Up in Smoke - Katie MacAlister [114]
“Escaping Abaddon, you mean?” I asked, my hands unable to keep from stroking the heavy muscles of his bare chest.
“No.” His tongue invaded my mouth, doing a fiery dance that was impossibly sweet and arousing at the same time. “You won the battle for my heart.”
I froze for a second, not sure if he was saying what I thought he was saying, but it was there in his face and eyes, and I just wanted to purr with joy despite the coming storm.
“I love you,” I told him, generating a little fire of my own.
“You see? How can our future not be a happy one when you love me as much as I love you,” he said, his hands starting to roam.
I was just considering whether or not I could keep the dragon shard’s presence minimalized so I could make incredibly hot, sweaty love to Gabriel when the door to his bedroom was thrown open with a vengeance that made me jump.
Magoth stood in the doorway, a gorgeous red shirt open nearly to the waist of his black leather pants. “I hope you’re happy!” he said, hands on his hips as he glared. “I just hope you’re both happy!”
“Magoth,” I said, astonished to see him. “What are you doing? This is Gabriel’s bedroom. Get out.”
He stepped into the room, waving someone in. Three bellboys staggered in with a vast array of expensive-looking luggage. Magoth stalked into the room until he stood glaring down at both of us. “You just had to tell Sally what you were up to, didn’t you? I told you not to, but did you listen to me? No, you did not, and the little backstabbing bitch ran straight to Bael with the details in an attempt to ingratiate herself, and what did he do but excommunicate me! Me, the sixth prince! I’ve been in Abaddon for more than a millennium, and poof! It’s all gone, thanks to you, former consort.”
“Former consort?” I asked.
The look of scorn he shot at me would have stopped a rhino in full charge. “You don’t think I’m going to keep a consort who has me kicked out of Abaddon, do you? I’m divorcing you, May.”
“But . . .” I looked at Gabriel. He appeared to be just as surprised by Magoth’s sudden appearance as I was. “But what are you doing here? With all this stuff?”
Magoth plopped himself down in a chair and put his feet up on one of the suitcases, smiling. The mirror behind him shattered. “I’m powerless in both worlds until the excommunication has been finalized. So until my powers are returned to me, sweet May, you’re back to being my servant.”
“If you’re no longer a demon lord,” Gabriel said, a little frown between his brows, “then May is no longer your consort or servant.”
“Consort, no. But servant . . .” Magoth’s smile turned truly appalling. I wanted to throw something at him. “She was bound to me, not to my position, so she is most definitely mine to command again. And she can start by getting me something cold to drink. Something tasty. Champagne will do nicely.”
I felt my jaw drop as the horrible realization sank into my brain. “You don’t mean—”
“That’s right,” he said, leaning back, his hands behind his head as he gave me a sultry look. “Until my powers are returned, I’m staying with you. Shall we discuss the sleeping arrangements? I like boy, girl, boy, for aesthetic reasons, but if you absolutely insist, I can take the middle spot.”
Gabriel and I exchanged identical horror-stricken looks.
“So much for a happy future,” I said, sighing as I slumped back against the headboard.
Coming in December 2008 from Signet:
Katie MacAlister returns to the world of
the Dark Ones with
Zen and the Art
of Vampires
Read on for a sneak peek!
Before I could mull over what I wanted to do next, a dark-haired woman plopped down in the chair across from me and shot a glare over her shoulder toward a very handsome blond man as he bumped her back while escorting two children wearing blue-and-white horns past us. “You look like I feel. Did you hear? The trip to the forest is off for tonight. And a good thing, too. I could do without being eaten