Seducing the Succubus by Cassie Ryan Page B

attentions, and he slipped his tongue inside her mouth.
    He tasted like dark, warm spices and the taste only increased in intensity as his energy seeped into her and pulsed through her system like tiny explosions that did nothing to help her light-headedness. Liquid heat seeped through her body, energizing and arousing her until she slid her arms around his neck, thrusting her fingers into his hair and holding him close.
    He expertly kissed her, coaxing her body to respond and arch against him until a low moan escaped from her throat and she pressed greedily against Noah’s growing erection.
    When he gently reached up and grabbed both of her wrists from around his neck and stepped back out of her embrace, Jez fought not to stumble against the sudden lack of sensations.
    After a few long moments of her mind reorienting, she glanced up to see him watching her carefully, a small furrow between his blond brows.
    The world came crashing back like someone had tossed a cold bucket of water over her and heat burned into Jez’s cheeks as embarrassment warred with the arousal still skyrocketing through her system. So much for her controlling herself and showing Noah she didn’t need him and his condescending, bossy ways.
    Noah continued to gently hold her wrists until she was steady on her feet, and then she pulled out of his grip to glare up at him, gathering her scattered dignity around her like a cloak of protection. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She nearly cursed as her voice came out shaky and soft.
    Noah swallowed hard before speaking.
    At least it looked like she wasn’t the only one affected here.
    “I was giving you energy. You shouldn’t be going off with strange men.”
    She couldn’t help the laugh that welled up from inside her throat at his statement. “You do realize that’s the bulk of what I’ve done for countless millennia, right? I’m a succubus, Noah, not a virginal debutante.”
    He continued to study her with an intensity that nearly made Jezebeth squirm. “I’m here to take you back to Lilith safely, so there’s no need for any of that. I have the ring to protect me—”
    “So that’s what this is about? Protecting the population from the big, bad succubus?”
    Noah huffed out a breath, irritation plain in his expression. “That’s not it at all. I just—” He stopped midsentence and paced away, running his hands through his hair and leaving it to stand up in sexy tufts before he paced back to face her. “Damn it. Has anyone ever told you how frustrating you can be?”
    His comment seemed to deflate her anger, and she stared back at him. “Not recently.”
    He sighed. “Well, they should.” He shook his head. “By the way, do you realize you’ve changed forms again or have I totally gone insane?”

    Gabriel materialized between two large trees inside Central Park and smiled as she looked out over the Lake. Moonlight dusted the calm waters and a cool breeze ruffled her hair until it latticed across her face. She brushed the white blond waterfall back and tucked it behind her ear.
    The scent of sulfur and scorched flesh filled her senses and she slowly turned to face Semiazas. He stood seven feet tall, his skin cherry red, his talons sharp and black. Two thick black horns grew out from his forehead and his leathery lips were curved into an evil leer.
    She laughed as she looked him up and down. “Apparently the costume shop ran out of all the good ones before you got there.”
    “You don’t approve my form?” His voice was deep and cultured—everything his form was not.
    Gabriel didn’t bother to answer and instead cocked her eyebrow at him and waited.
    A long moment later, his form shimmered and reformed into the one she was familiar with since the time of their creation. He stood a few inches taller than her own five foot eleven, his dark hair tousled by the gentle breeze, his piercing blue eyes too shrewd to make him handsome, although as a fallen Archangel, he