Death's Widow

by Lori Aisling

  His lips once again captured mine, the passion we shared always so close to the surface. I removed his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt, aching for the feeling of his bare flesh against mine. Hearing an irritated growl from him, I looked up, surprised at his reaction. I saw his eyes focused across the room and I turned my head to see the source of his angst.

  Hanging on a peg next to the door, was the cloak. I was surprised he only needed to leave one other time, and that was in the middle of the night as well. He returned as I was ordering breakfast the next morning.

  “It’s ok, babe. You are necessary and needed. We have all of eternity,” I reminded him before kissing him soundly once more.

  “To quote a lovely woman I know, ‘I don’t require all the time in the world, I simply need now’,” he mumbled, pressing his lips to my forehead before moving away and taking the cloak from the rack. “I’ll return soon. I purchased an e-reader for you; get caught up on current releases if you wish. Your new cell phone is in the nightstand and remember, don’t leave the room under any circumstances and do not allow anyone to enter.”

  I winked at him and gave him an exaggerated salute. Reaching behind me, I unclasped my bra and let the lacy lingerie hit the floor to join the dress. “I think I will take a nice, long bath and while I’m in there,” I trailed off and let my hands slide down to the silky panties I wore, letting my fingers slip under the elastic sides. “I’ll think of you and see where that goes.”

  Running his hands through his hair, he shook his head and smirked at me. “You’re evil. You’ll replay that scene for me when I return, pet.”

  I laughed as he adjusted himself to alleviate the pressure in his pants then I blew him a kiss as he donned the cloak and vanished from sight.

  Our relationship was not ‘normal’. He was Death, after all. But it was a dream come true for me.

  Demons of the Light

  I took a long bath, enjoying the scented seasalts and the new e-reader after I downloaded a collection from an author I once worked with in my mortal life. I finally fell asleep shortly before the sun would be creeping over the horizon. I tried to wait up for Callon, but succumbed to the cuddly, high thread-count bedding and down pillows. Subconsciously, I realized I had drifted and jerked myself awake. The sun had risen, but it was still early. I decided to order a french press coffee, Callon would be home soon and we could enjoy it together on the terrace.

  Slipping into a robe, I brushed my hair and braided it. I wasn’t sure what was on our agenda for today, but picking up where we left off last night was first on my list. I smiled thinking about it, my ever-present desire for my mate making me anxious for his touch.

  Hearing a knock on the door, I ignored it. The staff had been advised to leave all of our orders and requests, they knew they would be tipped well, regardless. The knocking continued and I walked to the door, calling out, “Just leave it! I’ll get it in a minute. Thank you!”

  “Ma’am, I am sorry to disturb you,” a voice responded in a thick Saudi accent. “I have a message for you or Mr. Thead and was told one of you needed to sign for it personally. I cannot leave it, Miss. Will you please allow me to deliver this to you and get your signature?”

  Callon had warned me against never answering the door, but looking through the peephole, I saw the young man who had delivered so many of our orders in our time here. He was standing back away from the door holding a silver tray with my french press order and I could see an envelope and a signature card next to the coffee.

  “Hang on a moment,” I answered, tying my robe securely before removing the chain and opening the door.

  “Good morning, Akil,” I greeted him in Arabic, the use of foreign languages now came as easily to me as my own native tongue thanks to Callon’s constant tutoring of solidifying intent.

  Akil’s eyes rose to meet mine, and I was shocked to see two solid black orbs staring back at me. He barreled across the threshold, the silver tray catching me solidly in the stomach. I stumbled backward, struggling to maintain my footing and failing. I fell to my rear, panic firing off adrenaline in my veins. The coffee fell to the carpet and the delivery boy tossed the tray across the room, turning around to slam the door shut.

  Rounding to face me, the cruel black pits assessed my body before moving back to my eyes, an evil smirk forming. “You are weak and unprepared, just as I knew you would be. The untapped power you contain is rightfully ours. The Light will reign!” he roared as he lunged, reaching out for my ankle.

  A scream ripped free from my throat and I kicked, catching the whatever-the-fuck he was square in the chin. My aim was true and my heel connected firmly, sending him tripping backward. He recovered quickly, coming for me again. Grabbing the silver tray from the floor where he threw it, I swung it with all my might, feeling the reverberation through my arms when it made a solid connection with the side of his head.

  “You waste my time, you worthless husk. I will relish the sounds of your screams when your soul is ripped from you,” the creature said, his voice screechy like the sound of metal twisting on itself. It incited a deep-seated fear, as I’m sure was the intention, and I screamed Callon’s name on instinct, praying for his protection.

  “He can’t save you, Amara Rush. He left you. Undefended, alone, and weak. He doesn’t deserve the power he wields. We will take it as well, once we have yours.”

  He stalked towards me and I crab-crawled backward trying to stay out of his reach. My brain was scrambled, fear and adrenaline making rational thought difficult, but one word came through clear and strong. Intent.

  I needed him here with me. Now. Trying not to focus on the being striding towards me, I pushed every ounce of will into my deepest wish. Callon. I felt the binding mark across my back begin to tingle, the sensation quickly turning to burning. I reveled in the exquisite pain, knowing it was our bond.

  The intruder lunged, his hand wrapping around my ankle and I screamed as his grasp seared my flesh like a brand. “Yes, I do love that sound leaving your lips,” his grating voice taunted, a macabre smile spread across his lips. “Now it’s time to go.”

  The next moment, there was a flash of black and I was free of the creature’s hold. Hearing a crunch, I saw the drywall crumble when the being’s body was slammed against it. Holding him off of the ground to face him eye-level was my mate, all features obscured by the massive, dark cloak he wore.

  “You dare to threaten what is mine?” he bellowed, his voice filled with rage.

  Pulling the invader from the recess of the wall, Callon leaned in and whispered a few words. I witnessed a shimmering of light and vibration and when it faded, Akil slumped to the floor at Callon’s feet. Still holding the creature in his firm grasp, he looked down at the young boy who was staring back at him with a mixture of horror and confusion.

  “Everything is fine, son. Nothing happened here. You delivered the order and left, as usual,” Death spoke softly and Akil seemed to relax; the look of fear leaving his face.

  “Yes, Mr. Thead. Thank you,” the boy replied as he turned his gaze to me. “Thank you, ma’am. I hope you are enjoying your stay at The Four Seasons at the Nile Plaza.”

  I stared at him, mouth agape, as he calmly walked to the door and pulled it closed softly behind him as he exited. I swung my shocked gaze back to Callon who was now holding a very squirmy ‘something’ in his ironclad grasp.

  The creature was naked, his flesh a yellowish-gold color and almost scaled. His feet ended in curved talons he was presently using to strike out at his assailant, trying to find purchase, and failing. His hands were tipped with sharp nails and he swung and flailed, his reach too short to inflict any damage to Death. Two sets of golden-hued wings beat frantically, knocking a framed picture off of the wall and stirring up the air around me.

  But the most bizarre features on this ‘thing’ were his faces. Yes, I said faces. He had four of them. They spun around his head, and when I say that, I mean the faces spun, not his head. Callon still kept a fi
rm grip on its throat and I watched the different appearances as each took their turn like some kind of twisted merry-go-round.

  A reptilian-like face settled and slit-pupil eyes narrowed on Death. Realizing his resistance was futile, he ceased his struggles and when he spoke, it chilled my blood. “Callon. It ssseemsss I wasn’t sssucesssful in bessssting you,” he hissed, his forked tongue flickering in the air. “Releassse her to me or risssk retribution unlike you could ever fathom,” the creature threatened.

  “She doesn’t belong to you, scum. She is mine and will always be mine. I made a vow to her the day she chose to accept my bond: I would kill anyone or anything who threatened our binding. Amara is free to pursue her own path, but she will always be protected and coveted by me. You will never have access to the power I share willingly with her.”

  “She is untrained. She is weak. Pathetic and ssssimple. We will have her, mark my wordsss. Her screamsss of sssufffering will be remembered for ssscenturiesss.”

  Callon smiled and I saw hatred in the expression. “Not by you. You won’t hear her voice, or anything for that matter, ever again. Nor will you see or speak. Never will a lover’s touch soothe you as you will be unable to feel. You will just ‘be’. A pathetic vessel housing a worthless soul.”

  The faces spun again and a bull’s head challenged me with a hard glare before focusing on Callon. Large horns jutted from his head and a thick, gold bullring pierced the nose of the magnificent beast. “You wouldn’t do that, Death. You are the Counterbalance. To remove me from service like that would go against your vow to always remain unbiased. God will not look kindly upon my loss. The scales of balance are so close to level as it is.” This time, the voice was deep, and not entirely unpleasant. I found myself wondering if every face had its own personality and thought pattern before snapping myself back to the present and most pressing question: What the fuck is it?

  “You should have considered that before you threatened to torture her, harvest her power, and leave her in eternal agony. You’re correct: I am The Counterbalance. And you stepped outside of the bounds of your duties. You are done.”

  Realizing the gravity of his situation, the faces spun, all yelling at once, the sound grating my nerves and I fought the urge to cover my ears. “We’ll kill you both! You will die suffering!” they all shouted.

  “You first,” Callon replied calmly. Then he blew a soft breath into the face of the creature and in a fantastic show of screaming, blistering skin that audibly popped, and the smell of burnt flesh, the creature disintegrated into a pile of ash that drifted to the coffee-stained carpet at Death’s feet.

  Cuddly Cupid

  Sitting on the floor on my ass, my robe shoved up around my waist and my tits hanging out, I did what I once internally mocked other women for doing in times of great stress- suck it up, girl. I started bawling. The sobs ripped through me and tears flowed freely. I pressed my hands to my face, struggling to come to grips with what I just witnessed.

  I felt a presence next to me and strong arms pulled me into his warm, solid embrace. Callon sat on the floor and nestled me on his lap; my head on his chest, fingers gripping the plush cloak like a lifeline. “Shh, my sweet love, don’t cry. You’re safe and I’m so sorry I left you to face danger alone. Forgive me.”

  That just made me cry harder. He was blaming himself for my stupidity. “No, Callon, don’t apologize to me! It was my fault! You told me not to open the door and I did it anyway; I thought it was Akil. It was so stupid. Now you are going to be in trouble with GOD! All because of me,” I sniffed as my tears dried up and my fear turned to anger- at myself for my foolish move.

  His fingers pushed my chin up until I was looking into those silver eyes that made me feel so much. “You were fooled, Amara. You are not to blame. Your soul is clean and pure- you don’t expect deceit. You cannot be faulted for such an honorable trait.” He kissed my forehead before continuing. “We do need to go. We now know at least the side of Light knows where you are and they will send others. Tell me. Where would you like to travel to next?”

  “Let’s go home. Please. I just want to know we are both safe for a little while.”

  He smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips. “As you wish, love. Grab what you can pack in your tote. I will replace everything else.”

  I wiped the tears from my cheeks and climbed to my feet, ready to be out of there. Grabbing the designer bag I brought with me, I began filling it with what I could grab, clothing I liked and the few baubles I collected from the sight-seeing.

  Callon removed the cloak and it immediately vanished. He stood in the same designer suit he had worn the night before when we enjoyed a night out, and he was talking on the phone. It occurred to me that he had not yet slept. Guilt ate at me; I risked my own life, caused potential backlash for Callon, plus ruined our trip.

  I heard him speaking to the front desk of the hotel. He informed them we were checking out and for any remaining items in the room were to be gifted to the staff, or donated to charity. Finishing the call, he completed another.

  “Kyle. We are leaving. Make all mentions of our visit disappear.” After a short pause, he continued. “Yes. Clean it up. We were never here, but you will need to get on it. There is damage to the room,” Callon added before thanking the call’s receiver and disconnecting.

  Looking at him, I nodded, holding my bag close to me. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

  His smile was sad as he reached out to take my hand. “I’ll make this right, Amara. I am sorry your trip was ruined.”

  “The trip was incredible! I will cherish the memories forever. However, I did learn a lot this morning and I have so many questions. I just want to be home. With you.”

  “Very well,” his smile turned teasing and he looked me up and down slowly. It was only then I realized I never changed, either. I was still wearing the silk robe- and nothing else. “It appears we won’t be making any pit stops on our journey back,” he teased.

  I smiled back at him and stepped into his embrace. “I don’t require any distractions. I am requesting non-stop service, sir.”

  Squeezing me tight he whispered into my temple, “Then let’s go home, love.”

  I let out a relieved sigh when my bare feet hit the tiled foyer of our entryway. Warmth and safety wrapped around me and I felt my body relax. I had slept less than an hour the night before and after the near-miss with the ‘thing’, I felt truly blessed to be back in the luxurious home that made me feel so secure. Callon assured me this was the safest place, anywhere, and I believed him.

  Dropping my tote to the floor, I wandered into the kitchen and began to prepare a pot of coffee for us. The rich aroma released from the imported beans awakened my senses and I felt better already, tho I hadn’t even enjoyed a cup.

  Leaning his head down to my shoulder, Callon kissed my neck while resting his hands on my waist. “I’ll be in the study. Bring me a mug, would you?”

  “Absolutely. I’ll be in shortly.”

  While waiting for the pot to brew, I collected my bag and brought it to our room. I dressed in a pair of comfy jeans and a hoodie before slipping on a pair of flip-flops. I wanted all the creature comforts, it seemed.

  Walking into his office holding two mugs, I watched the names and other details branding themselves into the massive manuscript. I was still in awe of the process. I set his cup down and propped myself on the edge of the desk, waiting silently.

  When he was done, he closed the book and leaned back in his chair, cupping the steaming beverage in his hands. I pulled myself the rest of the way onto the desk and sat cross-legged across from him. “First off. What in the bloody pits of hell was that thing?”

  He smiled and sipped his coffee. “Not hell, love. That was a creature of Light. He was what mortals refer to as Cupid. A cherub.”

  I felt my eyebrows raise as I contemplated this information. “You said cherubs were not what we, as mortals, thought they were. But I would have never guessed they would be so...nas
ty. I feel betrayed, somehow. Like a little kid who just learned there was no friggin’ Santa.”

  “Cherubim, when speaking of them in plural, have never done anything to deserve the pleasant myth and reputation they have in the minds of mortals. I have never been able to ascertain how they pulled off that publicity stunt. It’s a cruel joke, I agree. They are vile creatures.”

  “I remember you telling me they rarely left God’s side. I still can’t believe that weird thing was a cherub.”

  “They don’t often leave the Lord’s realm, as they have little reason to. Until now. You are a very good reason, Amara. I have no doubt that scouts from both the Light and the Dark are scouring the mortal realms looking for you right now.”

  “Realms? As in plural? And since I am now bonded to you, I don’t understand how that makes me special to them. They can’t force a bond with someone else since I chose you.”

  “No, they can’t. But you are untrained. Compare yourself to a powder keg. You could be used to cause a lot of uncontrolled damage if triggered. You are even more valuable as a living vessel holding power equivalent to mine than you were as an unclaimed soul. You could have been used to bond to a strong Timeless, therefore mirroring their strength. But now, you hold my power which is significantly greater than any angel, demon, or the like. If either side were able to enslave you, and successfully keep you from me, their next step would be to use the untapped strength to fuel their battle against their foe. With the sides so evenly matched, it would be the edge needed to tip the scales.”