“And? What’s the worst that can happen?”
“I don’t know. No one knows. That’s the problem. No one but Brethren and other angels have been there.”
She stepped back into his arms. “Oh, Nate. If you want, I’ll wear sunglasses, or you can blindfold me if you think it will be too much for me to take in.”
“This isn’t funny, Red.”
“Nothing has been funny for a while. Let’s go already and get this over with. Maybe your boss can help me get this stuff out of me. Apparently, I’m not meant to ingest the Elixxir, and I’m having an allergic reaction to it. It’s becoming toxic in my body.” She looked up at him. “At least that’s what Emma thinks.”
“Shit.” He kissed her forehead and let his lips linger, then worked his way to her temple. “Are you in any pain?”
“No, only a nagging headache on the fringe and a vague crawling sensation under my skin.”
He caressed her cheeks with the backs of his hands. His eyes spoke of fear and desire as he lowered his lips to plunder hers, searing their souls together. The urgency brought tears to her eyes and caused her breath to hitch. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on for dear life, not wanting the magic to end, not wanting to meet the next inevitable moment. But being a realist, she knew what had to be done. Tearing herself away from him, she steadied herself by holding on to his arms and looked up at his beautiful, hardened face pinched with dread.
“As much as I would like to take you to a room right now and have my dirty little way with you, I think we need to go. We need to do this first. Why delay? Huh?”
He closed his eyes, as though he could shut out the world. When he looked back at her, a new resolve appeared. “You’re right. The sooner we get this over with, the better. I just don’t have a clue how E.L. is going to deal with you. That makes me nervous. But I promise I won’t leave your side.”
“That makes everything a whole lot better. Come on, let’s say our goodbyes and head out to Neverland.”
***
Returning to Nathanael’s apartment in Sedona afforded the two the privacy needed for their journey to the Beyond. Having flown all the way from Las Vegas in his arms, she proclaimed herself a veteran angel flyer and didn’t mind the few minutes it would take to get home. While she showered, he popped her clothes into the wash for a quick refresh. They swapped places and she fought to keep her nerves from taking over while waiting for them to dry.
She sat down to read. Motorcycle magazines weren’t cutting it, but his library of books proved fascinating. True crimes, mysteries, and suspense novels lined his bookshelves from top to bottom. Nope, a novel wouldn’t take her mind off the impending meeting, either. She wandered over to his desk littered with files upon files of bounty cases. Some were stamped with a huge red “Closed” on them. Just as her finger slid under the opening of one of the files, the buzzer for the dryer went off. She cut her finger on the edge, winced, and watched in amazement as it healed right before her eyes. Would she ever get used to that? Would she have to?
Her clothes smelled rain-fresh as she pulled them from the dryer. The scent coaxed a smile from her lips. She dropped the towel and bent over to step into her panties. Warm, soft hands suddenly rested just above the cleft of her butt and lightly massaged up her back. They were followed by seductive, feather-light kisses along her spine. Her eyes instinctively closed, and her head spun from the tender touches. She straightened up and turned into the waiting arms of a gloriously naked angel.
“We shouldn’t.” She sighed, betraying her own words by adjusting so every possible inch of her body touched his.
“Yes, yes we should.” His voice and manhood had thickened with desire, while strong hands caressed her shoulders and back. “I’ve rethought this hasty trip, and decided that without knowing what will happen, this is very much called for right now. I need you, Ariana, forever by my side. If it happens I can’t have that, at least I can have now.” Wings came from around his back, encircling her and teasing her already sensitized skin.
He needs me. But is he in love with me? If I live through this, can his need be enough for me? It will have to be, because for the love of God, I’m in love with him, and can’t live without him by my side.
She peered up at him through misty eyes and spoke despite the lumps in her throat. “Then let’s make now last forever. Kiss me. Touch me. Make love to me, angel of mine.”
He tightened his wings about her and gentled a kiss upon her lips that transformed into an all- out assault, removing all thought. Hoisting her onto the washing machine, he spread his wings and her legs, and touched her. And she him.
His skin vibrated beneath her fingers, and his aura cast a reddish glow about the small laundry room. As he entered her inch by painstaking inch, he sucked in a breath and she moaned, delirious with the sense of completeness their coming together always gave her. Keeping inside her, Nathanael brought them to his bedroom, where a king-size, raised bed stood centered against the far wall.
“Oh, my….” she murmured, staring wide-eyed.
“What’s wrong?”
“I think I might get lost on that monstrosity!” She gave him a worried look at first and then burst out laughing.
“Ooh, don’t stop laughing. You feel so good.”
He laid her upon the bed and tickled her ribs. She giggled and tickled him back. They rolled and tussled across the great expanse of bed until abruptly, he stopped them, becoming quite serious with his piercing gaze. Not uttering a word, he began a slow, torturous rhythm that she quickly met with a pulse of her own. As the fire in her belly grew, she quickened their pace and stroked his wings until they were both shouting and grabbing at each other. Sweat collected between her breasts, and he bent down to lick and tease each peak until she could stand it no longer and climaxed, with him following right behind. Tucking his wings away, he collapsed beside her with a groan and collected her into his arms. She could have sworn she heard him whisper, “Mine.”
She closed her eyes and reveled in his latent power. It amazed her how at ease she became with him surrounding her completely, as though his very presence wiped away all the horrors from her past. After today, she knew she could finally put it all to rest. With that realization came a quiet confidence she hadn’t known before. She’d withstood so much in her life. This meeting in the Beyond, it would not break her. It was that plain, that simple. At peace with her inner strength and resolve, she rose up on an elbow and tapped him on his cheek.
“Another quick shower and we should go.” She crawled off the bed despite his protests and narrowly escaped being drawn back into his arms.
***
Nathanael let the shower beat upon his skull as his heart pounded in his chest. This is so not like me at all. I’m a pretty calm, cool, collected kinda guy, except for when I’m on a hunt. Why is my slow heart racing now? Ariana. Her predicament worried him. What if she couldn’t handle it in the Beyond? What if she could, but E.L. wiped all memories of him and the Brethren from her mind? What if he had to spend eternity knowing the woman he’d fallen in love with was out of reach?
Love? He’d fallen in love? Oh, yeah. He’d fallen hard. But he couldn’t tell her. What good would it do either of them? It needed to remain a secret at least until after the meeting with E.L. If all things worked out, if she returned healthy and unharmed, even if her mortality was returned, he would ask to stay with her until the end of her days.
After putting on his jeans, he shoved a hand into his pants pocket and grabbed the delicate silver chain and charm he’d bought from Murati’s Oddities shop. He hadn’t meant to buy anything when he’d been there, but the charm had caught his eye and wouldn’t let go. He knew immediately that it should be hers. Angel wings curved downward into the shape of a heart, encircling a sword with a diamond on its hilt. He hoped it would serve as a reminder of their connection to each other. Even if she didn’t remember him once the meeting was over, at the very least, it would look beautiful around her
neck.
“Hey, Red, come here.” She’d been standing and staring out the window at the red rocks. Smiling, she did as he bade her.
“Yes, what is it?”
“I have something for you. I’ve had it for a little while, but I think now is the perfect time to give it to you.”
“A present? You bought me a present?” She looked incredulous.
“Yes, I did. I saw it at the curiosity shop and couldn’t resist.” He snuck behind her and whispered in her ear. “Close your eyes and lift your hair.”
“Wha— oh, okay.” She laughed nervously and did as she was told, so the gentle curve of her neck lay bare for his hungry lips. He breathed her scent in, closed his eyes briefly, and laid feather-light kisses upon her. She purred, stretched up, and raked one hand through his damp locks.
He replaced his lips with the necklace, secured it, and traced the chain with his fingers so it rested just above the swell of her breasts. “Look in the mirror. Tell me what you think.”
She turned to it and gasped. “Oh, Nate, it’s beautiful! Angel wings, how perfect!” She leaned in closer. “And they make a heart around the sword. Is that a diamond in there? Oh my. You are amazing.” She turned and dazzled him with her flushed cheeks. “I will wear this always. Thank you.” She grabbed his hands and laced them with hers.
“Always? I like the sound of that.” He leaned down to kiss her gently on the corners of her eyes, where tears had gathered. “I hate to say it, but we have to go. We can’t stall this meeting any longer. Hold on tightly to me, Red, and I’ll get you there safely. Close your eyes now, sweetness.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. “Okay, I’m ready.”
His wings fluttered open and wrapped protectively around her. He raised the two of them off the floor and began to spin like a top. As his speed increased exponentially, they became a human tornado and he heard her scream. The room fell away into a blur of color and then brilliant white light showered over them. He slowed their whirling to a stop, lowered them to the floor, and all was calm. Ariana tilted her head back and gawked at him, dazed and confused. Relief washed over him as he saw her come around a bit and that she didn’t seem any worse for the harrowing trip.
“We’re here.”
“Ohhh….” She turned away from him, fell to her knees, and retched.
Chapter Eighteen
Am I dead? Am I dreaming? Are we in heaven? As Ariana regained her composure and capacity to hold the contents of her stomach down, she took a tentative glance around at the landscape. She rinsed her mouth with the spring water from a stream that crossed their path. Nathanael gave her a bandana to wipe it dry, and as she sat down on the gleaming ground, her gaze swept over the craggy, snow-topped mountains to her right. To her left stood a host of tall, marble buildings. All were awash with a white glow, making it seem as though she’d been transferred to a foggy English countryside with the sun ready to burst through. Before them loomed a huge temple-like structure with Roman pillars and innumerable steps leading to its entrance.
She leaned against her angel in amazement. “Nate, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”
The rumble came first, and then his laughter. Peering up at him, she saw relief in his eyes. She giggled, too. “Rather cliché, I know, but the statement seemed to fit.”
“Well, we are definitely not in Kansas anymore, sweetheart. I’m glad you’re alive and standing on two feet. Speaking of which, are you able to walk on your own or do you need me to hold you up?”
She reached for him and he helped her to her feet. “Let me see if I have my sea legs yet.” She tapped each foot on the shimmering sand. Solid. That was a good sign. “I’m okay. It’s quite beautiful around here, Nate, although does this fog ever lift?”
“Fog? Oh, ha ha. Can’t say that it does. But it’s not really fog. It’s more of a haze, wouldn’t you say?”
“We can go with that. Sure.” She snorted. “So where is everyone? Or wait—” she continued in a hushed whisper, “is everyone already here and they’re just invisible to me?” She looked about and groped tentatively through the space around her.
Nathanael stood there shaking his head and laughing. But really, what could he expect from me? A cowering little flower? She was a fighter through and through. And she had questions about this place and wanted answers. He wiped his eyes and took her hands in his. “No, they are not invisible. No one is around because there is no one to be around, save for E.L. and his secretary. The only time you’ll see others is when a meeting is called.”
“So I suppose this is going to be a private meeting, then?”
“You suppose correctly.” He kissed each palm and released one hand while putting a choke hold on the other. She didn’t mind, though. The inevitable was upon them both. She knew it and needed all the support he could muster. “Time to head inside. It’s up these stairs and through those huge stone-slab doors.”
They walked in unison and silence, step by step, as the gravity of the situation had turned starkly real. Her doom or salvation loomed ever closer, and there were so many things she still needed to say. As if in slow motion, he extended a hand to open the door.
“Wait!” She heard herself cry out and tugged at him, refusing to go any farther.
Nathanael looked quizzically at her and must have mistaken her actions as those of fear, because he grabbed her to him in a fierce embrace. He murmured comforting words as he nuzzled her hair.
“Nate, I’m okay.” She disentangled herself and went on. “You misunderstand. I need to say some things to you before we go inside. There are things I need you to know before…before whatever’s gonna happen happens.”
“Come on. You can tell me after.”
“No, I can’t. I mean, I might not be able to. I don’t know what’s gonna go down in there. So let me say my piece here and now.”
He scrubbed his stubbly chin with his hand and nodded. “Okay, go ahead.”
She started pacing in front of him. If she stood still, she would explode. “Okay, well, first of all, I want you to know how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I’d be dead by now if it weren’t for you, twice over at the very least. And you’ve helped me discover the truth of my past so I could put my parents’ murders to rest.” She stopped before him and grabbed his hands. “Secondly, I wanted to thank you for helping me trust again, for showing me that sex can be a beautiful thing and not something to loathe. Finally, I want to say how much I admire your strength. I know that you will manage your addiction with all the tenacity that a warrior and bounty hunter like you has inside.”
She released his hands and rubbed her arms for comfort. “I care for you so much, Nathanael. Words can’t even begin to describe what you mean to me. Love seems so inadequate. But it’s the only word I’ve got. I’m in love with you, and wanted you to know.” She turned away and leaned against a pillar.
In this, she regarded herself a coward, afraid to see the hint of rejection. If it were any other day, she never would have shared her true feelings about him. But she had a strange notion she’d regret it for the rest of her life to keep it inside. “I don’t expect you to say anything back. I needed to say it, to get it out of me and out there in the ethos. I’m done, so let’s g—”
The next thing she knew, she found herself spun around, wrapped in Nathanael’s arms, and smothered by a blistering-hot kiss. When he finally relinquished her lips, he pressed her up against the column and stood so close she could feel heat pouring off him in waves.
“Ariana Kupi, I’ve been in love with you ever since you equated my being in a bath towel to a Las Vegas strip show. You’re sarcastic as hell, stubborn as a mule, and a royal pain in my ass most of the time. But Red, you are the only safe haven I’ve got in my maddening life, my own personal Elixxir, and you have kept me sane during the most trying of times.” He cupped her face and regarded her with watery eyes. “I cannot, will not, lose you now. So, we hope for the best and fight for the
rest. Okay?”
She could only nod, fearful that if she were to utter a sound, it would unleash a torrent of sobs, and she refused to give way. Grief mixed with joy and jubilation as she acknowledged the words he’d spoken. He was in love with her, too! Why, oh why, did this have to happen now? But he said he’d fight for them. She would, too. Taking a deep, shaky breath, she sniffled and caressed his cheek. “I’m ready.”
He nodded and pushed open the monolithic doors. She followed him down an expansive white marble hallway filled with floor-to-ceiling angelic murals depicting scenes of serenity. They stopped at a desk that sat outside the big man’s office.
“Hello, Shalisha, we are here to see E.L. He’s expecting us.”
“Nathanael, it’s been a while. You’re looking no worse for wear. Have a seat. He’ll be right with you both.”
“Thank you.” He smiled pleasantly at the young woman, turned to Ariana, and grasped her hand in his. They moved over to a plush bench and sat down to wait for what seemed an inordinate amount of time. Her knees worked overtime in the bouncing department. Just as Nathanael placed his right hand across her knees to calm them, the doors to E.L.’s office opened.
By themselves.
She couldn’t help but roll her eyes and snort at the egotistical display. That was enough to get her courage solidly in place. “Is he for real?” she whispered in his ear. “When I get back to Sedona and find a new place to live, I want that kind of door, too.”
“Come on, wiseass. Time to meet the head honcho.”
They got up from the bench and marched hand in hand into the office to sit before E.L. Nathanael reluctantly let go of her since the chairs were so far apart. As she leaned back in her seat, without his comfort to ease her racing heart, she sized up the enigmatic boss of the Brethren. A touch of salt and pepper in the hair, a bit of graying on the sides, a chiseled jaw line and straight nose. A white suit with a satiny sheen showed off a fit upper body. He made an imposing first impression. He seemed to be sizing her up, as well. She sat up a bit straighter and met his stare with confidence. Good! Let him see I’m nothing to be trifled with.
Elixxir (The Brethren Series) Page 17