by A. P. Marie
When I wake up the next morning, I’m unusually warm. I try to roll over and find that Zander and I became entangled sometime during the night. I lay still and hope I haven’t woken him up. When I try to peek at his face he reaches out and pulls me back against his chest, without ever opening his eyes.
I figure he must be about to wake up. I’m not sure how morning wood really works but I think it happens when they wake up and he definitely has morning wood. To emphasize this, he grinds his crotch into my behind and I squirm uncomfortably. Not because I don’t like it, but because I do. Just that action, the slight gyration of his hips is enough for me to start daydreaming about what else he could be doing right now.
How can I possibly want someone this much? I barely know this man! Instinctively, I rock my hips back and into his hard on.
“Mmmm, good morning.” He mumbles sleepily behind me and I wonder if he is actually awake or still in that hazy land of waking. “Oh, Jesus, Emily!” He says as he sits up, suddenly alert. “I’m so sorry. I was trying to give you space. I don’t know what happened.” I feel the truth in his words.
A small giggle escapes me as I see him try and orient himself. “It’s fine. Really.” I assure him when I see his look of contrition. “I didn’t mind at all.” I smile shyly at him.
“Jesus, I’m bad at keeping my distance.” He says, pulling me back against his chest to prove his point.
“Then don’t try so hard.” I mumble, happily snuggling back into his chest. I don’t know what I want. I don’t want to be in a relationship with him. My body needs his though and denying that is just torturing both of us.
“You don’t know what you’re saying, Emily. Without this distance I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from taking you already. My body screams at me to claim you every minute of every day.” I can’t feel anything but sincerity in his answer.
“Hmm. And what exactly does this claiming entail?” I ask out of genuine curiosity.
In the human world sex is just sex. It might mean something to people emotionally, but it doesn’t change anything physically. I need to know if having sex with him will tie me to him or something crazy. I don’t know enough about what we are to really understand what it would mean.
“It doesn’t affect the pairing if that’s what you’re asking. We still need to complete the final ceremony before we officially become a mated pair. This is more about being male than being Nephilim.” He says this sleepily, like a random comment that just rolled off his tongue.
“Wait. Nephilim? That’s what we are?” I ask quickly sitting up. Zander’s eyes snap open as he realizes what he has just told me. “Nephilim? As in, the descendants of angels?” Slowly, he nods his assent.
“Why don’t we have wings?” Since I already had time to get used to the fact that I wasn’t human it isn’t derailing me quite as much as I thought it might to learn what I really am.
Zander laughs at my expense. “We're too far removed from the source for that. Only full angels have wings. We’re the descendants of relationships between humans and angels. Our council is made up of angels and they supposedly council us on what God expects from us.” He trails his hand leisurely up my arm causing a shiver to work up my body. I sink back into the warmth of the bed to ponder this.
Huh, so I’m descended from angels. That’s going to take some getting used to. I had been considering options ever since I learned we weren’t human. Not once, had ‘half-angel' crossed my mind. I was thinking radioactive spider or genetic mutation. That sort of stuff. Nothing ‘holy’ ever crossed my mind.
Zander must be worried about my reaction to the news because he’s watching me intently. Surprisingly enough the news isn’t as hard for me to believe as it should be.
I roll onto my side to watch Zander. “Why didn’t my parents want me to be paired with you?” Maybe now is the time to air all our dirty laundry.
Zander looks at me and I can’t tell if he is deciding whether to tell me or deciding how to tell me. “There was a prophecy. It mentioned a female that many people believe is you. The prophecy stated that you, or she, would mate with the Ruler of our people and will deliver our people from the darkness, at your own expense. Your parents, and many others, think I'm the male in the prophecy. So, in theory, our completing the mating ritual will be the beginning of the end of us. The prophecy said that we'll both perish, but our people will be saved.” Truth.
“So, our mating will kill us? But will save our people? And my parents tried to stop that by hiding me?”
I've never had children so I know I can’t understand that type of love, but I can recognize how difficult of a position that must be. Sacrifice your child to save your species or save your child and endanger an entire race of people.
“Yes, they hid you to stop the prophecy.” Lie, or at least partially a lie. I’ve never recognized something as a partial lie, but this feels like exactly that.
A rapid knocking on my door catches both of our attentions. “Sir? I'm sorry to disturb you but we have a situation, sir.” Jacob's preoccupation can be heard clearly through the door.
“Come in, Jacob.” The frustration is evident in Zander’s expression. When Jacob makes it into the room Zander says, “What's the problem?”
“We have an unexpected guest. He is asking to speak with you… and her.” He adds nodding in my direction.
Zander huffs out a breath but doesn’t seem terribly surprised. “Tell him I'll be right there. I want you to stay glued to Emily's side all day. You are not to leave her for any reason. Is that understood?”
As he is speaking, he rolls out of bed and comes around to my side. He gives me a quick kiss on my lips and then heads to the door.
“Emily, I have to take care of some business. Will you please stay on this side of the house? Jacob will be with you for your protection. Listen to him, please?” He asks and I nod.
I haven’t seen him frustrated about anything except my actions since I’ve been here so I know that whatever is going on must be a big deal.
I really wish I was the type of person that could mind her own business. Unfortunately, I'm not. So, I try and develop a plan to get away from my body guard. Maybe it would be best to see if I can get some information out of him before I sneak away.
I sit on the couch and motion to Jacob that he is welcome to sit in the chair in front of me. I like Jacob. He’s funny. So, I really do want to help him be comfortable. It just happens that him being comfortable, may help me get some information out of him.
He comes and sits in the chair I directed him to. He doesn’t freely offer a conversation starter which isn’t too strange for him, but he seems worried.
“So, tell me, Jacob. What is it that you did before I showed up for you to babysit?”
“I’m head of security. Even while you are here, it is my job to ensure the compound’s protection at all times.” Truth. He smirks as the shock crosses my face. He doesn’t look much older than me, but head of security seems like a pretty important job. Even if it is just security over some rich boy’s house.
“Oh? You seem awfully young for such a big job.” I don’t want him to think my earlier shock was because I find him incompetent.
“Maybe. Probably not as young as you think though. I’ll turn 115 this year.” My gift tells me that this is the truth, but my brain tells me it must be a lie. My mouth drops open in shock. Zander had mentioned extended lifetimes, but I hadn’t bothered to ask any more about it. I was thinking that Nephilim may live to like 120 total. Not be 115 and look 25. This changes things.
“Holy moly. 115? Wow. That’s- that’s really… something.” I can’t muster any expression other than complete shock. “Well, you look great.” I mumble stupidly which only causes him to grin widely.
“You’re fun to have around. No wonder Zander was so interested in retrieving you.” He smiles widely as my cheeks redden.
“What is it that Zander does exactly?” I ask to cover for my ignorance of all things Ne
philim. Oddly though, Jacob’s smile only grows.
“He hasn’t told you? I thought it would be the first thing he mentioned.” Clearly something is amusing him, and I can only guess it’s at my expense-- again.
“Umm, no he hasn’t really mentioned work much.” I mumble which causes Jacob’s eyes to flick to the bed.
“He’s our King. Although few people use the title anymore. His father passed away when Zander was fairly young, so he had to take the crown much earlier than most.” Truth.
“This is a joke, right? He’s not really the King.” But something hits me then. Something I had completely bypassed. When he told me of the prophecy this morning, he had mentioned the male being the ruler of the Nephilim. How had I missed that?
I must look like a strangled goldfish to Jacob. My mouth is hanging wide open and my eyes are the size of dinner plates. I know before he opens his mouth that this is not a joke. Zander really is their King.
“He is absolutely, 100% our King. When he starts taking you out in public you’ll see. King Zander in public is very different than the Zander you have seen around the house.” King Zander? What in the hell have I landed in the middle of?
“Sure, sure. I bet he is.” I mumble distractedly as I try to wrap my mind around this news. I’m an angel. Zander is a King. What’s next?
“Why would the descendants of angels need a King?”
Angels are supposed to be inherently good, right? So, shouldn’t their descendants be equally good? Well, okay. Maybe drug dealing wasn’t exactly good. Or really, much of what I have done in my past.
“There are good angels and bad angels, just like humans. Fallen Angels and Divine Angels have both reproduced with humans. Zander’s job is to keep all of us in check. He has dominion over both groups. The council makes decisions for the Divine Angels’ off-spring and we tend to abide by that. The Fallen Angels’ off-spring do not. Zander has the means to stop them when necessary. Which doesn’t happen too often. They know better than to try him.” Truth. Holy hell.
“So, we’re descended from divine angels?” I ask quietly. Truth be told, I have done a lot of things that are morally unacceptable. I was only with foster family #3 for a little while but they shoved me in enough church classes to know that I haven’t exactly abided by their religion’s rules.
“We are. Everyone in this house is. The descendants of fallen angels tend to be loners. They don’t have too much to do with our society. They prefer to deal with humans.”
That makes sense. Everyone in this house is gorgeous. If the fallen are the same, then humans would be tripping over themselves to serve them.
“I need a shower.” I stand up suddenly.
I was so distracted by all of this new information that I nearly forgot my mission.
Jacob noticeably sniffs the air and makes a face, “Yeah, Princess, you do.” he jokes.
Halfway to the bathroom, his comment hits me.
“Wait, please tell me I am not really a princess!” I turn, suddenly needing to see his reaction.
“Well, no you’re not a princess.” I exhale a huff and relax noticeably. “You’re technically our Queen.”
“Queen?! I can’t be your Queen! I didn’t even know we were Nephilim until a few hours ago!” I nearly scream.
“You’re mated to our King. What did you think that would make you?” He asks, truly puzzled.
“Can I be his mistress? He can have a real Queen during the day and come home to me, right? I know he’s my mate, but I can’t be the Queen.”
I’ve started pacing agitatedly around the room. Something twists in my stomach at the thought though. Another woman on his arm? For some reason my gut tells me this is unacceptable.
“I’m sorry, Emily. You are the Queen and when you two complete the mating ceremony it will be official.” He looks truly upset to have been delivering what I clearly see as bad news. “Take a shower. It’ll help relax you. You can talk to Zander about all of this when he is finished with his meeting.”
I go into the bathroom and turn the water on in the shower, but I don’t get in. Too much. This is what I was afraid of. I have too much information too quickly. I need to calm down. I have a job to do and freaking out in this bathroom won’t accomplish it. I take a few deep breaths and work on lowering my heart rate, noticing that the tightness in my chest is back. When I feel that I can at least pretend it’s a normal day I throw open the window quietly and slip out.
Chapter 8
TMI?
Maybe my little freak out in my bedroom will help me. If Jacob believes I am freaking out about all of the information he shared, he won’t suspect me of being capable of escape. I skirt around the house and enter the French doors that lead into the kitchen.
My plan is a good one. Go walking through the house like everything is okay and no one will look your way, right? Oh, except I forgot to get dressed. So, here I am walking around the house like it’s any other day, only today I am only wearing the tank top and cotton shorts I slept in. Yeah, that won’t attract any unwanted attention.
I walk at what I hope is a leisurely pace, while still trying to hurry, towards Zander’s office. Jacob called it a meeting and he does all of his business in his office. I can tell by the sheer number of security personnel that his office is the correct location. Outside the doors to Zander’s suite stand four guards. I haven’t come up with a good plan, but I have to see what is going on. So, I try the first thing that pops into my head.
“Zander called for me. He said he needs me for something? I don’t know what it could possibly be. He said he needed my right now and that I didn’t even have time to change.” I adopt an accent that is a little bit like a valley-girl and roll my eyes for emphasis. I don’t recognize these men and I hope that they don’t know me too well. Maybe I can pull off the spoiled-brat-put-out-about-having-to-be-here thing.
The men turn towards one in the middle, clearly looking for his permission. He watches me closely but slowly nods his head toward them. They open the door and I slip through before they change their minds. Shaking my head as I walk down the hall, I can’t believe that worked.
As I near Zander’s office I hear raised voices. I have never seen Zander so worked up about anything that he felt the need to yell, so I’m instantly on edge. Maybe I really shouldn’t have come.
“You had your chance! You couldn’t hold her then and you can’t hold her now!” That’s Zander.
I try to imagine what he could be talking about. Maybe a prize horse or cow? Some sort of livestock. I ignore the elephant in the room that points out that there is a good chance he is talking about me. I make my way to his office door silently and crouch down with my ear against the door.
“She’s as much mine as she is yours! You have no right to take her from me.” This must have come from whoever Zander is arguing with. The voice sounds familiar but without the visual cues to help I can’t place it now. For some reason it gives me a feeling of warmth and comfort, even raised in argument as it is.
“You had your time. We had an agreement. I left her to you for as long as possible. She is mine and I will not let her go again.” Zander has lowered his voice now, but it is no less fierce. I cannot even imagine the look on his face.
“She was coming around. She would have stayed with me if she had been given the choice. But you took that choice from her. You kidnapped her!” That voice- it almost reminds me of… but no. That’s not possible.
“How much longer do you think you could have pacified the Lights? You were making no progress with her. They were already mounting an army to take her. From right under your nose! I saved her from that. I took her before they could. To save her from falling into their hands again. You do remember what happened the last time they got their hands on her, don’t you?” This time Zander is so quiet I have a hard time hearing him. His voice carries something, is it sympathy?
“I had them under control. I had a plan. She would have chosen me, and no one would have ever hunte
d for her again. She could still choose me. She could live.” The voice has turned pleading now. He really wants this prize mare (which definitely cannot be me).
“Cousin, we have watched her from afar for too long. She must come into the community. She must. She belongs with me. Her parents tried to create a way out of the prophecy. They used you and I allowed it to go on for years. That time is over. It is time she takes her rightful place. Beside me.” Cousin? This is Zander’s cousin? A thought starts wiggling in the back of my brain, but I try hard to ignore it. Ignorance is bliss and I don’t want this knowledge.
“Beside you? Don’t you mean beneath you? You have had her here for less than two weeks and already I can feel the power growing in you. I’m not a fool. The only way your power could be growing so quickly is if you have mated her.” There is disgust in his tone but something else too. Betrayal?
“What happens between me and my mate is none of your concern. She wants to be here. She feels our connection.” Anger is seeping back into Zander’s tone.
“Feels your connection? You are the first of our kind she has met. She doesn’t feel your connection-- she is fascinated by your existence. She was raised human. She would react the same way to any male of our species!”
“And yet, she didn’t react that way to you. Did she, Caiden?”
My heart stops in my chest. The voice. Of course, I recognized the voice. It’s Caiden’s voice. I couldn’t put the pieces together because the context was wrong. Caiden isn’t Nephilim. He’s my best friend. He’s the one person that looked out for me before.
Without even thinking about it I stand and walk into the room. Sure enough. That’s my Caiden. Only it isn’t my Caiden. He looks the same, sort of. He’s dressed more like Zander than the Caiden I knew. I never knew Caiden to wear anything other than jeans or maybe khaki cargo shorts. This Caiden is in a suit and tie. My Caiden had long unruly hair that hung around his ears. This Caiden has his hair pushed very severely out of his face. My Caiden always had an open and friendly expression on his face. This Caiden is glaring at Zander in a way that I never saw my Caiden look at anyone.