could enjoy his new wife. It was a time that he thought would only happen when Hell froze over.Jesus.
He silently wondered what their life together would be like with children. After the way they'd been at it for four glorious days and nights, the result was imminent. He smiled and briefly closed his eyes just thinking about it.
Oh, yeah, this was a very personal gift from On High. He'd be rev�erent forever. The way Damali flitted from the counter to the refrig�erator to the stove almost choked him up-the sight of it filled him up so. One day her belly would be heavy and loaded with a life they'd created. One day there would be a tiny little face with big brown eyes watching them tease each other and laugh... He just wondered if what they'd make would have fangs or wings or both. He didn't care, as long as he'd made it with her. God apparently did answer prayers.
Pineapple and papaya that he was supposed to be peeling sat wait�ing for him, but try as he might, he couldn't focus on the fruit while he gazed at her. He was just glad that they were on the same wave�length about not wanting to go out for this last honeymoon meal to�gether. Going back to their waiting Guardian team that was family had definitely lost its appeal, too. Although kidnapping her or stop�ping time to keep life at bay wasn't an option, there was something so private and so profoundly peaceful about this time that he'd tuck it away to savor it beyond the grave. He loved her. Period. End of story.
"You don't have to do this, you know," he finally said in a pleasant, mellow tone, just loving the way her white tank top fit her and the way her sheer white sarong hung low on her hips. He watched her unfettered br**sts bounce as she moved. He wondered if she had on underwear. There was no visible line of a barrier, and the mystery of it all added to the excitement of watching her work. Did life get any better than this?
"I know," she said in a cheerful voice, seeming oblivious to his thoughts; then she stopped to kiss the bridge of his nose across the counter dividing them and went back to her disorganized puttering.
"But you're a vegetarian-you don't even eat steak." He laughed and poured them both another glass of merlot as a diversion, to give his hands something to do, rather than grabbing her.
"So? I know how to cook one, though."
Carlos raised an eyebrow. "Uh... you don't really have to cook it all that much for me... just a flash on both sides, and-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know... leave it running blood." Damali sucked her teeth. "I still don't see how you can go there with beef, but I'm not gonna start."
They both laughed.
"What can I say?" Carlos ran his tongue over the slight hint of fangs that had begun to crest just from the sound of her voice. "Baby, I don't want anything green on my plate, and you don't have to put a bunch of mushrooms and onions and stuff on the steak," he added in protest when she began making him a side salad. "You do the tabouli and hummus, and pita, and rice and beans and all that... just-"
"Carlos," she fussed. "You're still mostly human and need to eat a balanced meal. Vegetables are good for you."
He sighed. "Then go light on the garlic, okay?" His smile widened when she waved her hand at him. "I know all the blood-cleansing properties and what the health food digests say, but truth be told, it still gives me wicked heartburn," he said, laughing hard as she frowned. "Not everything came out of the sunlight straight, and if you smother that steak with that marinade you're concocting, you might as well drag me back to the family house on a livery tonight." He arched an eyebrow again and gave her a sly smile as he began peeling the fruit she'd shoved toward him. "I had other plans... but, uh, whatever you fix, I'll eat."
She set the small bowl of marinade down hard and chuckled. "Flash it, two seconds on each side-no salt, no pepper, no nothing?"
"Au naturel works best for me... you know that." He glimpsed her from the corner of his eye, and was rewarded by her brilliant smile.
"Fine." She moved to the counter and sipped her wine, keeping the butcher block between them, and then turned back to the stove.
As she moved about, all he could envision was the way her white wings would slowly unfold from her shoulders at the height of mak�ing love. Her satiny smooth legs peeked out from the sarong each time she pivoted to get something out of the cabinets or the fridge, and her bare feet sounded like a soft sigh.Thank you, God... She washis wife. He could get used to the institution, for sure.
He burst out laughing as she pulled the steak out of the broiler, lifted it with a fork and a droll expression, then eased it onto a plate- her eyes saying yuck.