“You and Rahmiel have been through an awful lot in a short time. I think you need to give yourselves time to see what you want. Just enjoy what you have and don’t worry so much.”
“I’ll try.”
It was all so complicated. Angeli, human, the binding…Kari sighed. She and Rahmiel were doomed. Not because there was any fault in Rahmiel. He was…lovely, kind, generous, totally hot. But the crazy circumstances surrounding them—how many couples would make it through that maze?
She dropped Amber off at her apartment with plans to go shopping late the next afternoon, and went home to her solitary bed at Mom’s house.
No other guy will ever measure up to Rahmiel. Once it is over I’ll miss him for the rest of my life. Her tears flowed freely.
* * * *
Auriel followed Kari’s car at a leisurely pace. It was a lovely night, and he enjoyed the Earth scenery. He saw dozens of places he’d like to return to and explore someday.
Finally, the car pulled up to a building. Amber got out, carrying her bag. Kari drove off and he rushed into the building. He found Amber entering a room, her long dark hair swinging as she pushed the door wide to pull in her bag. She saw him and her large eyes opened wide. He leaped toward her and took her bag.
“Thanks.”
She let him in and he got his wings back in the privacy of her apartment. Flopping onto the couch, he picked up a pile of clean laundry and sniffed. “Doesn’t smell like you,” he commented, then tossed them across the small room to a chair.
“Yeah. I just washed those. You don’t have to be in the Overland tonight?”
“No. Overland is crazy—the Assembly is still in session, members are sleeping on the couches in the Hall rather than going home. People who aren’t Assembly members are standing around in crowds outside the Hall. It’s the most exciting thing that’s happened in the Overland since I’ve been alive. No one knows or cares what I’m doing.”
“Do you think they’ll lift the ban on visiting Earth?”
“I think they’ll have to. Everyone I know is excited about Earth. They want to come see it. Good thing they don’t know how to get here. My friends, I mean. They would cause chaos.”
“Really? What would they do?”
“Fly around and look at Earth girls, act stupid.”
“Oh. I guess that would be bad.” She looked across the room at a small box with numbers on it. “It’s late, Auriel. I’m going to put on some jammies, okay?” She turned on the TV and tossed him the remote. “Start flipping channels.”
“Jammies?”
“Loose fitting sleep clothes.”
Loose fitting. Parts of him stood up and took notice of that. Maybe it would be loose around the neck, or dip low like that sleeveless shirt she wore while they were fishing.
She returned a moment later in a long baggy lavender shirt that looked so pretty on her. No Angeli girls could compare to her.
“Want some popcorn?” she asked.
“Sure.” The shirt’s v-neck came to a nice low point, and without her undergarments her breasts jiggled enticingly as she moved around. Auriel leaned back against the couch with a contented sigh.
Amber put a large bowl of popcorn and two drinks encased in metal on the small table in front of him a few moments later. She sat next to him and took the remote from his hand. He enjoyed the slight touch of her fingers.
“Let’s see what’s on. If there isn’t anything good, I have some movies stored. Want to watch a movie?”
“Can we watch The Terminator?” They watched that at Tressa’s.
“Sure, but would you like to see Terminator Two?” She found the DVD and started it.
“So, Rahmiel’s pretty busy?” she asked after handing him a bowl of popcorn.
He chewed a mouthful before he answered. “Yes. Samuel and the Assembly circle that oversees the Guardians have been in conference since Rahmiel got out of bed. They aren’t even sleeping. The healers are giving them restoratives so they don’t waste time sleeping.”
“So, he’s not seeing any old girlfriends?”
“Rahmiel? Seeing an Angeli woman?”
“Yeah.”
He laughed. “No. Well, not unless she’s on the Guardian Circle. And trust me, most of those women are not the fun and cuddly type, if you know what I mean. Why do you ask?”
“Kari heard the textile ladies at her house gossiping about Rahmiel and some old Angel girlfriend getting back together. They said maybe the binding could be removed now days.”
“Rahmiel should be getting away from the Assembly soon to see her. And I’m pretty sure no one knows how to remove a binding.”
The movie finally started. Auriel watched with rapt attention but aware the whole time of the soft body sitting next to him.
“How come you all speak our language?”
“Oh. Rahmiel knows your language. He studied it when he was in ice, remember?”
“Yeah.”
“The Angeli have a link, through the mind. We instantly know other languages.
Very handy now that there is actually another language to use. But it’s not perfect. We don’t know all the words you speak. We don’t know your writing or your numerical or monetary system.”
“Oh. What else can you do, with your minds?”
“Parents can calm their children or find them if they are lost. Bonded couples can do those same things. Healers can ease pain. Liars can be detected, though that is harder for us.”
“Wow. Can you do anything in my mind?”
“Yes. If we were intimate, or you were injured in some way, I could. Or if there was a bond between us.”
“I’m glad we didn’t have to do that. Kari seems so unhappy.”
“Kari’s unhappy? Because of the gossiping textile workers?”
Amber nodded.
Auriel snorted. “Now, that gives you some idea of how stagnant Angeli society is.
Gossiping about crap that happened thousands of years ago. And, trust me, nothing else has changed much, either. No one knows how to remove a binding. I hang out with Samuel in the Library every day, and he knows everything. I would have heard about someone removing a binding. Angels don’t even do bindings anymore. They are out of fashion, considered odd now days. So no one would be working out how to erase one.
There’s no way that’ll happen, anyway. Rahmiel is crazy about Kari. Watch, he’ll get a break soon, and he’ll come straight to her. It’ll be all right. I imagine he feels edgy, too.
Side effect of the bond.”
He watched the movie for a while in silence. Then he worked up the courage to ask what he’d been wondering. “You didn’t want to do the bond with me. Is that because you find me unattractive?” He swallowed hard, his heart hammered in apprehension, but it was best if he knew right now.
“Unattractive? Have you seen yourself?”
His heart continued to pound, but this time it was for another reason. “So you find me attractive?” He felt dizzy.
“Of course you’re attractive.” He stopped her words with his lips. He had to kiss her or he would go crazy.
Her lips were soft, yielding. He dared to slide his tongue in and she licked back with a soft, sweet tongue. He moaned into her mouth and wrapped his arms around her. Her soft arms slid up around his neck, and her fingers stroked the top of his wings, which inflamed him so much he pulled her onto his lap.
“I’m on fire,“ he whispered against her lips. He felt her smile.
“Me, too. Wanna make out?” She pressed small kisses around his mouth.
“I want to touch you. May we touch?”
“Oh, yes. That is what make out means.”
Chapter Fourteen
As much as she enjoyed shopping, Kari had no desire to shop for a dress to wear to Lisbet’s funeral. She wasn’t in the mood for anything but staying in bed with a box of tissues, but she couldn’t do that. She dressed and picked Amber up. They decided to go to an outlet mall on the edge of town. Kari found an outfi
t to wear without much excitement.
“I guess I’m getting used to this body. The first time we went shopping it was so exciting.”
“And maybe you’re just a tiny bit upset about Rahmiel?”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Listen, it’s almost dinner time. Let’s go get a salad somewhere and talk. I can tell you what Auriel told me last night.”
They ate supper at a steak house. Kari ordered the salad bar. “So, what did Auriel say?” she asked as she crunched a celery stick.
“He came over last night and we talked a lot. He said Rahmiel is busy with Assembly business—they aren’t even taking breaks to sleep. Healers are giving them restoratives. He said those ladies were gossiping about things that happened thousands of years ago and no one knows how to remove a bond.”
“No one does?”
“No. He says Angels don’t even use bindings now days, so no one would bother learning how to erase one.”
Kari sat quietly for awhile. ”But the binding isn’t the same as being in love.”
“Kari, it was just gossip. I don’t think you should decide that Rahmiel wants things to be over between you from what those women said. Auriel said he’s been busy with meetings, that things are kind of crazy in the Overland. I’m sure he’ll come to see you soon.”
Kari took a healthy bite of her salad. After a few moments of quiet eating she smiled at her friend who’d been through so much with her. “Thanks, Amber. I’ve been just a little depressed about everything. But you are right. I shouldn’t panic over a little gossip.”
“That’s the right attitude.”
“So, how long did Auriel stay at your place last night?”
“Oh, we watched a couple of movies,” Amber said casually.
Too casually. “Why are you wearing that sleeveless mock turtleneck? I thought you hated the way it emphasized your chest.”
Amber shrugged and avoided Kari’s eyes.
With a grin, her bad mood totally forgotten, Kari reached across the table and yanked Amber’s high neck down.
Amber squealed and yanked the neck back up, but not before Kari saw several bright red love bites on Amber’s neck. She laughed. “Watching movies, huh?”
Amber grinned. “Well, there’s just a lot of things about our culture he doesn’t know. So last night he learned about making out. Tonight we’re going to work on the alphabet.”
“Sure you are.”
“We are. I bought some kiddie work books. He’s going to learn how to read and write, plus numbers.” Amber’s cheeks were pink. “He’s very interested in becoming an Earth Liaison, and this will give him an edge.”
“Yeah, I can see that. And I bet his favorite number will be 69,” Kari teased.
Amber rolled her eyes. “We’ll see. I’m not sure how far I want to get involved. It could get very complicated.”
“Yeah, I know.” But the conversation had lifted her mood, and she ate her salad with relish.
Chapter Fifteen
Lisbet’s funeral was late in the afternoon. Kari, Amber and Mary Ellen went together.
As they got out of the car in the parking lot of the church, two suited men joined them.
Kari drew a sharp breath and her heart began pounding as she recognized Rahmiel and Auriel. Rahmiel was dressed in a grey suit, tailored so his shoulders looked even broader, his waist narrow. A light blue shirt picked up the color of his eyes, making them stand out on his tanned face. He had brushed his hair back but it hung loose around his shoulders. He moved to her and took her hands in his, and his lips curled into a small smile, while his eye met hers. Kari was suddenly conscious that they were squeezing each others hands.
“I thought you’d like some company,” Rahmiel said.
“I do,” she whispered, a smile forming on her lips.
Auriel was with him, dressed in black and grey, and he moved to Amber’s side.
“Thank you for coming, Rahmiel and Auriel,” Mary Ellen said.
Kari looked at Rahmiel in wide-eyed surprise. “How did you get the suits? And how did you know when the funeral would be?”
“Tressa. She pawned some Angeli jewelry and chains for money, too.” Rahmiel said.
“And Amber gave me a watch, set to Earth time, with an alarm. Very handy,”
Auriel said, thrusting his wrist out for her viewing pleasure. “Plus we went for a little flight last night, so I could see where it was being held.”
“You and Amber are quite the team,” she said.
Rahmiel held her hand as they entered the church. During the service he continued to hold her hand. Kari clung to him, her anchor in the proceedings.
The funeral was a sad one. The family buried Lisbet in her wedding gown, but there was no traditional viewing of her emaciated body. Kari felt uncomfortable with all the attention she got for her weight loss, so they left the small reception soon after speaking with Lisbet’s family. Kari was glad Rahmiel was there, holding her hand.
Auriel, she noticed, was acting very protective of Amber.
Mom invited everyone back to the house for a meal, but Amber and Auriel declined. There was a movie they both wanted to see and they would order pizza.
“Let’s eat with your mother, and then go to the Overland,” Rahmiel suggested. “Or maybe we can go to the island.” He traced her upper lip with one finger and she shivered.
“Yes.”
They had a meal of lasagna and salad, but Kari refused to eat more than a few bites of the pasta. The Angeli textile workers joined them for the meal. Kari was tempted to act possessive and hang onto Rahmiel, or run her fingers through his hair, but since her mom was there she restrained herself.
Rahmiel had no such restraint. He played with her hair, held her hand, even fed her bites of garlic toast.
She showed Rahmiel how to load the dishwasher, and then went to her room to pack a few items. “Mom, I’m going with Rahmiel. I’ll spend the night at Kaliel’s place and get home sometime tomorrow. Okay?”
“Call me on my cell when you get back. Give Kaliel my thanks for all the help with the house. It looks lovely.”
It did. The stains were gone and the dining table had been replaced by an Angeli-made pedestal table and six chairs with upholstered cushions, all carved in floral motifs. The Angeli women had decided to reupholster the couch and recliner instead of just spot cleaning them, and they were doing a lovely job of matching colors to what Mom already had in her living room.
“I’ll tell her. I’ll be back sometime tomorrow, but don’t worry if I’m late.”
She kissed her mom on the cheek.
Mom smiled a little and shook her head. “You know, when you were in junior high we got our first computer. I thought that changed the world. Now we have Angels in our lives, flying around and phasing everywhere. It is going to be even a bigger world change than computers.”
Rahmiel nodded. “You are right. A time of tremendous change is upon us.”
They phased to their room at Kaliel’s palace.
“So, will you be staying in the Overland?” she asked as she placed her overnight bag on the floor.
He grinned. “Maybe not. I might be an Earth liaison. Learn of Earth cultures, report to the Assembly, and assist when there is demon activity.” He pulled her onto the bed and spooned himself behind her. She could feel his rigid member press into the valley between her buttocks, through the denim shorts she wore.
“Really? They would send you to live on Earth?”
“Yes. I would need a little help from you, though. I would need to sell some Angeli jewelry for funds. So I would need help finding a buyer. Hmm. I need to learn to read Earth writing better. And numbers and money. I would need a place to live, and some help figuring out how to get around and live on Earth. Would you help me out, sweet one?” He turned her slightly toward him and his lips found her neck, then her lips.
She responded to the kiss, but then frowned. “How did Samuel read my ritual book?”
He grinned,
“Samuel’s been conducting secret missions on Earth, keeping up with history and languages. He would do it mostly at night, and then sleep during the day with his students. Everyone assumed he was just getting old. But he thought it was a mistake to ignore Earth and try to live separately.” He kissed her again. The kiss was warm and pleasant. Arousing.
“No one’s going to come looking for you, to go to some meeting, are they?”
“I’m a hero now, didn’t you know? Don’t I deserve a reward?” He pulled off her tshirt and shorts. His eyes widened as he took in her mint green lace bra and panty set.
“I see. Staying out of the ice prison and getting a new position with the Guardians isn’t enough of a reward?”
“Well, none of those rewards comes from you. And these are very pretty, but they have to go.” She helped by unclasping her front hook bra, and he took care of the rest.
He moved so his cock was right between her legs pressing against her core.
“You’re already wet,” he rumbled into her ear before taking her lobe into his mouth and nibbling.
She squeezed her thighs together just a little, trapping his cock tight. “Well, it would be a little celebration.”
He slid in, slowly. One arm came over her and his fingers reached her clit. The other had, underneath her, cupped a breast. He was everywhere. “But mostly, I just want to be with you. Earth, Overland, even the Ether. I don’t care as long as we’re together.” His voice was a rough whisper.
“Rahmiel?” she pulled away and turned to face him. “Do you care for me? It’s not just the bond?”
“I feel the bond, but it does not make me love you.” He brushed her hair back from her face and looked deep into her eyes. “The bond can be an uncomfortable thing between couples if they do not care for each other.”
“I care for you. I love you, even though we haven’t known each other long.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, so she could see his eyes.
He smiled. “Then it is a good thing we have the bond. It enhances our love.”
He kissed her while his fingers found her nipples, which he gently rolled and tugged. “I think I need to fly.”
Angel Magic Page 13