Page 16

Chapter 16

Storm

The last thing Storm wanted was for Lilith to learn about his feelings for Nathan, but it was far too late to worry about that. Now, he focused on her, determined not to let Nathan’s wandering hands distract him from the conversation. Somebody needed to keep a clear head, and Storm wanted to be that for Nathan now.

“What do you want?” Lilith asked, sitting back in her chair and crossing her legs primly. “Why are you here?”

“The pills,” Talon said. “Why are you distributing them? What’s your plan?”

Lilith’s blood red lips curled into a slight smile. “I’m just providing a service for a client.”

“Which client?”

“Ah-ah-ah. That’s confidential,” she said.

“What do the pills do?”

She gestured to Alex and Nathan. “Can’t you tell?”

Storm glanced over. Nathan’s hand was trailing up and down Storm’s abdomen, and Alex was doing the same to Talon, his blue eyes distant like he was lost in the sensation of the cotton on his palm.

“Magda said it makes them feel like us,” Storm said. “Is that true?”

Lilith’s gaze darkened as she turned toward him. “I see you’ve got one now, too,” she said, looking disdainfully at the ring on Nathan’s hand. “It’s spreading like a plague.”

Storm scowled.

“The pills, Lilith,” Talon said. “We need to know their purpose.”

She shot Talon a simpering smile. “Why, chaos, of course.”

Talon shook his head. “They’re targeting paladins.”

“Are they?” She blinked innocently. “Like I said, I’m just a distributor. I have nothing to do with their purpose.”

“They’re killing people,” Talon said. “If we can trace them back to you, so can the paladins. I thought you didn’t want more heat on your club?”

“It won’t matter if the pills do what they’re meant to.”

“Which is ?” Storm prompted impatiently.

Lilith sighed, flicking a hand through the air. “Think about it, boys. The paladins are all in a tizzy about some of their members falling for demons. They’re blaming us , even though the majority of us have nothing to do with you all. To ensure our own safety, we’re… taking the fight to them, in a way.”

“‘We?’” Talon repeated. “Who is ‘we?’”

Lilith’s throaty laugh danced through the air. “You’re not the only one with a lover. It just so happens that mine has sway in Hell.”

“Who?” Talon asked.

“I don’t believe you’ve met. And it doesn’t matter. He’s hiding very well right now while his people work on perfecting the pill.”

“Perfecting it?” Storm asked. “You mean it’s not already doing what it’s supposed to?”

Lilith laughed aloud. “Not at all. You think it’s supposed to take seven doses before the possessor can break free? And even then, it’s not fast enough. The host dies before it can get out. Human bodies are so goddamn fragile.”

Under Storm’s arm, Nathan shuddered.

“What’s the point?” Talon asked. “Why bother with possessors? If you want to go after the guild, just recruit your army of halflings. Don’t you have enough people already who would do your bidding?” He gestured to the goons on either side of her, who both stiffened in offense.

Lilith scoffed. “Halflings were once human. They have the same selfish nature as their human counterparts. They’re cowardly and self-serving. They only do what I want because I provide them with services they want to use, like the club and the drugs. No, halflings aren’t a sufficient army to go up against the guild—not with their holy water and blades. But possessors? They’re remarkably strong in Hell. So strong, in fact, that it was considered balance for them to be unable to travel with their physical bodies to Earth. But give them an avenue to the surface, and they’ll not only be powerful adversaries, they’ll be loyal . They’ll fight for our cause—or rather, his cause.”

“Who?” Talon barked. “Give me a name.”

“No,” she said gleefully.

Talon growled and took a step toward her. The goons behind her raised their guns—not at him, but at Alex and Nathan. Storm stiffened, and Nathan’s hand went from petting his stomach to clenching in his shirt.

“Talon,” he warned. Nathan hadn’t had his blood. If he was shot, he would die.

“Now you know,” Lilith said dismissively. “I’ve answered all the questions I’m going to. You know what the pills do and why. Just keep your humans from ingesting any more , and they’ll likely be fine.”

“That isn’t the point—” Storm started.

“It’s the only point you should concern yourself with,” Lilith said coldly. “If you’re worried about your human, convince him to take that ring off and leave his precious guild.”

Nathan made a noise under his breath.

Lilith went on, addressing Talon. “You’ve never involved yourself in my affairs before. I suggest you don’t start now. My companion’s desire to handle the guild for me has nothing to do with you or your human. Stay out of the way, for both your sakes.”

“I don’t take kindly to threats,” Talon said gravely.

“It’s no threat,” Lilith said calmly. “But truly, wouldn’t it be in your best interest to let the possessors handle the guild?”

“There are good people in the guild,” Nathan murmured, scrubbing his jaw on Storm’s shoulder.

Lilith rolled her eyes. “‘Good’ is subjective. No, we’re done here. It’s time for you to go.”

Storm met Talon’s assessing gaze. They couldn’t press without being threatened, and she wouldn’t hurt them. She’d hurt Alex and Nathan.

“Fine,” Talon said. “We’ll go.”

Nathan raised his head. “We will?”

“Yep. Come on, Nate.”

Storm hauled Nathan back out of the room with Talon and Alex on his heels. Talon was frog-marching Alex in front of him—likely because he didn’t trust Lilith’s goons not to shoot him in the back if presented with the opportunity. None of them spoke until they were downstairs, their voices masked by the pulsing music overhead.

“What now?” Storm asked.

“We know a demon is pushing the drugs, and Lilith is helping distribute them. We need to find out where they’re coming from.”

“We could come back without the humans, push her until she talks,” Storm suggested.

“No, she’s obviously upped her security.” He tilted his head. “Did you know she had a lover? Has she ever talked about anyone before?”

“Not that I know of. I mean, I just guarded the door. It’s not like I was part of her inner circle or anything.”

Talon hummed. “I’ll talk to Xyra, see if she knows anything.”

“The boy,” Nathan said suddenly, straightening.

“What boy?” Storm asked.

“The dead one. He was a college student.” Nathan swayed like he was drunk. “We go there. Ask around about him. See if he was buying it elsewhere. It can’t just be coming from the club. Too easy to trace back to Lilith.”

Talon inclined his head. “That’s true. It would be incredibly easy to trace it all back to her if this was the only place distributing it. You think it could be getting around the campus somehow?”

“He was a college student. We were on the campus when I was attacked,” Nathan said, slipping one hand under Storm’s shirt to flatten against his stomach. Storm tried not to outwardly react, but the touch made his cock twitch in his jeans.

“Okay, team, let’s brainstorm more when they’re sober,” Storm suggested.

“Yes,” Talon agreed. “I’m going to take him home. Don’t worry about driving us.”

“All right. Text the others for me and let them know we’ll meet to discuss everything with them later?”

“I will. See you tomorrow.”

They disappeared from sight before Storm could even nod, and he focused his attention on Nathan. “You ready to go home?”

“Home,” Nathan repeated, leaning into him. “It’s so far.” He hugged Storm’s waist and nuzzled his neck, sucking hard.

Storm bit back a moan. “I really think you’d prefer to be at home before we start anything too fun.”

“No,” Nathan whined.

“No?”

“Take me to your place. I want to see it.” Nathan raised his head, drawing Storm into a deep, drugging kiss, slick with tongue and full of heat.

Storm forgot what they were supposed to be doing. Nathan’s hands roamed his body, and Storm pushed him up against the wall by the door, devouring his mouth until Nathan was moaning and panting, rubbing himself against Storm like he’d completely forgotten they were in a room full of drunk people.

Because of that, Storm forced himself to slow down, prying his mouth from Nathan’s and urging his pretty gray eyes to focus. “We’re going to my place, and then I’m going to fuck you.”

Relief passed across Nathan’s face. “Yes, please .”

God, he loved when he begged. “Okay. Come on.”

* * *

Storm had never given much thought to whether his living space would be to anyone else’s liking. It served him well enough, and that was all that mattered—until now.

Nathan, who normally sat in the passenger seat, was now squeezed into the middle seat of Storm’s truck, tucked tightly up against Storm’s side as he wove through traffic. His hands roamed Storm’s body, and Storm struggled to keep his mind focused on the task at hand. Driving, and, idly, wondering what Nathan would think of his open, warehouse-style apartment. He’d bought the upper floor of a development in its early days a few years ago. The rest of the floors had been divided up into smaller apartments, but his hadn’t been. He’d left it mostly empty, keeping it as a backup place, which had recently come in handy when they’d all moved to throw the paladins off their scent.

“There’s no way you feel like this all the time,” Nathan said, pressing his lips to the curve of Storm’s shoulder. His pupils were blown wide, his mouth open and panting lightly.

Storm grinned. “Why is that?”

“Because you’d never let me leave the bed.”

“It’s a real hardship,” Storm admitted. “I imagine it’s different for us, though. If what you’re feeling is really how we feel all the time, it’s normal for us. We’ve adjusted to it, so it doesn’t feel exaggerated for me like it does for you right now.”

“I see. But at first?”

Storm shrugged. “I don’t really remember it all that well, but probably. Being back on the surface is pretty overwhelming all on its own, anyway. The bright lights, the sounds, the smells.”

“Mm,” Nathan hummed against Storm’s shoulder. “ You smell good.”

Storm grinned. “Just a little longer, sunshine.”

“I can’t wait,” Nathan whined.

“Yes, you can.” He’d never envied Talon’s ability to teleport more. He cast about for something to distract him. “Hey, tell me what you were thinking when you first walked into the club. You had an odd look on your face.” He rested his hand on Nathan’s thigh, stroking gently with his thumb.

Nathan hummed under his breath.

“Were you just overwhelmed?”

“No. Well, yes. But no. I saw people in restraints. I wondered what it would feel like to surrender like that with you.”

Storm’s cock hardened rapidly at the thought. He could make that happen at his apartment, if Nathan wanted it. He had the means—and the gear. As the bouncer, he didn’t often take people home from the club. It was more likely he’d wind up in a VIP room with someone after his shift, but he still had all the right toys of his own, should he want to bring someone home for a more private session. It hadn’t happened in months, and he could think of no one he’d rather break that streak with than Nathan. Only Nathan. Always.

“We can do that if you want, sunshine,” Storm said. “Say the word.”

Teeth pressed against his bicep. “Please.” The words were damp against his skin.

Hell yes.

They couldn’t get to his apartment fast enough. He burned rubber coming to a stop in the parking garage below the building and all but hauled Nathan out of the truck after him. In the elevator, he pressed Nathan to the wall by the buttons and pressed the one for the top floor.

“Do you want a safe word?” Storm asked.

“Safe word?” Nathan’s eyes were blown wide, his face and neck flushed.

“Yes. A random word you say if you want the sex to stop.”

Nathan looked affronted. “Why the hell would I want the sex to stop?”

Storm grinned. “Okay, your word is London. If you feel overwhelmed or need to stop for any reason—even a drink of water—I want you to say it. Okay?”

His nonplussed expression didn’t fill Storm with confidence. “Okay.”

“What’s your word?”

“London.”

“Good. The minute we step out of this elevator, I’m taking over. You do everything I say, exactly as I say it.”

“Why?” Nathan asked.

Storm leaned in, capturing his lips in a heated, hungry kiss. “Because if you do, I’ll make you feel incredible .”

Nathan’s eyes hooded with want. “Okay.”

The elevator dinged. Storm didn’t turn as the doors opened, watching Nathan’s eyes dart to them and back, waiting. His pretty gray eyes were wide with anticipation, and Storm could barely believe this was really about to happen. Nathan was going to let him have him , however he wanted. Where did he even begin? There were so many things he wanted to show him.

He gripped Nathan’s shoulders, sliding down his arms to his hands. Nathan’s breath left in a quiet whoosh as Storm tugged him away from the elevator wall and into the hallway. His was the only door on the right, and windows lined the left.

His apartment was mostly open. A minimalistic kitchen with gray cabinets and sleek, white marble counters sat on the left. Bare brick walls, wide windows, and tall, twenty-foot ceilings made the space seem cavernous. The bathroom was in the corner on the right, and living room furniture dotted the room. In the back corner, his bed awaited in the loft upstairs. They would get there eventually. For now, Storm led Nathan to the sofa.

“Take your clothes off. All of them,” he ordered.

Nathan’s face was flushed as he silently obeyed, trembling fingers divesting himself of his clothes one piece at a time. Shirt, boots, socks, jeans, boxers. It all wound up in a pile over the arm of the sofa, boots on the floor beside it. When he was completely naked, his cock hanging full and heavy between his legs, Storm adopted a stern expression.

“I said everything.”

Nathan’s brow furrowed. He looked down at himself, going so far as to pass a hand down his lightly furred abdomen, as though double-checking that he hadn’t forgotten anything.

Storm captured his left hand, raising it to show him the guild ring.

“Oh,” Nathan breathed. “I rarely ever take that off. I don’t even notice it most of the time.”

“I know.”

For a moment, Storm thought Nathan would resist. He studied the ring on his own finger like he was seeing it for the first time, and then, just when Storm was taking a breath to speak—though he had no idea what he would say—Nathan tugged it off and dropped it on top of his clothing.

A shiver of triumph went through Storm.

“Bend over the couch,” he ordered next, “and spread yourself open wide for me.”

Nathan’s lips parted. His bare feet shuffled on the wood floor as he turned, bending over the back of the sofa so that his chest was pressed against the top of the cushions. With a quiet whimper, he reached back and spread himself open.

There was no other power like this, Storm thought as he blanketed Nathan’s naked body with his clothed one. He took his time, bestowing kisses, licks, and nips across every inch of skin he could reach. Nathan’s neck, ears, shoulders, back. His hands roamed while his mouth moved, down Nathan’s flanks and back up, petting through his chest hair and the trail of it down his stomach. He licked his fingertips and teased Nathan’s nipples until the man was writhing beneath him, the sensitive buds hard beneath the pads of his fingers.

Nathan whimpered and moaned, arching his back and pressing his body back against Storm, but he never spoke. Never asked for more. He took what Storm gave him, and it made Storm want to push .

He dropped to his knees. Nathan’s fingers left divots in his own ass cheeks, and his pink, puckered hole waited like a gift for Storm to take. He dove in with deep, hot kisses, spearing his tongue inside over and over. He palmed the heavy sac hanging between Nathan’s legs, and his knees parted further, going up on his toes and pressing back against Storm’s mouth.

“Storm,” he whimpered.

“Shh,” Storm breathed against one cheek. “I’ve got you.” One hand slipped past his sac, taking his length in hand and pumping firmly.

Nathan moaned, thrusting into his fist. A punched out sound left Nathan, muffled against the back of the sofa where he’d hidden his face. Storm sank his tongue inside his hole as he worked his cock, and Nathan’s back arched, needy. His free hand held Nathan’s hip, stroking soothingly as he focused his mouth on his hole, kissing it hungrily and massaging the ring of muscle with his tongue. Nathan’s cock was leaking precum onto his fingers, slicking his grip. He liked this a lot; that was good. Storm could do this for hours, working Nathan toward the edge with his mouth.

“You’re such a good boy,” Storm praised, licking deep into his hole. “Doing so good for me. Doing exactly as I asked.”

Nathan shuddered above him.

Reluctant as he was to stop, he didn’t want to fuck him over the sofa, so he stood and guided Nathan up with him. Nathan stepped into his embrace right away, trembling, and tucked his face into the curve of Storm’s neck. His hard length pressed against Storm’s hip, but he made no move for more.

“Let’s go upstairs,” he said. He felt more powerful than ever like this, fully dressed while Nathan was naked and desperate under his hands.

They walked slowly to the bedroom, tangled up in each other, Nathan walking backwards as they traded hungry, sloppy kisses. When they reached the foot of the stairs, Storm grabbed two handfuls of Nathan’s ass and lifted him up. Nathan wrapped his legs around Storm right away, and Storm carried him up like that, their tongues tangling. He kept one hand on the railing and took his time, careful not to stumble with something so precious in his arms. Nathan trusted him to keep him safe, and he’d be goddamned if anything happened to him on Storm’s watch.

At the foot of the bed, Storm paused, gazing down into lust-filled gray eyes and filled with affection for this trusting human in his arms. He’d do anything to keep Nathan by his side.

He gently lowered Nathan to his feet and said, “On your knees, sunshine.”

Nathan’s lips parted as he dropped deftly to his knees, his hungry gaze falling to Storm’s groin.

Storm stepped back, and a hint of uncertainty found its way to Nathan’s eyes. Storm offered him a reassuring smile as he undressed, tossing his shirt away and toeing off his shoes. Nathan relaxed again as he watched, and when Storm was as naked as he was, he returned, stroking Nathan’s cheek with one hand and guiding the fat head of his cock to Nathan’s lips.

“Open up. Take me as deep as you can.”

Nathan, Storm reminded himself, didn’t have much experience sucking cock. So it was a surprise when he sealed his lips around the head and started inching his length into his mouth, past the level of comfort, until Storm felt the back of his throat. The muscles there constricted around him as Nathan’s gag reflex kicked in, but Nathan didn’t stop, opening wide and fighting it.

“Sunshine,” Storm started to protest.

Nathan shook his head lightly, pulling back and sucking him back down. His mouth was hot and tight, pleasure crawling through Storm’s veins as Nathan found a stubborn rhythm, taking him a little deeper each time, like he was determined to have him all, one or another.

Storm resisted the urge to let his eyes fall shut. He wanted to see this, Nathan on his knees and taking him deep. His lips grew red and slick, saliva dripping down his chin and Storm’s balls.

When Nathan whimpered, a hand fluttering against Storm’s leg as though to pull him closer, Storm asked, “What do you need, sunshine? Tell me.”

Nathan didn’t use his words. His hands closed around Storm’s hips, pulling him in as Nathan moved his head, and a jolt of heat went through Storm.

“You want me to fuck your face?”

Nathan’s eyes rolled as they fell shut, blissful.

“Fuck, sunshine. You sure?” Storm couldn’t believe it. Nathan was still pretty new to this. Was it the drug?

Nathan nodded, tongue flicking against the underside of Storm’s cock. He whimpered, sucking hard.

“Okay.” Storm threaded his fingers into Nathan’s hair to hold him still and thrust into his mouth. His throat convulsed around Storm’s cock, but there was no hesitation on his face. In fact, he moaned, sucking when Storm pulled back, like he could stop Storm from going too far with suction alone. “Goddamn, Nate.”