it possesses the appropriate trigger in its blood,” Kristoff said. “I was unlucky, but I refuse to be ruled by bloodlust.”
“Kristoff has been an Underealm liaison for decades,” Conah explained. “He works for us.”
“With you,” Kristoff corrected.
Conah inclined his head. “Of course.”
“And I have information.”
“You’ve been tracking the Dread that attacked the Academy.” I looked from Kristoff to Conah and back. “Haven’t you?”
His smile was thin and cool. “Correct. I have reason to believe that they will be congregating in two days’ time, and I have a location.”
Conah set down his mug, and even Mal sat up with interest.
“How reliable is your information?” Azazel asked.
Kristoff fixed his spectacled gaze on him. “As reliable as always.”
Azazel nodded.
“Even though you refuse to share your sources,” Mal said slyly.
Kristoff let out a sharp bark of laughter. “Trust me, I’m doing you a favor.”
“Where?” Conah asked.
“The industrial estate on the borders of westside Necro. I’ll text you the coordinates. I’m not sure which building, though.”
“We’ll find it,” Azazel said.
“In that case”—Kristoff gave me a mock bow—“Conah, you may drop me home.”
Conah walked over to Kristoff, clasped his hand, and the two vanished.
I stared at the spot where they’d just been. That was it? He’d come here to tell us that? I mean, it was monumental information, but he could have texted Conah with it. Why come all the way here and have a meeting? Oh … The penny dropped.
I turned to the guys, hands on hips. “You wanted me to feel involved, didn’t you?”
Azazel snorted. “I told you she wasn’t stupid.”
“Never said she was,” Mal replied. “Conah and his idiotic gestures.” He canted his head and shrugged. “He’s trying to make it up to you.”
With a token meeting that didn’t need to happen. But yeah, I appreciated the gesture. Still … “It’ll take more than one meeting to do that.”
Azazel stood and headed out of the room. “I have meetings of my own.”
Outlier meetings? “Wait.”
He stopped in the doorway.
“Can I come with you?”
He blinked at me in surprise.
I shrugged. “About time I saw what you guys get up to.”
Mal slowly unfurled his body from the sofa. “Take her with you, Az.”
Azazel looked me up and down again. “Go put your reaper gear on. Pinnacle in twenty.” He strode off.
Mal blew out a whistle. “Shit, I was expecting more of a fight.”
“Why?”
“Azazel’s a solo kinda guy, unlike me.”
He padded over to me, looking, for all intents and purposes, like a pantherine predator. I resisted the urge to back up. This was Mal. Play-around, talk-smack Mal. So, why was my tummy fluttering? It was that damn chest. That bare six-pack begging to be caressed.
He stepped into my personal space and hooked a finger under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. “It’s my turn next time.” He swept his tongue across his bottom lip and dropped his emerald gaze to my mouth. He leaned in, so our faces were an inch apart. “Next time, I get to show you my world.”
My mouth parted, blood rushing to my lips, making them throb and ache for him to close the distance between us. Tingles rushed up my shoulders and the sides of my neck, settling just below my ears.
“Stop it.” My voice was a whisper.
“Stop what?”
“The suggestion shit.”
His mouth hooked up slightly. “I’m not doing anything, Fee. This is all you.” And then he kissed me, claiming my bottom lip as if it was a succulent treat, sucking gently on it, then moving onto my top lip with just as much diligence. “You should stop me,” he said between kisses. “You should push me away.”
Yes. I should, but instead, I was running my hands up his chest to hook around his neck. Instead, I pulled him closer.
“Fuck.” He groaned. He gripped my nape and forced my head back to deepen the kiss. His tongue swept into my mouth in sweet invasion, licking me out in a way that had me squeezing my thighs together against the desperate aching pulse. Our mouths slid against each other, hungrier by the second. My breasts squashed against his chest, and his erection pressed to my abdomen.
I wanted more. I needed more. I needed him to fuck me. Oh, fuck. What was I doing? I pulled away with a ragged gasp and pressed a hand to my mouth, which still carried the imprint of his.
Mal reached for me, but then slowly lowered his hands. His eyes were dark and ravenous. Desire was stamped all over his beautiful face, and then he