Divine Evil

rolling over the kitchen floor, the music crashing around them. He kicked clothing aside and sent a chair toppling. Her mouth was fused to his as they reversed positions once more. As she lay on top of him, he gripped her hips, lifting her up.
    Now, she thought. Thank God. Now.
    Arching back, she took him into her. Her body shuddered, shuddered, as he filled her, as she opened herself and took more of him.
    With her head flung back, her long, slender body curved, she began to rock. Slowly, then faster, still faster, driving him past reason with an ever quickening rhythm. He gripped her hands with his as he watched her ride above him.
    Fearless. It was the only word his frantic mind found for her. She looked fearless, rising above him, joined to him, filled with him.
    He felt her tighten around him as she reached her peak. His own release left him gasping.
    She slid down to him, soft, boneless, and damp. His hand stroked lazily down her back as they caught their breath. He'd been waiting for this, he realized as he turned his head to kiss her hair, for a long time.
    “I came by to ask you if you wanted a beer,” he murmured.
    She sighed, yawned, then settled. “No, thanks.” “You look so damn sexy when you're working.” She smiled. “Yeah?”
    “Christ, yeah. I could have eaten you alive.” “I thought you had.” She drummed up enough energy to brace a palm on the floor and look down at him. “I liked it.”
    “That's good because I've been wanting to get your clothes off ever since you tackled me in the upstairs hallway.” He reached up to cup her breast, his thumb cruising over the nipple that was still pebble-hard and damp. “You sure grew up nice, Slim.” He shifted so that he was sitting up with her across his lap. “You've still got a sock on.”
    She looked down and flexed her feet, one bare and the other covered with a thick purple sock. There might have been a moment in her life when she had felt better, but she couldn't remember it.
    “Next time, maybe we should take off the boots before we get started.” She leaned her head against his shoulder and thought, with some regret, that they would have to move eventually. “I guess the floor's getting hard.”
    “It started out hard.” But he didn't feel like getting up just yet. She felt exactly right in his arms-something he'd hoped for but hadn't expected. “I saw you at the funeral. You looked tired.”
    “I need a bed.”
    “Mine's available.”
    She laughed but wondered if they were moving a bit too quickly. “How much do you want for it?”
    He put a hand under her chin and turned her head. “I want you to come home with me, Clare.”
    “Cam-”
    He shook his head and took a firmer grip. “I'd better make myself clear straight off. I don't share.”
    She felt the same skip of panic as she had when she'd looked in his eyes and saw her image trapped there. “It's not as if there's someone else-” she began.
    “Good.”
    “But I don't want to take such a big jump that I end up on my face. What happened just now was-”
    “What?”
    When she looked into his eyes, she could see that he was smiling again. It made it easy to smile back. “Great. Absolutely great.”
    He figured he could handle a case of the jitters. Slowly, he skimmed his hand over her hip, up to her rib cage, and watched her eyes darken. Bending his head, he made love to her mouth with his until she was all but purring.
    “I want you to come home with me, for tonight.” Watching her, he caught her bottom lip between his teeth, nibbled, then released. “Okay?”
    “Okay.”
    Ernie watched them come out of the house through the front door. Because his window was open, he heard Clare's laugh ripple up the quiet street. Their hands were linked as they walked to Cam's car. They stopped and kissed, long and slow and deep. She let him touch her, Ernie thought, while a fire began to burn in his belly.
    He watched as they got into the car, then drove away.
    While the rage was on him, he rose quietly to lock his door and to light the black candles.
    In the woods the coven met. They did not stand in the magic circle. The ritual would wait. There were many among them who knew fear. The altar where one of thegroup had been executed stood before them. A reminder and a warning.
    They had been called here tonight, hours after the burial, to prove their continued allegiance. During the rite to come, each would drink of blood-tainted wine.
    “My brothers, one of our number