Red Blooded

His lips took mine again as he slid his hands down my back until they were firmly planted around my backside. In one motion he picked me up, and I obliged by wrapping my legs around his waist. He walked us into the large room covered in an intricate mosaic of black and white tile, kicking the door shut behind us.

I broke the kiss as I glanced upward. Everywhere I could see were row after row of what looked to be sprinkler heads. I gazed back down at my mate with one eyebrow arched. He flashed me a devious smile and reached a hand over and flipped a large switch on the wall.

Demon water cascaded down around us in heavy currents, coating us completely in seconds.

It was thick and warm, instantly eating off all the nasty grime as it went. Rourke leaned into me, his cinnamon-laced breath on mine. “No one will begrudge us a quick shower break.” His eyes twinkled. “I smelled like old roadkill. A demon would scent me a mile away, making our getaway much too risky.”

“I hadn’t noticed any nefarious smells,” I replied coyly. “You always smell like heaven to me.” I cupped a hand around his jaw as I moved forward and took his mouth slowly, enjoying the feeling of the wetness coupled with his heat.

Once our kiss deepened, he walked me over to a ledge that ran around the large showering area. My backside fit perfectly onto the shelf and he pressed his way between my thighs, flattening himself against me.

Gods, he felt so good.

My hands splayed along his now-clean torso and I leaned over and bit his bottom lip. No other man in the history of the universe was as hot as he was. I would dare anyone to say otherwise. My wolf barked her agreement.

The shower continued to rain down as I covered his mouth with mine, my tongue plunging deeply. He returned my kiss with a sigh, tilting our heads together, melding them perfectly. His full warm lips felt ridiculously good against mine. He took his sweet time exploring my mouth, making my toes curl in pleasure. I ran my hands up his neck and into his hair, grabbing fistfuls and forcing us together even closer. I had missed him an insane amount.

I broke the kiss reluctantly, pressing my forehead against his, sliding my hands down his neck, my nails raking his bare shoulders as I murmured into his lips, “We only have about three minutes left to spare in here, you know. We are in the bowels of Hell and it’s imperative we stay focused. People are waiting for us. As much as I regret it, this is not the time for loving.”

“I am laser-focused,” he answered in a serious tone, his voice raw. “This is the most important mission I’ve had in days.”

I laughed into his lips. It felt so good to relax for a few precious moments. “It would be highly inappropriate for us to lose ourselves right now. I know how we operate, and if we give in, we will be lost for hours.”

He gave me a throaty growl. “I’m up for making this quick if you can manage it.” Water rushed down his face and throat and it was hard for me not to lick it off him. The demon water had no taste, and other than bring thicker, it was a lot like our regular water. “After all, you’re the one with the problem. Always wanting more. It’s all I can do to keep you satiated.”

“Quiet!” I squealed, smacking his chest right as the water magically shut off. It must’ve been on a timer, but that was fine because we were squeaky clean. “That’s so unfair. You’re the one who never seems to be finished. Don’t you ever get tired?”

“Not when I’m around you.” He nuzzled my throat. “I’m sure that’s a huge hardship for you.”

I laughed as his hands wandered their way up my chest. “It totally is. I’m drained most of the time.”

“I want to be drained,” he growled as he thumbed my sensitive peaks through the jumpsuit.

“Ahh,” I moaned as my head angled back against the wall. “Rourke, honestly, you have to stop. There will be time for this when we get home. If the Prince comes back here before—”

There was a polite knock on the door and I straightened up.

Tyler cleared his voice politely. “Um, I think we found something that may help us. Lili said it’s important. Also, is that the bathroom? I could use a rinse-off.”

“Yep, it’s the bathroom,” I called. “We’ll be right”—Rourke tweaked me deliciously hard—“ out!”

“Gotcha,” Tyler said, amusement in his voice.

“You win this time,” Rourke whispered in my ear as he tugged me off the ledge, “but all bets are off the next opportunity we get to ourselves. Being connected to you is the most important thing and I don’t give a shit about anything else.” He held me tightly against his length. “I’m taking you.” He leaned over. “Make no mistake about it.”

I slid my hand all the way down to and cupped him, giving him a gentle squeeze. A low growl issued out of the back of his throat.

“I’m all in.” I rose up on tiptoe to his ear. “But only if the timing’s right. I want to enjoy you.”

“Oh, there will be much enjoyment to be had.” He grabbed my hand and led me to what had to be a wall of dryers, even though they looked more like trumpets erupting from the wall. “Now we dry off. After all, we can’t go save the world sopping wet.” He grinned as he punched another button on the wall and the dryers sprang to life. “And I just may have to take that jumpsuit off you to make sure there’s not a drop of water left clinging to it.”

I laughed as he slid me backward, pressing me firmly up against the tiles.

A girl had to get dry somehow.

“What’s in your hand?” I asked my brother as I walked up behind him. The dryers had been ridiculously effective and we’d been dry within a minute, much to Rourke’s chagrin. I’d had to drag him from the bathrooms, promising to do delicious, naughty things to him later.

“It’s an official written warrant for your arrest in the Underworld,” Tyler answered, waving the parchment in the air.

I snatched it from him and scanned it quickly. “It says I’ve committed ‘small, answerable crimes’ to be judged if ‘the defendant arrived to the Underworld of her own volition.’ ” I walked around and sat on one of the black couches, which didn’t give an inch. Ignoring the rigidity, I asked, “Who issued this? I doubt it was the Prince of Hell.”

“No,” Lili answered. “The Prince did not have a hand in that. That was issued by the magistrate, but in order for you to be charged with a crime here someone had to file the appropriate paperwork citing your crimes in detail. No demon here would know about the two imps on your plane or the Camazotz you killed, because to us they simply disappeared. If any demon was upset by the loss, one could rationalize that the Lunar Goddess had purchased them, so therefore they were her responsibility. But in reality, no one would’ve gone looking for them.”