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L ight turned to dark as Madeline waited for Dom’s return. Again. Was he having an I-gotta-get-out-of-here moment or scouring Vast and Angor for signs of Praevus or the others she’d heard mentioned—Michael, Lucian, Harmony?

On days when she was lucid, she begged Dom to take her home. He always said, “No. Not yet.” Of course, when she was Syc, she wanted to stay to serve him. In all ways possible.

Today, tired of shared furtive glances, withheld touches, and long sighs, she had a plan. Certain her re-wired brain was working right, she planted herself in Dom’s bed. Resting on her side, she cocked her elbow, put her head in her palm, and bent her knee. Very seductive in the transparent nighty.

Madeline didn’t belong in Angor. Her life wasn’t here. Nonetheless, she was drawn to the grim Immortal who had saved her. Was it gratitude? Maybe . Was it that she was a Sycophant? Not right now . Her feelings for him were complicated.

They were real. If not real, at least they were curative. Yep . Madeline planned to use sex with the black-winged assassin to soothe her shattered nerves. Then when given the all-clear, she’d be ready to go home. No regrets.

She heard the swoosh of Dom’s wings, and her heart beat a staccato rhythm in her chest. Madeline was no shy virgin, but she wasn’t promiscuous either. The excitement of the first time with a guy made her nervous. The tentative exploring of bodies. The kissing. The slow build followed by an explosion. Those times were magic.

Yep .

Still, not one date or brief fling had stirred her emotions as Dom did.

Listening closely, she heard his thundering footsteps draw nearer. He shoved into the bedroom, his gaze on the floor until... He froze. Taking her in from bare feet to breasts exposed through the sheer nightie, he stopped at her eyes. “What are you doing, Madeline?”

“Maddy.” She batted her eyelashes. Very Barbarella of her. Maybe Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct . She’d go with either. “I would think it’d be obvious unless Immortals do things differently. But I believe not.”

His voice was rougher than usual. “No.”

“No, what? No, Immortals don’t do things differently? No, you won’t come here? Unconfuse me.”

“No, I won’t fuck you.”

“Yes, you will.” She beckoned him closer with a finger. Oh, that was good. She felt quite wicked. A temptress.

Dom moved cautiously to the edge of the mattress. She’d surprised him. Hell . She surprised herself. “Where did you get the...” His hand waved over her outfit. “I didn’t make it.”

“Indigo. Do you like it? I think she’s playing matchmaker.”

For the seduction, Maddy wore a gossamer, red shorty nightgown. The bottom was a barely-there matching thong. The finishing touch was a garter belt with silk stockings. Perfect.

“This is not you.”

“You don’t know me. See, here’s what I hear coming from your mouth. ‘Blah. Blah. I don’t have the balls. Blah.”

He grinned. “You know I’ve got the balls. You’ve seen them.”

She grabbed onto the waistband of his pants and tugged him closer. “Show them to me again. I may have forgotten with all the shit Praevus did to my head.”

“I refuse to take advantage of you.” He tried to pull away. Not very hard.

“So sweet. But no worry. Look at my eyes. What do you see?”

“Blue. Bright blue.”

“Right. So, I guess I’ll take advantage of you. Afterward, you can feel guilty about the whole thing.” She rose onto her knees. His pants were no obstacle. She unsnapped them, drawing the zipper down. His gaze followed the drawn-out progress.

She joggled her fingers inside the gap until they reached his thick shaft. He was hard and ready.

When she stroked him, Dom hissed, gripping her hand to stop her. He fixed on her eyes.

She batted her lashes. “See. Sharp, shiny, and lucid. I’m my own woman. Take advantage of me while you can. I’m fair game when I’m clear-headed.”

Maddy leaned closer, laying a row of kisses on his golden chest. She trailed her lips down the line of dark hair to the flat expanse of his belly, his ridged abs. She shoved his pants down his hips and freed his erection. “Now I recall your big balls.” She grinned. “I like them.”

Dom yanked his shirt overhead and jerked out of his pants. He tumbled Maddy onto her back, threw his heavy body over her, and slid down until he was between her spread thighs. “Just to be sure. Is this the Syc talking or Madeline?”

She tapped her head. “Maddy. Head’s as undimmed as a cloudless sky.”

“Sycs do have moments of clarity.”

“Then let’s get going before I’m not me again.”

“These have to go.” He ripped off the red thong and tossed it over his shoulder, leaving her in the see-through top, garter belt, and stockings. Running his large hands up the insides of her thighs, he shoved her legs farther apart, baring her sex to his hot gaze.

Under Dom’s intense study, she moaned.

When she wiggled her hips, Dom emitted a growl as he bent her knees toward her chest, pushing them wider and opening her further to his scrutiny. He fixed her with a scorching stare.

Without warning, he dipped one thick finger into her sex. Since she was soaked with arousal, he thrust deeper. Withdrawing, he slid his finger up and down, smearing her wetness all around, teasing her clit.

She pushed against his fingers, her hands gripping his forearms. When she cried for more, he obliged by bending his head and licking where his finger had been. Madeline shouted, “Yes. Yes.”

He tortured her with his tongue, stroking back and forth as she pleaded for more, plunging inside her again with two digits. Her hips rocked into his hand. “Harder. Faster.”

Dom picked up the pace until she screamed his name, the orgasm rocketing through her.

She’d been right. He was the perfect balm for shattered nerves.

****

D om’s gaze feasted on Maddy, her head resting on a pillow, her body loose, sated. No panties. He’d seen to that. A garter belt with stockings. Sexy. His dick ached at the sight. But the top was in his way. He paused a moment to analyze whether he was taking advantage of her.

Nope.

She’d said she was clear-headed, and he believed her. No hazy eyes.

Madeline sighed and flung her arms to the side. She blinked, and a satisfied smile curled her lips. “That was great.”

He thought so, too. He’d spent days restraining himself, not acting on his desire for Maddy because she was sick. But the female in his bed was not a Syc. She was as lucid as he was. “I’m not through. Are you okay?”

“Perfect. What’s next?” She rose onto her elbows.

“Are you sure you want this, Maddy? It’s not too late. We’ll stop right here if that’s what you want.” Wasn’t he all considerate, but he meant the words even if his cock was pissed at him. It was hard and demanding.

Dom wanted this human more than anyone or anything for centuries. He would allow himself—this one time—to care. Then he’d lock down his emotions. He’d done it before. He could again.

“I’m sure, Dom.” Her hand moved to caress a breast, her fingers pinching a nipple. “Positive.”

Damn.

Her robin-egg blues were vibrant, lacking a Syc’s mindless gaze. He crawled atop her. “Keep your eyes open. If they glaze over, we’re stopping. No matter what.” He’d keep his promise even if it killed him.

His mouth crushed her warm, eager lips, laying claim to her body.

Madeline clung to him, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

Dom drew away from her mouth and rose onto flexed arms, his stiff cock cradled between her thighs.

“Kiss me again,” she demanded.

Aiming to please, he lowered himself slowly, his weight crushing her into the mattress, her heat sparking his desires. He kissed her neck, the tender skin near her ear, her jaw. When she shivered, he moved to her mouth. His tongue slipped between her lips, tangling with hers. He licked, savoring Madeline’s taste, sweeter than the nectar in Vast, spicier than a Farfield curry.

Despite her objections, he retreated, balancing on a stiffened arm. “This has to go.”

He ripped the sheer red nightie, letting it fall to each side of her. Afterward, he hummed at the bared sight of her breasts, full mounds, and the tawny pebbled nipples aching for his touch.

Madeline groaned when he captured one in his mouth, a perfect, peaked nub. He licked. He sucked. He enjoyed. Then he moved to the other, his teeth grazing her, his tongue laving her skin.

She arched into his advances, pressing firmly against him, encouraging him to suckle her. “Harder,” she whimpered, arching her back.

He opened his mouth wider to take more of her flesh. Blissful, Dom curved one hand around her hip and pulled her tighter into his body, letting her feel the hard jut of his arousal.

“Dom,” she whispered, undulating against him, her fingers tangling in his hair.

He flexed his hips and nudged the tip of his cock inside. Shuddering from the pleasure, he took another inch. As she moaned, he slid deeper. Deeper, not stopping until his balls slapped against her.

Maddy’s tight sheath squeezed him. “Fuck.” Dom growled, the fit perfect. He stilled for a moment, feeling her tremble around him as she adjusted to his thickness, to the hard length of him.

She blew out a shuddering breath.

Dom tilted his head down, spearing his tongue into her mouth. Slowly, he began to move, mimicking the action of the kiss. Withdrawing. Pushing back inside. Doing this repeatedly until her snug sheath relaxed its hold on him.

She moaned, the sounds soft, muffled. When desire overwhelmed him, he lifted himself onto his flexed arms, pulling his cock nearly out until only the crown was drenched in the wet heat of her body. He plunged deep again with a powerful thrust.

Maddy locked her heels around his waist, her hips lifting to meet his downward strokes. Reveling in her slick heat, Dom pounded in and out, driven by a lust he’d never felt before, driven to claim her as his own.

But Immortals did not claim lovers, though some were monogamous. So, he expelled those crazy thoughts, allowing desire to swamp him. Increasing the rhythm, he rocked forward. Backward. Faster.

“Yes. Yes. Don’t stop,” she shouted, her eyes still blue and unclouded.

As if he would. As if he could stop. “Come for me, Maddy.” He pulled nearly out and slammed back inside.

She froze, crying out his name. Once she began to orgasm, Dom surged into her, the stroke of her sheath against him an erotic friction. A sensual haze fogged his mind, whipping him into a frenzy. He hammered into Madeline until his balls tightened. His dark wings shot from his spine when his seed spewed into her, flowing on and on until he was drained, wrung dry by this human female.

Barely conscious, Dom pushed onto his arms, his groin still pressed tight to Maddy. Once his wings returned to where they belonged, he rolled to the side, taking her with him. She cuddled into his chest, her lips against his skin.

“Hmm,” she moaned, relaxing in his grasp.

Dom sighed. Fuck . He had to give her up soon. He had to return her to Earth. She’d made him feel, but he couldn’t keep her.

It was for the best.

He had to be honest. “Maddy, we can never be. Once you are cured, I’ll be taking you home where you belong.”

Her soft fingers stroked his chest. “I know, Dom. But let’s pretend until that time comes.”

“I’m not good at pretending.” He gripped the back of her head and held her tight to him, loving the feel of Maddy.

Damn. What was he doing breaking his rules? Never get close to anyone.