Demon's Kiss by Devereaux, J. (best sci fi novels of all time .TXT) 📗

have raiseddifficult questions and revealed far too much to Templeton.

“Get up,” Templeton snapped as he strode into the light.

Reluctantly Asmodeus obeyed, his hands clenched as he foughtboth his fury and the reminder of their helplessness.

His pain was nearly palpable. It radiated from every tautline of his body.

Gabriel got to her feet as well, surprised to find herself alittle dizzy. Or perhaps it might have been the lovemaking. Her muscles stilljumped a little.

Templeton barked to Asmodeus, “Assume human form.”

Gabriel looked at Asmodeus. He had said he could. Shecouldn’t help being curious. What would he look like as a human?

At the moment his teeth were bared in a furious snarl, lipspeeled back, the fangs sharp, and she couldn’t blame him.

Fury was as nothing as a description for what Asmodeus felt.

He hated it. Hated the confinement, he who had always beenfree. Hated being subject to another’s will, he who had never been subject toanyone’s will but his own. He hated the loss of his heightened senses in humanform, of the restriction of his sight, of the limitations of that body,although he could tolerate it.

More than anything though, it was changing on command,especially the command of this man, one he truly despised.

Templeton gestured to his minions and the one by the Booklooked at Asmodeus in sharp question as another went to kneel by Asmodeus’ankle, a key in his hand. It was just another kind of lash. Do as he was told,or he would be driven to his knees by the spells of the Book.

Rage washed through him. Futile rage. As long as they hadthe Book, as long as there was iron on him, he was helpless.

Furious, Asmodeus shook his head. He wouldn’t fight, it waswasted energy but it shamed him.

“Come,” Templeton commanded as he would to a lap dog.

Asmodeus fought his rage at being spoken to in such a way.He was all too aware of the darkness of the chamber that surrounded them, ofthe unseen men who hid in the shadows. Gabriel would be here in this place,alone and outnumbered. There was no choice. They could and would compel him.They had before. It tore at him though, to leave her undefended now that he hadsuddenly found her, but he had no choice but to obey. Worry nagged at himalthough he tried not to show it.

Asmodeus’ reluctance, his fury and frustration, beat at theback of Gabriel’s mind, no matter how much he tried to hide that from Templetonand from her. The tension in his shoulders betrayed his reluctance to leave andshe could see the concern in his eyes though he dared not voice it.

Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. Shevisualized her training at Quantico, her years with the Bureau, the desperatesituations she had found herself in and had survived.

She could see that it grated on him though, went against hisevery instinct.

“Asmodeus,” Templeton said, in warning, with a nod to hisman with the Book.

Teeth gritted, jaw clenched, Asmodeus shifted.

Even as she watched, his skin changed color from a rich deepscarlet to a dark burnished copper. His perfect features were still incredibly,preternaturally beautiful, but his coloring and features now appeared to besome exotic mix of Caucasian, Asian, African-American and Native American. Hischeekbones were still high but his eyes had darkened and had the faintest tilt,his jaw was still defined, still determined, and his long hair still floweddown to his shoulders in a silken ebony stream.

His wings and tail had disappeared.

Impotent fury raged in eyes that were now…brown? But theywere so dark they might be black. Sparks of gold and red seemed to float withinthem. That was the only sign of his true nature.

He wore a tailored, designer suit as if he had been born toit, as if it were a second skin. It somehow emphasized his broad shoulders,trim waist and narrow hips, although the crisp white shirt didn’t quite concealthe broad muscles of his chest.

Even in human form he was beautiful, so incredibly gorgeousand astonishingly sexy.

He was still and always Asmodeus.

“Templeton,” Gabriel said, abruptly.

The man turned to glare at her.

Asmodeus’ now-dark eyes glowed with a concern she knew hedared not show outwardly and she wished she could touch him to reassure him, toease his fear. Already, she felt the lack of him, an emptiness at her side thathadn’t been there before.

With her gaze on Templeton, she said, “Food? Water?Bathroom? A shower?”

The rumble in her empty stomach had brought it to mind butshe knew they would also have to open that portal to deliver it to her or takeher to it. There might be a chance, something—a way to escape, a way to get herand Asmodeus free. If nothing else, she would learn more about where they werebeing held and what they were up against.

Templeton’s eyes narrowed.

“Even a demon won’t want me if I stink,” she said, as shesent a mental apology to Asmodeus. “And if I’m to feed him, I must be fed.”

Just the thought of putting it that way, of describing thebeauty and pleasure of what had passed between them in such harsh terms, madeher skin crawl but Templeton wouldn’t understand anything less.

Asmodeus’ mental touch reassured her that he took nooffense.

With a gesture at his people, Templeton said, “Feed her. Seeto her needs. Make no mistakes.”

His men trained their weapons on her. They weren’t going totake any chances. She’d have to do something about that.

“Asmodeus, come.” Templeton snapped his fingers and Asmodeusfought his rage at once again being summoned like a dog.

Every muscle tight with protest, Asmodeus did as he was bid.He didn’t dare look back at Gabriel as the doorway opened, knowing the gesturemight betray them. He must appear to view her as no more than sustenance orgive Templeton that much more power over him, at least until they could find away to escape or fight their way free.

If Templeton were to harm her though?

Something inside Asmodeus went very cold and still at thethought. Then he would indeed become the demon they supposed him to be. Thatwas how his people had earned the name in the first place—when