He had sensed her possessiveness toward the dagger the moment he revealed it. A slight shift in her gaze, the small, tense lift of her shoulders just before she masked her surprise. It was obvious the dagger meant a great deal to her. "You know more about this dagger than you are willing to admit. Keeping that information from me is not a wise course of action."
"I— I don't know anything about the dagger."
He had found the dagger mounted on her living room wall and below it a leather casing. She'd taken great care with this possession. He was certain it was not merely an object intended for decoration. In his current condition he did not feel like arguing with her.
"Finish dressing," he said as he left the room. He went to where the dagger had been mounted and took the leather casing down, carefully placing the dagger in its sheath.
Summoning Michael would not pose him any difficulties now. As long as the witch had a decent summoning spell, this dagger would ensure she summoned the right person. It had belonged to Michael for centuries; therefore it would call to him immediately.
He heard footsteps in the hallway and turned as the witch walked into the main room. She wore very little clothing. Her shirt clung to every curve and her pants were cut off mid-thigh, revealing too much smooth, golden skin. She had pulled her hair back from her face and secured it with a band.
His body reacted to her presence with the speed of lightning. Her current state of undress made his sex hard, a forgotten reaction to the feminine species. He'd been in the Abyss for so long, without pleasure, without female companionship, the excitement came as a surprise. The arousal could not be mistaken.
The witch before him stood tall for a human female. Likely five-ten or five-eleven. The perfect height for someone of his size. The shape of her body was built to entice, and he grew harder knowing she would fit well lying beside him. Under him.
The woman had suddenly become a temptation. Sleek and strong, she would be an exotic assault on his resolutions. He couldn't recall the last time he had lost himself in the arms of a woman.
Yes, he was attracted to the witch, yet look where lust had cast him? Centuries locked away in the Abyss. He had learned his lesson. He would keep well away from humans and all of the punishments a relationship with one of them would entail, no matter how tempting they may be.
"What are you doing with that?" she asked, dropping her bag on the floor next to her.
He gripped the sheath in his right hand, willing away the effect she had on him. "I am keeping the dagger for now. We will need it soon."
He managed to keep the smile from his face as he watched her barely control her anger. She had irritated him with her lies earlier, though her actions were now becoming somewhat humorous.
She put her hands on her hips, her eyes revealing her defiance. "It was a gift. I'd appreciate it if you put it back where you found it."
Moments before the witch had displayed a very sensible amount of fear where he was concerned. Now her anger seemed to outweigh her trepidation. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she tugged her shirt down, causing the material to stretch tighter across her breasts. He forced himself to meet her gaze. "You told me you brought it home from your shop."
Her eyes rounded slightly. She realized she'd been caught.
"Okay, it was a gift. Now put it back."
He smiled. The truth kept inching closer, though she tried so hard to convince him the dagger held no great importance other than personal interest. "I've no intention of doing any such thing. Gather your things so we may leave."
She didn't argue as she picked up her belongings, the muscles in her legs flexing as she bent her knees.
"Where are we going?" she snapped.
He ignored her outburst as he headed toward the front of the house. He had to remain focused on his mission. Appreciating the witch and the beauty she possessed seemed a fool's game.
"Will you please tell me where we are going? You're in my home, you have my dagger, you've called me a liar and now you're demanding I go to some unknown destination with you. Why can't you just tell me? It's not as though I'm not going to find out anyway."
Why did she care when he gave her no choice in the matter? "I'll know when we get there."
"So, you're a demon? You don't sound like one."
Her incessant questions were causing his head to ache. "As compared to?" When she didn't answer him he continued. "In the late fifties I spent a few months in New York."
She stormed by him, pivoting just inside the front door to face him. She dropped her bag and put her hands on her hips, drawing his attention to her small waist and lack of clothing. "Okay fine. I'm going to drop that line of thought and focus on the issue at hand. How are we going to get where you want to go if you don't know where that is?"