Earthbound

by Melora Johnson

  I held still, knowing he really couldn’t see anything through the shower door, but feeling self-conscious, nevertheless. “Thanks.”

  “Welcome.”

  A long minute later, I heard the door close.

  I expelled the breath I was holding. I didn’t know if I wanted him to join me in the shower or not. Oh, who was I kidding? Yes, yes, I did. But I wasn’t very good at spitting out what I wanted. Damn. I rinsed off quickly, then got out and toweled off. I was shocked to find my own favorite jeans and mauve V-neck T-shirt on the toilet seat with my sable brown bra and panty set. He must have packed a bag for me from the house. Well, duh, of course he did. He planned the jail break. He knew we were fleeing town and I’d need clothes and other toiletries. I hadn’t been thinking ahead, but there was no reason he wouldn’t. He was a military man, he would plan things well in advance. Several moves in advance, in fact.

  I stepped out of the bathroom with the towel wrapped around my head. I hadn’t looked yet. The mirror had been fogged, and I was putting it off.

  Matt smiled. “Well?”

  My hands were unsteady as I took the towel off, then gave my head a shake and turned to inspect it in the mirror. My eyes started to tear up, and my lip quivered, but I clamped it down. This had to be done. It was necessary to keep myself and Matt safe. It almost didn’t look like me, though. Of course, it was darker than it would be when it was dry, but it seemed so odd. The bob length framed my head in a different way with all the layers. It didn’t look bad, precisely. He’d actually done a good job. How had he even known how to cut my hair? He was a mystery in so many ways. I fingered the bangs he’d given me, spreading them. I still wanted to cry.

  Matt wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder. “Come on, it isn’t that bad. Your hair will grow out again. In the meantime, you’re still you. That’s still your blue eyes, your high cheekbones, your aquiline nose, and your luscious mouth.”

  He pressed his lips to the skin where my neck and shoulder joined. A jolt zinged through me. I sighed. Without moving his mouth, he looked up, and his eyes met mine in the mirror. His arms tightened, and he shifted against me from behind. I instinctively pushed back.

  He groaned and turned me. Our mouths were mere inches apart as he reached down and behind me to grasp my thighs and boost me onto the counter. I used the power of my legs to wrap around his waist and pull him in, then wrapped my arms around his neck, wanting to be as close to him as possible.

  “I have waited far too long for this,” he muttered, then his mouth was on mine.

  I pressed closer.

  I slid my fingers into his hair. How could a man’s hair feel so soft? I caressed his lips with mine. He opened his mouth and touched the tip of his tongue to mine. It tickled deliciously.

  He cupped my ass and kneaded, his strong fingers making me weak with longing. Impatient to be next to his skin, I tugged his T-shirt up. After a moment, he caught on to my intention and pulled back just enough to yank it off himself and fling it away, then he grabbed the hem of mine and gave it the same treatment. He stood for a moment, just looking at me as if he were deciding where to start. I shivered with anticipation, his evident desire making me feel powerful. I unsnapped my bra and slipped it off.

  That decided him on where to begin. He leaned in and opened his mouth to take as much of my breast in as he could while he played with the other, cupping then rolling the nipple between thumb and forefinger. The teasing brush of his hair against my tender skin set off ripples of excitement.

  He pinched me, and my hips thrust forward against him. I grasped his shoulders and moaned to encourage him. He let go and blew on my damp skin, making me shudder. The tip of his tongue drew patterns around the other breast as he cradled it.

  More, more! My mind screamed with abandon. I wanted to be naked under him, rubbing my entire body against his, like cats. I grasped the snap on his jeans and opened it. Obligingly, he stepped back and pushed down his jeans and underwear, then stepped out of them. I hopped down from the counter and did the same. We stood a couple feet apart, naked and breathing hard, staring at one another. It was an Old West stand-off. Which one of us would move first?

  I jumped on him, expecting to knock him onto the bed, but he grabbed me and pivoted to launch me on to the bed first, on my back, then straddled me, pinning me down. His hands on my shoulders, he kissed me, deep and slow. His lower body came down to meet me. I arched up, impatient to have him inside me. He broke the kiss and dipped lower, kissing my neck and my chest. I shifted impatiently.

  Suddenly, Matt sat back, trapping my thighs under him, then pulled me up to a sitting position, and reached behind me. When he leaned forward and laid me back, I realized he had put a pillow under my hips, so I had to arch up uncomfortably. I murmured in protest, but he lifted up to draw my right leg out and up from under him and then the other. He settled between my legs with them crooked at the knee and looked down at me. I felt vulnerable, but the expression on his face made me filled me with anticipation. I cupped my breasts and squeezed as he watched. Without looking, he smoothed his hands over my abdomen and along my inner thighs, then back up. He massaged my labia, and then one hand slipped lower and pushed into me. He sucked in his breath.

  “Oh, yes, that feels so good,” I moaned.

  He teased me over and over, sliding in, then out and around until I whimpered for release. He moved back another foot and leaned in. His tongue followed the pattern. I jumped, and he latched on to suck. I moaned and clutched the blankets, thrusting up against his mouth, beyond reason, so close to the tipping point. His fingers thrust into me, and he pressed up from within as his mouth worked me. Finally, I climaxed. It rolled in throbbing waves. He stilled as I shook with release.

  When I looked down, he grinned from between my thighs, fingers teasing my slick flesh.

  He leaned over to the bedside table and opened a bag I hadn’t noticed before then withdrew a condom packet, which he quickly tore open. He sheathed his rampant cock, then knelt between my thighs and moved closer.

  He watched me as he started to press in. I lifted my hips to meet him, wanting so badly to feel him fill me, stretch me. He grabbed my hips and thrust in with a groan, his eyes closing. The vibration of his voice, moaning his pleasure, thrilled me. He held still for a moment. I wasn’t sure whether it was to give me time to adjust, or if he was savoring the feel of his cock being squeezed, but I thrust up impatiently. His lips twisted in an intimate smile as he opened his eyes to look at me, then he began to slide out. It felt like an excruciatingly long time as he slowly withdrew, then abruptly thrust in again, hard. I yelped and moaned.

  He yanked the pillow out from under me and pushed my legs up further, then began thrusting hard and fast. The weight of his body covering mine was beyond intoxicating, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. Every time he thrust, I bit back a moan of pleasure. I wanted it to go on forever. My mind skated across everything I wanted to do with him, and have him do to me.

  I’d wanted this since I met him, had teased him, and ached to touch him, but he was in control now, giving me more pleasure than I’d ever experienced. The tension built throughout my body again until I almost couldn’t stand it. I moaned and clutched at him. He thrust tirelessly, straining to hold back his own climax until I yelled my release. He groaned in reply and thrust twice more as he came, then stilled, shuddering. We lay for a minute like that, just breathing, our bodies moving gently together as we panted.

  After a minute, he kissed me hard, then let me go and pulled out. He gently brought my legs together and turned me on to my side. I felt his weight leave the bed, but he was back in a few moments and spooned me.

  His chest was hot and sweaty behind me, but I didn’t care. I still wanted to rub myself against him, couldn’t get close enough. I closed my eyes. The next time I opened them, he had drawn a blanket up over us. He was still behind me, a hand resting possessively on my hip.

  “No lightning bolts,” I mu
rmured and heard him chuckle softly. I closed my eyes again, completely relaxed for the first time in ages.

  I woke a while later and slipped out of bed. Matt snored lightly. I observed him, tempted to wake him again. The blanket wrapped around his right leg and over his hips, but left his torso and other leg bare. He was shorter than I, but a powerhouse of muscle—my gladiator, my warrior. He always had been. I wanted to check his bullet wound, but he was lying on his back, and it was in his upper right shoulder. He didn’t appear uncomfortable. He would need his rest, so I let him be and went to the mirror to contemplate the new hair.

  I felt hidden beneath it. I guess that was the point. I would get used to it. It was half a disguise, but I would need some other things. I considered dressing and taking some money to walk down to the drugstore we had passed, but there were two problems with that. One, it wasn’t my money. I had been left empty-handed when we blew town in a hurry. I would have to find a way to remedy that. I couldn’t just take my ATM card to the nearest machine. If I’d even had it, I couldn’t use it because the authorities would be able to trace it. Second, Matt would have a heart attack if he woke up to an empty motel room. So, I slid back into bed and settled down next to him. His hand found my hip again, though I could tell he wasn’t awake. It made me smile as I relaxed again.

  Chapter 15

  I woke to an empty space next to me in the bed. There were no noises from the bathroom, either.

  “Matt?”

  Nothing.

  I got up and slipped on my clothes, checked the bathroom, then went to look out the door. No car. God damn him. Here I was, all concerned about not leaving him wondering where I’d gone, and he takes off without me? I scrutinized all the surfaces in the room and even checked the floors. “Without even leaving a note.”

  “Got what he wanted and skipped out on you already?” a voice behind me asked.

  I swiveled to glare at Zyriel. He sat on the desk with his feet on the chair, like the imp he was. No, the fiend from hell. I opened my mouth to let him have it, then closed it again. No, I wouldn’t let him have the satisfaction of knowing he had hit a nerve. I smiled tightly. “Can’t find anybody else to get your rocks off with? Have to keep bothering me?”

  “Oh, come on now, love. Is that any way to treat your devoted admirer? I love the new ‘do by the way. Very sexy, especially bed-tousled that way.”

  I ran a hand through my hair self-consciously. I wasn’t used to it yet.

  Zyriel’s own hair fell in carefully controlled, long, mahogany brown waves. His outfit—a brown suede jacket and leather pants—perfectly complemented it.

  I snorted. “Listen, with the way you look, I’m sure you could find a million girls to drool over you, so why don’t you go flush them out and let me be?”

  Zyriel was up and in front of me in a blink.

  My chin went up as I stood my ground.

  He merely smiled, and his own eyes followed his fingertips as he trailed them from my neck until his palm came to rest over my heart. “You have such a beautiful heart, Merry.”

  The softness in his voice disconcerted me, but… he was a demon, after all. Was he talking about my choices and beliefs or literally eating my physical heart? I didn’t think demons did that, but I swallowed and stepped back. “You know, I remember some things about you, though not nearly as much as you seem to remember about me.”

  He let his hand drop and tilted his head. “Do you remember why I call you Merry?”

  “It’s short for Alstroemeria, right?”

  “Yes, but it was your laughter that drew me in. It was… infectious.”

  I snorted. “Like a disease?”

  With a wry smile, he said, “No. You made me want to smile, to laugh again, too. You made me feel merry.”

  He touched my hair lightly, then put his hands in his jacket pockets. “Now you’ve committed yourself to him, what chance do I have? On the other hand, what if he weren’t around?”

  I sneered. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Wouldn’t I?” His eyes didn’t laugh now as they bore into mine. “You might wonder what I would dare to have you back.” He abruptly sat on the bed and leaned back on his hands, his legs out, and feet crossed in front of him. “Just remember, I’m not the only one keeping an eye on you two.”

  A knock came at the door. I looked over at it, perplexed. Matt wouldn’t knock, and no one else knew we were here.

  “Oh, Christ on a crutch,” Zyriel exclaimed.

  I looked back at him questioningly.

  He smiled sardonically. “Old friend. Enjoy your visit. I’ll just be off.”

  “Wait.” I suddenly remembered. “How is my cat?”

  Zyriel sighed. “She’s fine. Your vet friend came and got the cat.”

  And just like that, he was gone. He seemed to know who was at the door and hadn’t been afraid, just annoyed, so I went and opened it.

  A man of moderate height with short white hair and dark eyebrows, dressed in a brown suit, smiled at me. “Hello, Alstroemeria. It’s so good to see you again. May I come in?”

  Just to be on the safe side, I reached out and touched his hand without warning. I had an instant blasting impression of a heavenly host singing Hallelujah. It was deafening. I snatched my hand back, shaking my head like a dog that had heard a piercing sound.

  He giggled and pressed his fingers to his lips. “Oh my, now that does tickle, doesn’t it?”

  Bemused, I couldn’t help grinning back as the ringing in my ear faded. I stepped aside for him to enter. I didn’t know why, but I felt very much at ease with this angel. There was no doubt in my mind he was an angel, and that we had once been friends.

  “I take it you are not in full possession of your memories yet?” he asked as he walked in.

  I crossed my arms defensively, the reminder making me feel a tad vulnerable. “Not all of them.”

  “Do you remember who I am?”

  “Not precisely,” I admitted. Hell, I had no idea who he was, for certain.

  He sat on the end of the bed, primly crossing one leg over the other and placing his folded hands on his knee. “I’m Gabriel. You used to call me Gabby. I’m here to give you a message and answer some questions.”

  “Oh?” I perched on the desk. “A message about what? From whom?”

  He smiled again. “Yes, well, let’s start with a little background overarching this… situation.”

  I shook my head. “I’m sorry, but what situation are you referring to?”

  “Well, your situation.”

  “My situation? Me personally, or Matt and me?”

  Gabby considered the question. “It does concern Mattheus, but I’m here directly about you.”

  That made sense since he was talking to me and not waiting for Matt. “Go on.”

  Gabby’s cheerful countenance became grave as he began his lecture. “As you know, there is an ongoing war between good and evil. Maybe it’s more accurate to call it a tug of war. God and Lucifer, Zeus and Hades. The struggle between good and evil, the balance between yin and yang, depending on your inclination, your culture, your heritage. God has revealed himself to many people in many ways throughout time, giving them many metaphors to understand what cannot be understood from the human perspective.”

  Matt had talked about something similar. “So, is there one religion that’s more accurate than another? That gives more of the facts? Or that would be more relevant to our purpose here?”

  “It’s all relevant, though one may be more understandable depending on your perspective. In one tradition, I’m called Gabriel. In another religion, there is a counterpart for me. It doesn’t much matter.” Gabby swirled his hand in the air all-encompassing. “The point is that we abide by the rules, whether we win or not, no matter what. Manifesting angels here on Earth, this change in the rules of engagement, has been allowed because one side nullified that particular clause by having some demons take the place of souls in bodies that were destined for Earth. Balance must be
restored.”

  “So they can do that the way we did.”

  “It doesn’t happen often, it’s not easy for them to intercept the soul, but yes.”

  “Okay, I can see that,” I said. “Matt is a soldier. What am I here for?”

  “Your purpose is not to win in any capacity, or overcome, but to restore balance. You are here to redeem the redeemable and exorcise the irredeemable. You are not destroying them, just sending them back where they came from. Their human existence will be cut short, but they still have a “life” if you want, on the other side. Even Mattheus cannot choose to end a demon’s existence on all planes. He’s a warrior, not Vishnu.”

  “Vishnu?” I’d heard of the god Vishnu but couldn’t remember what his particular claim to fame had been.

  Gabby smiled slightly again. “The destroyer. I know you’re still having trouble with the concept that we all exist. There isn’t one mythology, it is all one, reflections of another, all metaphors to explain what cannot be explained.”

  “Reality is 99% perception.”

  “Precisely.” Gabby waved a hand regally. “If you want to deal in the concrete, go ahead. It’s perfectly valid, but you’re missing out on something more, another level to your existence which can make it so much richer.”

  I picked up the remote for the television and ran my thumbnail around the buttons. “I’ve been human for all my memory. Well, most of it. It’s hard to tell what’s real and what isn’t. At first, I wondered if Matt was evil or just delusional. Then I decided he wasn’t delusional because my own experiences told me what he said was true.”

  Gabby nodded encouragingly.

  “Then I began to question what I knew. When I touched the demon Lula, I thought she was safe, then she turned out to be a serious second-level demon, the daughter of a fallen angel.”

  “And what did you decide?”

  “Well, there was a demon in a man’s body I hit with my car. He was still alive. I had no intention of killing him, but my only way to heal him ended up killing him.”