The Sweetest Burn (Broken Destiny #2)

“Maybe we should head back to the light realm, anyway,” I murmured. “We’ve been here for hours. As you said, Demetrius could already be in the city looking for us.”

“You can’t go back,” Zach replied, stunning me. “You also chose to tether your soul to his, so as Adrian’s bond with you fractured his tie to Demetrius, so your bond to him fractured your access to the light realms.”

Shock and disbelief made me ask, “I can’t enter the light realms anymore? At all?”

“Not unless I or another Archon pulls you through their gateways,” Zach replied.

Adrian’s hand slid down my arm in a comforting way even as he sent a truly furious look at Zach. “Why did you wait until it was too late to warn her of that?”

“Ivy, would you rather have access to the light realms or have Adrian by your side?” Zach responded, answering a question with a question.

I closed my eyes. The light realms were more than the only demon-free places in existence plus an endless source of manna; they were also portals that could take us anywhere in the world. Having access to them had been a priceless advantage...unless that price would have cost me Adrian.

“You already know the answer,” I said, opening my eyes.

The stare Zach leveled at Adrian was pointed. “And that is why I did not bother to tell her beforehand. Now, my time is finished here. Return to your hotel. You will be safe there. Even if Demetrius was using your link to follow you, now that it is severed, this city is too populated for him to find you before I return. I will see you at dusk.”

With that, Zach disappeared. “Wait!” I said, but of course, the altar remained empty. How Zach loved his disappearing acts.

Adrian shook his head. “Typical.” Then he took my arm. “Sun’s almost up. Even if Demetrius did follow me here, he can’t stay long enough to find us. This city has millions of people, so even if he sent every minion he made to look for us, they wouldn’t find us, either. I say we go back to the hotel like Zach suggested and then leave with him tonight.”

“All right,” I said, thinking that if Zach hadn’t promised to return, I’d have no way to get Jasmine and Costa out of the light realms. I gave the braided tattoo around my arm a wry glance. As far as it was concerned, the locks on the realm gateways had been changed.

Voices suddenly filled the cathedral as three priests entered from a side door near the front of the church. Then they stopped short when they saw us.

“How did you get in here?” one of them asked, almost sputtering in his indignation.

Adrian snorted as he held open the door for Brutus and me to leave. “Believe me, Father, that’s a long story.”





CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

THE LIMO WAS still parked near the Cathedral, but Brutus was too big to fit inside, so Adrian sent the driver away and we walked back to the hotel. Brutus cringed at each new beam of light as the sun rose. At least the tall buildings kept most of the bright rays from reaching him, and being with us seemed to calm him a little, too. When we entered the Waldorf through the private entrance on 50th Street, the sun was fully up. Brutus hurried into the hotel, and the doorman didn’t even blink at the Archon glamour that made it appear as if we’d gone for a dawn stroll with our pet seagull.

It made me wonder what other strange sights the doorman had seen, but I didn’t pause to ask. I was so exhausted, I was running on fumes, and yet a nervous energy filled me as we entered the elevator, which was thankfully large enough to fit two adults and a hulking gargoyle.

Adrian had fulfilled his promise to prove that he wouldn’t betray me again. And since we were now alone—sort of—with almost a day between now and when we’d see Zach again, with a nice, big bed waiting for us...well. Granted, Adrian had to be as worn-out as I was, so if he stumbled into the bedroom and fell right asleep, I’d completely understand. I might even pass out as soon as my head hit a pillow, too. But—more tingles of anticipation went through me—what if he didn’t want to sleep?

The doors opened onto the Towers floor and we went into the Historic Suite. Adrian threw his coat onto the nearest chair in the foyer and then led Brutus into the side bedroom. I heard drapes being drawn and Adrian speaking in Demonish, followed by chuffs from Brutus, then the sound of water running.

I went into the master bedroom, struck anew by its loveliness. Royal blue drapes hung from the ceiling to frame the entire bed while white pillows and sheets provided a snowy contrast against the deep blue blankets. Crystal lamps adorned the nightstands as well as the end tables around the nearby love seat. A dark wood entertainment center with a flat-screen TV faced the bed, not that I wanted to watch anything right now. I also didn’t want to look at the view from the windows, even though from this high up, it was really something.

I’d kicked off my heels and finished drawing the drapes when Adrian walked in. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. One look into his eyes, and I knew I’d been wrong about his wanting to sleep in the other room. Or sleep at all.

In two long strides, he had me in his arms. My heartbeat sped up as his mouth closed over mine. His kiss was hard, yet when his tongue twined with mine and his hands began moving over me, I pressed myself closer. My weariness vanished, replaced by a long-denied desire. I wrapped my arms around his neck, moaning when he brought our bodies together so I could feel how much he wanted me. Then I gripped him tighter as his hands began to stroke and squeeze my ass. Those knowing, firm touches sent pleasure right through to the other side of me, making it feel as if he were touching something else. Without conscious thought, I rubbed against him, feeling his throbbing flesh through the thin layers of our clothes.

The sound he made was more growl than moan. He picked me up, and when my legs wrapped around his waist, he rubbed that jutting hardness right against my clitoris. I cried out at the instant, exquisite tightening that made my whole body clench with pleasure.

Then he carried me over to the bed, and when his body covered mine, he kissed me again. After a long, mind-numbing moment, he drew away, lifting me up with him. My heart pounded as I felt the zipper on my dress being dragged down. He stared at me as he pulled my dress off, catching the side of my panties when he reached my hips. He bunched them and the rest of my dress in his hand until all of it cleared my feet, then he tossed everything onto the floor. The fierce, unbridled hunger in his gaze made my heart pound with need that felt very close to desperation.

“You’re beautiful,” he breathed. “So fucking beautiful.”

His voice was harsh with lust. I pulled at his shirt, wanting to feel his bare skin next to mine.