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  An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

  www.ellorascave.com

  ‘Tween Heart’s Fire and Devil’s Delight

  ISBN 9781419919817

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  ‘Tween Heart’s Fire and Devil’s Delight Copyright © 2009 Sam Cheever

  Edited by Helen Woodall

  Cover art by Syneca

  Electronic book Publication April 2009

  The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

  With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing Inc., 1056 Home Avenue, Akron, OH 44310-3502.

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  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  ‘Tween Heart’s Fire and Devil’s Delight

  Sam Cheever

  Prologue

  And into the mist…

  Evil things do trickle down, to stain the Earthly soil,

  Where twisted magic veils the Earth, mankind’s emotions boil.

  Twisted magic should never have been able to get past the Big Guy and his army. But about thirty years ago, in 2060, the human race went berserk and started blowing itself up with laser rays and microwave bombs. Unfortunately, in the midst of the chaos created by the Great Wars, humans unwittingly allowed a few tendrils of the poisoned magic to take root. The poisoned magic came through in pieces too small to cause any real problems. But since that horrible time in human history, those tiny wisps of magic have grown and spread under the nurturing care of The Serpent and his dark minions.

  Once this twisted magic found its way into the human dimension, God had no choice but to send his angels in to keep an eye on its progress. About ten years ago, God started using Tweeners to help the good side out. The only problem with Tweeners is that, by their very makeup they are some portion devil. That’s why they understand and know how to defeat the forces of evil. But it is also what has made them a little bit unpredictable to the good guys.

  What exactly is a Tweener you ask? A Tweener is a non-human. They have neither wings nor horns but they generally have both angel and devil in their family forests. Which is probably why they enjoy a higher sensitivity to spectral influence than regular human-type people.

  My name is Astra Q. Phelps. Don’t ask me what the Q stands for because if I tell you I’ll have to turn you into atmospheric gas. I've burned all printed documentation of the name and though a lot of my enemies have tried to dig it out, no one will ever know what it stands for. A girl has to have some secrets. Especially when the truth would cause her some serious embarrassment.

  I run a business called the Angel Network, which is the only devil and demon locating and destroying business in the universe. In other words, I kick serious evil butt for a living. And over and above this job, I often find myself getting dragged in to help save the world when something goes amiss.

  In fact, that happens a LOT.

  Save the world from the devils, Astra… Save the world from the demons, Astra… Save the world from the witches, Astra…. Geesh!

  It’s a very stressful way to live. And a hard way to make a living. But I’m a very tenacious creature and, well…no matter what the dark side throws at me…I’m definitely up for it!

  Chapter One

  Girls’ Night Out?

  Into the demon’s lair she goes, to find a surly miss,

  But what she finds cannot be true… A devil dating sis?

  Of all the things I thought I’d be doing that night, rescuing my magic-phobic sister, Darma, from a group of “enthusiastic” admirers at the demon nightclub Castle Gregg, was not one of them.

  Obviously I was surprised when I got the summons from Dialle. It was a toss-up over whether I was most surprised by the fact that he knew my sister was at Castle Gregg and the fact that she was there at all.

  Darma’s older than me by five years. She’d served as both sister and mother to me throughout my childhood. Since our real mother had led a busy and secretive life, which apparently hadn’t been entirely compatible with her role as a mother, Darma’s inclination toward mothering had worked out fine for everybody but me. She’d always felt it was within her rights to tell me how to live my life. And she’d always been dead set against the use of magic, in all its forms.

  Darma’s the sturdy, serious, dependable daughter. I’m the hotheaded, passionate and borderline psychotic spawn. I’m the dark side of a pairing between a devil and an angel. Darma is the cranky and all-too-serious, but light side. It’s always been an accepted fact in my family that Darma has no powers and, with her size nine feet resolutely planted on terra firma, she appears to have a severe allergy to all things unearthly and magical. I think she must have been adopted but my parents won’t admit it.

  Which is why it was more than strange to hear she was cavorting with all manner of magical creatures.

  I dropped the Viper into hover on the street just outside Castle Gregg and climbed out. Then I sent it skyward with a command. Engaging the security system, I started across the moat bridge to the castle.

  The doors of the place stood open to emit some of the noise, light and smoke from the packed bar. An array of ugly demons and not so ugly humans mingled in the doorway and on the bridge. I pushed my way through them, cringing away from the grasping, wormlike appendages on some of the demons’ heads.

  I could see the demons in their true form. Humans saw only the mask the demons wanted them to see. Which was generally very pretty. So humans, if they even knew they were interacting with demons at all, thought demons were exceptionally pretty creatures.

  Humans have an abundance of good traits. Their inability to see true evil when it’s licking a long, warty tongue up the length of their throats is not one of them.

  I shoved my way through the door and immediately started looking for my sister. The crush of bodies in the cavernous place made that task all but impossible.

  A few months back, Castle Gregg’s principle competitor, Demonica, had been burned to the ground by the Royal Devils in a pissing contest between the two dark factions. Castle Gregg was definitely reaping the benefits of that battle.

  I decided it would be easier just to ask Dialle where she was. I stopped trying to push my way aimlessly through the crowd and concentrated my thoughts inward. Dialle.

  Astra, my love. Dance with me.

  Hot breath caressed the back of my neck, followed quickly by the feather-soft touch of lips. I jumped and then sighed as his arms came around me from behind and our bodies melted together almost without a thought.

  We stood swaying gently to the music, which had somehow gone from ceiling-beam-quivering laser rock to loin-tingling romantic. Within the space of a single heartbeat.

  Did you do that? I felt his lips curve against my ear, where he’d been gently nibbling.

  What good is being a Royal Prince if there are no perks.

  I grinned. Is that one of the perks I’m feeling against my backside?

  Definitely.

  Suddenly Dialle stiffened and sighed. Things worsen. We are needed.

  We left the plane of sound and movement and drifted for a moment, returning to chaos and, playing out before me, a scene that was guaranteed to strip a few years from my life.

  Darma was sitting in a chair, with a very ugly demon under her. His treelike black arms were wrapped around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides and he was grinning in a not very nice way.

  Torre, Dialle’s younger and less powerful brother stood directly in front of the demon, slim shoulders squared, and lean, muscular legs spread. His hands reached forward and slightly to his sides, palms upward and his face was nearly purple with outrage.

  Darma looked as if she was ready to pee herself.

  I fervently wished I could communicate with her telepathically. I had to settle for Dialle. What’s going on?

  The demon is taunting Torre. He uses his feelings for your sister against him.

  I slid my eyes to Dialle, my mind bursting with questions I didn’t have time to ask.

  He just shook his head. I’ll explain later.

  Why doesn’t he just explode the ugly sucker and grab Darma back?

  It’s complex. You know how your sister feels about magic?

  I scrunched up my nose and nodded. I see your point.

  Torre is incapable of defeating the demon without using his powers and if he uses his powers Darma will never speak to him again.

  I sighed. I recognize this dilemma, I’ve been living it all my life.

  Yes.

  So what can we do? Should I blast
the demon for him?

  Dialle looked horrified. No, you must not! If you have to save your sister Torre will look weak in her eyes.

  I blew out a breath in frustration. Then what?

  He frowned. I do not know. I’m thinking.

  I crossed my arms under my breasts and scowled at the ugly demon. He just laughed at me. He apparently thought he had us over a barrel. Actually he kind of did.

  How about if I slip up behind him and tag him. Then Torre can grab Darma while I have him distracted and give him a power-induced punch in the nose.

  Dialle thought about this for a moment. I’ll create a distraction.

  I melted back into the crowd, forcing myself not to look at my sister’s terrified face or the way her blue eyes widened when she saw me leaving. I used the fact that I’m not very big to become invisible and worked my way around to a spot where I figured I was behind the demon. Then I pushed through the crowd until I was standing close to the table where the demon sat.

  He was sitting with three other demons. I hadn’t noticed that before. Shit!

  As I was deciding the best way to handle his friends, one of them caught the sharp end of a power jolt and flew backward into the crowd, chair and all.

  I reached out and shot a quiet jolt into the one closest to me and he slumped over, unconscious. Dialle blasted the third one away from the table before he could do more than lumber to his feet.

  That left only the one holding Darma hostage. Before he could react, I reached out and placed the palm of my hand over the front of his throat and sent my power into him. He choked as his breath was cut off and started to struggle against my power. He released my sister and tried to reach toward his throat.

  Torre grabbed Darma’s arm and yanked her away.

  I let go of the demon’s throat and ducked as my sister spun around and Torre pounded a suspiciously powerful fist into the demon’s ugly mug.

  Knowing what was coming my way, I scurried away as fast as I could on my hands and knees but the demon still landed on my legs. Fortunately the crowd closed around us and I didn’t think Darma had seen me.

  I jerked and yanked, trying to get free and then had a “der de der der” moment. Pulling my power forward I used it to raise the hefty ugly off my legs and scrambled out from under him.

  I reemerged in front of my sister a moment later looking, hopefully, innocent and perplexed. “What happened?”

  Darma had been making kissy faces at Torre but when she saw me her pretty face folded into its usual, Astra-induced scowl. “Torre rescued me from that brute. No thanks to you. Where did you go anyway?”

  Dialle put an arm around my shoulders and indicated the two bouncers who were yanking the unconscious demon off the floor and dragging him away. “I sent her to get help.”

  Darma’s scowl smoothed just a little and she actually gave me a small smile. Then she threw Dialle a scowl and turned back to Torre.

  Dialle grinned at me and shrugged. “She’s mad at me for blasting those demons.”

  I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “Issues.” Then I grinned at him, “Nice distraction by the way.”

  His black eyes sparkled and he raised my hand to his lips. Instead of kissing the hand as I expected he opened his lips and sucked the tips of my fingers into his hot mouth.

  One at a time.

  Oh so slowly.

  My knees almost buckled underneath me.

  Unfortunately, the moment was ruined by my sister’s less than soothing tones. “Astra! We’re leaving.”

  I jerked my head toward the nails-on-blackboard sound of my sister’s voice and looked upon her with dazed eyes. “Huh?”

  Dazzling wit aside, I was shocked to see her clutched in Torre’s delicately muscular arms. “Wait a minute. You and I need to have a little talk.”

  She actually looked a little guilty for a split second but she quickly regained her equilibrium. “I agree. But not here and not right now. We have…plans.” She looked up into Torre’s eyes and smiled. The smile made me distinctly uncomfortable. Partly because I so rarely saw her smile and partly because it was a smile filled with secrets and intimacy. My sister didn’t do intimacy. She barely did civil. And with a Royal? Impossible.

  I opened my mouth to argue but she had already forgotten me. She and Torre turned away and melted into the crowd. I started to follow them but Dialle’s hand on my arm stopped me.

  “Let them go. You can talk to your sister tomorrow.”

  I pulled my arm from his grasp, suddenly angry. Not at him, of course but he seemed to be the only one available for me to pound on verbally. “What the hell is going on, Dialle? How long has my sister been dating your brother? Why didn’t you tell me about this relationship?”

  He grabbed my hand and we were suddenly on the dance floor together, buried in the mass of humanity with a couple of feet of space all around us so we could dance. If you could call it dancing. It was actually more like mating, upright, with all our clothes on.

  Dialle wrapped both arms around my waist and pressed himself against me, feathering kisses over my face and nibbling in strategic spots to take me completely off my game. I started to forget what I’d been mad about. Lifting my arms I wrapped them around his neck and clasped my hands loosely behind his head, sighing happily.

  When he spoke in my ear a moment later it felt less like conversation and more like an extension of our mating ritual. His breath was hot and smelled of sexual musk and sweet promises to come.

  “I just found out about Darma and Torre tonight. Apparently they’ve been seeing each other for months. Darma made him keep it from me.”

  Calm now and refocusing my hot blood in another direction, I barely registered his words. I let my body drape around his and closed my eyes. The music that cocooned us on the dance floor was raw and wild, almost savage. The bass throbbed in my mind and stomach and moved lower, causing me to press myself more completely into Dialle and wrap one leg around his thighs.

  He groaned and said, “Let’s get out of here.” But before he could whisk us away the air on the dance floor changed and we were suddenly joined by my damnable guardian angel, Flick.

  He pecked me on the shoulder.

  “Go away!” I murmured into Dialle’s hard chest and tried to ignore him.

  He pecked me on the shoulder again.

  “What!” My head lifted and I fixed him with an angry gaze.

  He smiled nervously at me. I was still having trouble getting used to my new guardian. After decades of dealing with Myra the cranky and firm, I now had a guardian who was shy and timid. I’d been assured that he was fully able to protect me in my…shall we say…challenging life but I was unconvinced, to put it mildly.

  Flick slid a telling gaze toward Dialle, his mild brown eyes going hard for a split second before returning to me. “You are needed elsewhere.”

  I frowned and stopped dancing. “What do you mean I’m needed elsewhere?”

  Flick shrugged and, before I knew what he was doing, reached out and touched me with the tip of one long, pale finger.

  I cursed silently as we left the plane of sound and movement and wondered if this was part of their training. Guardian Angel 101, creep up on your hapless charge and shift her wherever you please, against her will.

  I’d been tricked this way about a thousand times with Myra.

  We landed on cracked, weed-infused concrete. A strong wind blew my dark auburn hair off my shoulders. As soon as my mouth would work I started spewing foul deprecations in every language I knew, including Hades, at my sneaky, damnable angel.

  This, also, was business as usual between me and my guardians.

  Flick just stood there looking paler then ever until I started to wind down. Then he peaked one mousy brown eyebrow at me and glanced meaningfully toward the glass and steel building that squatted beside us.

  I turned to see a knot of children, probably about ten or eleven years old, huddled in a lighted doorway together, giggling behind their hands.

  I turned my back on them and lowered my voice. “Why didn’t you tell me they were there?”

  Flick’s mouth flapped helplessly for a minute and then a sickly smile slid onto his nondescript face. He shrugged. “You really should consider taking some anger management classes, Astra.”