Demons Prefer Blondes (Demons Unleashed #1)(77)

Her eyes widened. “Prepared?”

“Every weapon needs to be purified before we use it.” He flipped a few hundred pages. “Here. This is the ceremony.”

Looking down at the beautiful illustration, she took in its beauty. Holding a sword up with both hands, an angel floated above a rose-bedecked altar. Flanking the altar, several other angels held their arms high, their white gossamer floating gowns flowing around them. “Do I need to be there?”

“No,” he replied with a shake of his head. “The angels’ power is strong enough. Besides, it isn’t safe for you to travel to Limbo just yet.”

She gave him an acquiescent nod. He did have a point. “How long will it take?”

With a shrug, Rafe whipped his gaze around the room. “Where’s my jacket?”

“Over there,” she said, pointing toward the corner where the light had teetered just hours before.

A sly smile curved his lips. “Glad your lamp is still intact.” With that, he shuffled to the corner and grabbed the heap of leather off the floor. Rifling through the pockets, he pulled out the BlackBerry he’d used earlier.

“I still can’t get over the fact that demons need cell phones.” She stuck her hands in the pockets of her robe and lounged against the futon. “I would’ve thought you’d have more sophisticated communication methods.”

“Very few Paladins have telepathic skills. And on Earth, those skills are somewhat diminished.” He punched in a number and rested his thick body against the floor lamp, dwarfing it. With an irritated growl, he fumbled with the phone. “I don’t care for modern inventions, but they’re an unfortunate necessity.”

“Where would the world be without BlackBerrys?”

Rafe snorted. “BlackBerry? Is that what it’s called? There’s nothing sweet nor juicy about it at all.”

She snickered at Rafe’s attempt at a joke. Not a very good one, but she still gave him props for effort. “Yeah, I never knew why they called it that.”

After several attempts, Rafe blew a satisfied breath of air and put the phone to his ear. “Kalli. Have a katana sent here for Lucy.” In a second, his lighthearted tone flip-flopped to his customary stick-up-his-ass one. At least it wasn’t directed at her right now. Her heart skipped more than a few beats. She had it bad for him.

“We’re fine. Her mother—and father—are safe.”

Pacing the length of her living room, he shook his head. “We don’t have time to explain, just have the weapon ready.” As soon as the last word was out, he slammed his finger down on the end button. Stuffing the phone back into his jacket pocket, he gazed down at her. “You’ll have your sword soon.”

“Thanks, Rafe.” She slinked toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Brushing her lips across his cheek, she laced her fingers through his hair.

Lifting her chin with his thumb and forefinger, he shook his head. “No. Thank you, Lucy.” He brushed his lips against hers, taking slow tentative strokes. Sparks ignited between them, and she pressed closer. With a slow swirl, her tongue traced each spark. The mixture of their energy and the delicious peppermint spice sent her libido back into uncharted heights.

His hands roved across the silky lengths of her kimono to massage her ass. His hands moved with precision down her thighs. His desire, hard and heavy, pressed against his jeans as he ground his hips into hers. Her mind wandered back to the bedroom, where less than five minutes after they finished, he was up and ready to go again. This was all new to her, but undoubtedly welcome. The times she’d tried to initiate some post-coital coitus with Josh, he’d simply roll away and say he was too tired. Ugh! Talk about frustrating.

“Wow,” she managed to breathe his lips. Allowing her fingertips to trace along each contour of his sculpted pecs, she latched onto his lip and nibbled. Her fingers wandered lower, not that they needed much prompting, and scratched a path down the hard lines of his abdomen. Time to take those pants off again.

Then her phone rang.

“Bloody hell,” Rafe growled. “Your phone couldn’t have rung at a more inopportune time.” Raking a hand through his hair, he pulled himself from their embrace.

An irritated growl escaped her mouth. “I suppose I should get that. Demon infestation and all.”

Rafe offered a slow nod. “It could be your friend.”

Blowing out an exasperated breath, she jetted toward the gigantic purse of many colors and fished inside. Flipping open the receiver, she checked her missed calls. Serah it was. She hit the send button and listened as Lady Gaga crooned in her ear. Whoever invented ring-back tones should be shot. Then again, she wasn’t any better, with her Justin Timberlake ringtone.

“Hello?” Serah’s voice crackled on the other line. Stupid cell phone reception.

“Hey girl. You rang?”

“Yeah. Okay if Squeaky and I head on over? The storm’s let up.”

“Let me check with Rafe.”

Serah’s huff crackled through the phone. “What happened to the Lucy I used to know. The one who did stuff without asking?”

“Still here, goober. But I want you safe and not some crazy demon’s dinner.”

“Whatever, I have Squeaky here to protect me.”

“Whatever, my ass. These demons are powerful. Look at the blizzard that just rolled through here. Something tells me they aren’t done yet.”