‘‘The one concerning the phylactery. I was telling Jim that I think everything is under control, and don’t anticipate any problems.’’

Gabriel ran his thumb along my jawline, tipping my head back so he could peer into my face. ‘‘You are keeping something from me.’’

It was a statement, not a question.

‘‘Yes,’’ I said, unwilling to lie to him.

‘‘Tell me.’’

I glanced at the demon, who watched us with avidity.

‘‘Jim,’’ Gabriel said, and jerked his head toward the house.

‘‘Yo. Right here. You going to suck faces? Can I get my iPhone to film it?’’

‘‘Scram,’’ Gabriel told it.

‘‘You’re not my master. I don’t have to take orders from- Scramming.’’

Jim hurried off to the house muttering about people not having a sense of humor. I tucked my knife back into its sheath.

‘‘What are you concerned about, little bird?’’ Gabriel asked, his thumb brushing my lips.

I flicked my tongue against the pad of this thumb and gently bit it. I didn’t want to tell him about the phylactery, not when we were so close to getting it. If Gabriel knew the position I was in, he would insist on challenging Magoth himself, and not even a wyvern of his power could stand against a demon lord. Much as I hated to keep things from him, it was better for all concerned if he was unaware of the true source of my worry. I answered truthfully, but with less explanation than perhaps was needed. ‘‘It’s Magoth. I’m worried about him. I don’t want him to hurt you.’’

He replaced his thumb with his lips, pulling me into an embrace that made me sigh with happiness. ‘‘Do not fret about that, Mayling. I am not so careless that I would allow a demon lord to gain an upper hand with me. And do not despair that we will fail to find a way to free you from this bondage. I’ve been concerned with getting the phylactery and finding Maata and Tipene, but once the phylactery is in my possession, I will put the full powers of the sept at your disposal. We will free you from Magoth.’’

I leaned into him, kissing his neck as guilt pricked at me for deliberately misleading him. ‘‘I just want tonight to be over.’’

‘‘It shall be soon enough.’’ He glanced at his watch. ‘‘Savian recommended we not begin until deep night starts, when the powers of any beings guarding the vaults will be at their lowest. That gives us three hours.’’

The last sentence was spoken with his hands squeezing my behind as he rubbed suggestively against me. My body responded immediately, my breasts becoming brazen little hussies who wanted immediate access to his hands and mouth. I tugged his shirt out of his black jeans, sliding my hands up his ribs. His skin was warm, like satin over steel. ‘‘Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?’’

His smile was pure sin. ‘‘Three hours should be sufficient time to give you pleasure several times over.’’

I glanced at the house. ‘‘What about Maata and Tipene?’’

‘‘They are eating and preparing themselves for the event to come. You will have all of my attention, Mayling.’’ His smile got a whole lot more wicked. ‘‘And this time, I intend things to go differently. I will give you much pleasure before I even think of taking my own.’’

‘‘Oooh, that sounds promising,’’ I murmured, unbuttoning his shirt. ‘‘Foreplay at long last.’’

He allowed me to remove his shirt before pulling off my leather bodice, his hands immediately cupping my camisole-clad breasts. I leaned into him, breathing deeply of the delicious scent that seemed to cling to his skin. ‘‘Shall I tell you what I will do to you?’’ he murmured, his lips busily nibbling on my ear as he peeled my shirt off.

‘‘Oh, please, yes,’’ I said breathlessly as his fingers slipped the front hook of my bra open, revealing my eager breasts.

‘‘First I shall torment these lovely, plump morsels of delight. I shall taste their silky smoothness, suckling the delectable rosy tips until you scream with pleasure.’’ He traced lazy patterns on the underside, making me shiver as he circled my breasts, avoiding my sensitive nipples until I couldn’t stand it any longer, and bit his shoulder.

He laughed into my neck and gently pinched the aching tips of my breasts. ‘‘Then I shall taste the rest of you, all of you, taking my time to explore your sublime belly, your perfect hips, and the sensitive flesh of your inner thighs.’’

I quivered against him, positively quivered at the combination of his words, his touch, and the feel of him as I stroked the hard muscles of his back.

‘‘I look forward to licking every inch of your legs, little bird. I want to find every little spot on you that makes you tremble with passion. I will lick my way up until I can savor your true essence upon my tongue.’’

I just about saw stars, and dipped my head to take one of his pert little nipples into my mouth.

Gabriel gasped, froze for a moment, and then the next thing I knew I was on my back, the cold grass pricking uncomfortably into my bare flesh. My pants, shoes, and underwear had gone flying, whipped off me at such a speed that it took me several seconds to realize Gabriel had removed them. I lay stunned for a moment, and then sat up.

Gabriel knelt next to me, his face twisted in agony. He was aroused-very aroused-but didn’t seem to be able to move.

‘‘Are you all right?’’ I asked, reaching out toward him.

He trembled as I placed my hand on his thigh. ‘‘Don’t touch me. Please, Mayling, if you have any mercy in you, do not touch me.’’

‘‘Gabriel, what on earth is the matter?’’ I got to my knees next to him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. ‘‘Are you hurt?’’

‘‘I’m trying to control this overpowering, insane, undeniable… need I have for you,’’ he said, his eyes opening to pierce me with molten light.

‘‘I thought that need was part of you being a wyvern, and me being your mate.’’

‘‘In certain circumstances, yes. But you have not been taken from me recently. I should be able to control this overwhelming drive to possess you.’’

‘‘I think we’d better just give up on the idea of foreplay,’’ I said, laughing at his tortured expression.

Irritation filled his eyes. ‘‘We will not! Dammit, May, I want to do this! I owe it to you-not just because you are my mate, but because you would like it. And I would like to see you liking it. The thought of doing it is in the top five of my sexual wish list. It’s just that when you’re not around, I can think about all of the many and varied ways I would like to love you, but then I see you and smell you and taste you, and it’s so hard…’’

I wrapped my hand around his penis. ‘‘Possibly hard enough to break a concrete block.’’

His eyes widened for a moment, and then he tipped me over backward, hoisting my legs around his hips as he thrust into me.

‘‘Gabriel,’’ I moaned, both at the sudden act of penetration and the unusual position. ‘‘This isn’t particularly comfor-oh, dear gods, yes! Do that again!’’

He repeated a delicious little hip swivel, and it was all over for me. I clutched handfuls of grass as he sent me flying, dragon fire washing over my body as I gave in to the glory of our joining. My legs, clutched around his hips, spread wider as his body thickened, the slick, satiny skin becoming rougher and harder until silver scales rippled upward to cover the flesh. Scarlet claws pricked the skin on my hips as he lifted me to meet him, the sensitive skin of my inner thighs rubbing with delightful friction against his scales. Gabriel’s roar of completion startled birds sleeping in the scattered trees of the garden.

I opened my eyes when he collapsed down upon me for a moment before rolling onto his back, taking me with him. He was Gabriel once more, a man, and yet not a man. But whatever he was, I could no longer deny that I was falling in love with him.

‘‘You shifted,’’ I said, amazed at the experience.

‘‘I’m sorry,’’ he said, his eyes closed, his chest heaving beneath me. ‘‘I know I said I wouldn’t, but I couldn’t control myself. You are so much a part of me now, I’ve lost the ability to maintain a facade for you.’’