The Price of Exorcism by Dakota Brown (sneezy the snowman read aloud .txt) 📗

Wow, weren't we cozy cozy all of a sudden. She'd donemore than just piss me off, though I doubted she knew it. I didn't have a halfangel here to negate whatever Ezra was doing to me, and while I had some prettysignificant will power in some ways, when it came to getting laid, my willpower was negligible. The arrangement with Mal, Aaron, and Sabian certainlymade it so I wasn't going to go out and get randomly kinky with just anyone.Especially since I had much higher standards now than I had a few months ago,but Ezra wasn't off limits, and I was sure he'd live up to my new expectations.

"How do you know her?" Ezra prompted.

This close, Ezra's scent caught my attention anddistracted me further. Sharp cinnamon combined with the woodsy scent of acampfire. Comforting, enticing, and entirely a scent I wouldn't mind beingcovered with. I buried my face in his neck and ran my hand up his silky shirt.It was every bit as soft as I'd imagined, contrasting nicely with firm musclesunderneath.

"You smell good," I murmured.

Ezra went still, holding his breath, his hand tighteningon my arm where it had been loosely draped.

"We're in the back of a car in the middle of NewYork City," he reminded me, his voice sounding strained.

"You're a demon. Aren't you into naughty thingslike that?" I just barely stopped myself from licking his neck.

He took in a shuddering breath. "If you keep onlike this, you're going to find out," he replied, voice low.

We were on the edge of a precipice, and the only thingthat kept me from tumbling over the edge was the car pulling over to the curb. Mayhembarked quietly, as if in warning.

With a shuddering breath, I straightened, clenching myhands together.

Ezra took a deep breath as if to steady himself,before removing his arm from around my shoulders.

I instantly felt empty.

"Ezra, we gotta do something about this." Iwas nearly trembling with desire and my leg was still pressed against his.Before, touch had calmed the need, but now it wasn't helping.

"I have a few ideas," he replied.

"I don't think fucking is going to help ourproblem," I grumbled.

Ezra laughed. "While that is certainly on mymind. That's not quite the solution I had planned."

"Right, gottcha." I blushed, voice hoarse,and reminded myself that he hadn't really been into touching when he'd firstpossessed me. This was likely just as uncomfortable for him, but for differentreasons.

The demon prince's reply was interrupted by the dooropening as the driver got around to our side of the vehicle.

Ezra got out, leaving me quivering in his absencethough he was still within touching distance. Mayhem jumped out. I grabbed myduffle and took Ezra's offered hand, letting him help me get out of the car. Itwas more to touch him again, than because I needed help.

He said something to the driver that I didn't hear,and then tucked my arm under his and led the way to the hotel.

I gawked like a tourist. It was clearly some fancy asshit establishment and I was sure I'd embarrass Ezra with my lack of classpretty fast. They even had a guy at the door who offered to take my bag, thoughthe look he was giving me bordered on horrified. He seemed to be familiar withEzra, though.

Before I could object, the demon took my duffle andhanded it to the young man along with some money.

"This is Ms. Price," Ezra introduced me. "She'sone of the key speakers at the convention we are attending. Please treat her assuch."

The guy's eyebrows nearly disappeared under hishairline. "She is?" He cleared his throat. "My apologizes. Thatwas uncalled for." He bowed. "It's a pleasure, Ms. Price."

"No worries, mate. I get that a lot."

He seemed a little reassured. "I'll see your bagup to your suite. If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to ask."He didn't notice Mayhem.

"Thanks."

He held the door for us, and I let Ezra drag me awayfrom my belongings.

"You sure that's safe?" I muttered. "Notworried about the clothes, obviously."

"Yes, Chris. It will be fine. Let's go."

"What convention?"

"As soon as we're in our suite I will explain asmuch as I can."

"Our suite?" Awfully presumptuous of him.

"Neither of us is safe right now. It's easier toput protections on one room than two." He gave me a slightly annoyed lookand tightened his grip on my arm as if I might try to bolt.

Right now, there was nothing further from my mind. Iwanted to melt into him to such a distracting degree that there was no way Iwas going to be able to function until we fixed whatever the fuck was wrongwith us.

The floors were marble, and my boots clunked loudly aswe walked across them. Ezra made barely a sound. A few women in suits, withperfectly coifed hair, looked down their noses at me. I was really tempted toget some hair gel and spike mine up just to fuck with them, though I did trynot to gawk quite so obviously. That kind of ruined the image that I might, insome small way, actually belong here. If you stretched your imagination to itslimits, anyway. Maybe it was the pizza parlor logo boldly displayed on the backof my jacket. Maybe it was my entire image. I almost laughed as I thought Iheard someone exclaim in horror behind me. Yeah, the jacket was definitelygetting as much attention as the rest of me was, if not more.

Ezra hit the button on the elevator, laughing quietly."You do make an impression," he said as the doors slid open.

"It's true," I agreed with him. "Not mynormal crowd by any stretch."

"Certainly not the types I tend to socializewith," Ezra replied. "Business on the other hand."

"Really?"

He nodded.

"That's disturbing."

Mayhem pressed up against my leg and I leaned on Ezra,tremors still working their way through my body.

"Please tell me you can fix this."

"I will try. Trust me, it's not any more pleasantfor me."

Right. He really didn't want to touch me.

The demon sighed. "That's not what I meant, Chris."

"You don't like touching."

"Oh, I very much like touching you."

I shivered, his low, seductive voice going straight tomy