Ardeur (Abbey of Angels)

by Danielle Gavan

  Remiele smiled at Brody and set her case down on the table by the window. “I'll have her ready to go.”

  My hand reached out and grasped Brody's before he walked out. “Tonight?”

  He nodded and I caught the flash of gold, bright and intense, in his eyes as he leaned down to kiss me. “Tonight.”

  I stepped out into the hall and watched him until he was gone from my sight.

  “You really love him, don't you?” Remiele was unloading the contents of the case she'd brought with her. A variety of bottles, brushes and containers lined the tabletop.

  “I do.” I smiled up at her as I sat in the chair she motioned me into. “He asked me to be his mate, Remi.”

  Picking up a brush, Remiele moved behind me and began smoothing the tangles from my hair. “Really? How different is that from asking you to marry him?”

  Her question set me thinking while she worked. The silence in the room was broken only by the soft sound of the brush moving through my hair and the occasional grunt from me as she caught a snag and worked it out. “I don't know,” I frowned. “He said it would involve a bite on my shoulder and some sort of words that would bind us.” I yelped as she jabbed a bobby pin into my scalp.

  “Shit. I'm sorry, Ardy.” Remiele removed the offending pin and came around to lean her hip against the table. “Did he happen to say what kind of words? Like a vow maybe?”

  I looked up at the beautiful angel and studied her profile. She was a much more delicate version of her brothers but the resemblance was strong and undeniable. “You know. Remiele, you know how to break my bond with Rae, don't you?” I tried to get her gaze to meet mine but she steadfastly studied the floor. “Is this it? Does binding myself to Brody break me free from Azrael?”

  “I don't know.” She did meet my eyes then. “I swear to you that I don't know but….” Remiele bit her lip and put down the pin she'd been holding. “Tate does. He won't tell me no matter what I try.”

  “How will I know, Remiele?” My eyes left hers and rested on the exquisite dress that Brody had brought for me. “Will I feel different?”

  The silence between us stretched interminably while I waited for her answer. I looked over the creams and powders that I knew wouldn't be needed but she'd brought anyway.

  “I don't know, Ardy. It's never been done.”

  “What?” My eyes travelled up and met hers. “But - Tate said it was different each time? He lied?”

  Remiele nodded, “I'm sorry.” She pushed off from the table and went back around behind me to continue pinning my hair up.

  “Then I'll be the first.” I set my chin firmly and looked out the window. A feeling deep inside told me that my words rang true. “You watch and see.”

  Twenty Two

  Brody parked his Shelby outside his apartment building and turned off the engine. I glanced up at the second floor windows that belonged to his apartment and then back at him.

  He'd worn his dress uniform to dinner. The sight of him in uniform was incredibly sexy and I'd felt my heart stop when he'd picked me up earlier. My eyes had devoured every detail of him, right down to the diamond cuff links that winked from his wrists. Puppy cleaned up nice.

  “I hope that wasn't too boring for you?” Brody put the keys in his pocket and opened the door. “The old guys like to talk shop a lot.” He came around to my side of the car and opened the door for me.

  I stepped out and put my feet with their strappy, silver stiletto shoes on the pavement. Brody took my hand and helped me out of the car. The skirt of the dress fell and covered the shoes Remiele had insisted I wear.

  “It's okay, baby. I was with you and there isn't anything that could be boring with you by my side.” I looked up at the building again. The red bricks looked brown under the silver light of the moon. “We're not going back to the Abbey tonight?”

  Brody shook his head and gave me the charming, sweet smile that always melted me inside. “I thought it might be nice to have some privacy for tonight.” He shut the car door behind me and led the way inside. The bright lights of the lobby caused me to blink after the darkness of the car interior and outside. “Somewhere that we won't be interrupted.”

  “I knew I loved you for a reason.”

  His short burst of laughter echoed in the lobby. “Oh, and why is that? My dashing good looks or my witty sense of humor?”

  I poked him in the side and laughed as we stepped into the elevator. “No. Your smarts.”

  “I'll show you smart, Goldie, just watch.”

  The elevator let us out on the second floor and Brody led me to the nondescript, beige door with the number two hundred and four on it. He fished in his pocket for his key ring. Once he found it, he unlocked the door and stepped aside for me to enter.

  The soft glow from candles glittering on every surface gave the appearance of a sea of diamonds. Large bowls of my favorite yellow roses were spaced around the place and petals were strewn across the floor toward what I assumed was his bedroom.

  I turned back to look at him with tears in my eyes and gave him a smile. “Brody, I - Thank you.”

  “You don't have to thank me, Goldie.” He wrapped an arm around my waist and drew me closer. The soft, warm pad of his thumb gently swiped away a tear that had escaped to roll down my cheek. “It's what you deserve.”

  Brody's lips met mine and I sighed into the kiss as my arms circled his trim waist. I was happier than I could ever have imagined in that moment. “I'm going to say thank you everyday, baby. Every single moment of every day that you love me, I will be thankful for it.”

  The effect my words had on him was evident as Brody growled into my mouth while he kissed me and backed us toward his room. His fingers found the zipper on the back of my dress and slowly slid it down. Cool air brushed my skin from neck to hips as the dark blue silk parted.

  He caressed every inch of skin as it was revealed until there was nothing left but to let the dress fall to the ground in a whisper of silk and rustle of crinoline. My own hands were also busy. As the dress rustled to the floor, it met with Brody's tie, jacket and belt.

  I slid up on the bed and watched as he peeled off his dress shirt. The sculpted abdomen and thick muscles of his chest were a feast for my eyes as they traveled over his golden, lightly freckled skin.

  “I'm the thankful one.” Brody thumped off each shoe all the while undoing his pants button and finally, the zipper. He knelt on the edge of the bed and I could feel his gaze as it roamed from my hair down to my shoulders and over my breasts as they heaved with every breath I took. “You conquer me each time I look at you; your sun-kissed skin and the golden coils of your hair.” He shook his head and cleared his throat. “Beautiful.”

  “Come down here and kiss me.”

  Brody lowered himself on top of me and linked our fingers so that our wrists touched. He dipped into a kiss and then whispered. “Two bodies, two hearts, two souls. Connected now, and forever.”

  My eyes widened as I realized what was happening and repeated the words as my eyes locked with his. “Two bodies, two hearts, two souls. Connected now, and forever.”

  Brody felt his heart stop for a few seconds and resume with the pace of Ardeur's. He growled low and deep, a dominating sound, as his eyes flashed gold and stayed that way. “It's done. I'm yours until I stop breathing.” His lips lowered to hers as he slowly entered her body. Pulling back, he looked into her eyes to watch her face, her emotions, and her pleasure grow while he took his time making love to her.

  “We are each other's.” Ardeur arched back with a moan as he began a slow glide in and out of her. Their hands remained clasped beside her head and she turned to press a kiss to his scarred knuckles.

  Her words were like an aphrodisiac to him and he moaned as his hips jerked with the sudden rush of adrenaline through his veins. “I love you, Goldie.” He gasped out the words as Ardeur's nails dug into his hands. “Mine.”

  Brody gave up trying to hold off until Ardeur found her pleasure. He lost all
control and drove himself into her as his mouth found her shoulder, and sank his teeth in.

  Ardeur cried out and arched up from the bed as his teeth broke the skin of her shoulder. He wasn't sure if the scream was caused by his bite or the climax that had clamped around him at the very same time, and he didn't care as his own orgasm burst forth.

  “Mine, forever.”

  Brody cried out at her words and dropped to his elbows. He panted as he lowered his forehead to hers.

  Ardy tilted her lips up to his for a kiss. “Mine, Puppy.”

  “All yours.” The words were whispered breathlessly as he rolled them onto their sides. He looked into her eyes and thought of how he could get lost in them. Ardeur was his now. She would never leave him alone and his fate wouldn't be to die of a broken heart as his mother had. “Thank you, Goldie.”

  Wide eyes turned up at his words. “Why are you thanking me, baby?” Ardy brought her hand up to caress his face. “For being your mate?”

  “For that, for loving me and, for everything, baby. For everything.” Brody felt like the luckiest bastard on the planet as she smiled and pulled him down for a kiss.

  “Seems like there's going to be a lot of thank you's going on.” He chuckled and she grinned. “How about we just love each other and leave the thank you's unsaid?”

  Rolling her on top of him, Brody had Ardeur draped across his body like a golden haired blanket. He stroked his hands down her arms and reached to pull the covers over them. Ardy's eyelashes fluttered as she fought sleep.

  “Rest, Goldie, I'll be right here when you wake up.”

  Brody held her close as he thought about the night and their actions. He had hoped the marks that joined their life spans would appear when they whispered the binding vow. Whether the bonding marks appeared or not, Brody knew he would love Ardeur until the end of time and beyond. “You're mine for as long as you will have me, Ardeur.” He whispered the words to her knowing she wouldn't hear them and fell asleep to the sound of her breathing.

  Itchy. Must scratch. Itchy.

  I woke some time later with a tingly itch in both of my wrists. I gave each a perfunctory rub and tried to fall back asleep. The itch subsided briefly, then flared back to life as a burning sensation I couldn't ignore.

  My night vision had always been excellent, and with my new status as an angel, it was even better but I reached to turn on the bedside lamp anyway. I settled against the headboard and reached to scratch the skin at my wrists again when I noticed the swirls forming on each one.

  The black lines formed a heart shaped design in my skin as I watched in disbelief. “Brody?” I called out to him in a panic. Brody rolled to his back and blinked at me through the haze of sleep interrupted too soon. I thrust a wrist before his eyes and watched his reaction. “I think you need to tell me what these are.”

  Brody sat up, absentmindedly scratching at his own wrists, and looked at mine. “What the - ?” His eyes turned down to look at the matching set of marks on his wrists before turning back to me. Surprise and wonder showed clear as day on his face and in his eyes. “We're officially mates. I mean, we're - we're together forever if we want to be.”

  He was stammering, shell-shocked as he stared at the symbols that shouted our claim to each other for all to see; a claim that would last forever if I wanted it.

  I contemplated his words for a moment and turned my eyes up to look at him with a smile. “I do very much want to be. So very much.” My fingers traced the marks on his skin. “Is that all there is to it? Any more surprises I can expect?”

  “No. We said the bonding words earlier and I marked you as my mate.” Brody looked at me and I could see the wonder in his eyes. “I can't believe this is happening. It's great but - it hasn't happened in over a century.”

  “What do you mean over a hundred years?”

  Brody was absorbed in the new development and shook his head. “This hasn't happened to any wolves in my pack, none, in over a century. I don't know why but, everyone thought the magic was lost.” His thumbs brushed over our new tattoos. “Hell, I never dreamed this could happen. Half of the elders said it was just fairy tales.”

  I smiled and lifted our joined hands to kiss his marks.

  “We are magic, baby. Magic and fairy tales.”

  “You're missing one important thing for this to be a fairy tale, Goldie.”

  He grinned and I knew something was up by the twinkle in his eyes.

  “If I'm the big, bad werewolf - you need a red hood, and then you need to ride me.”

  Twenty Three

  The room was dark except for the charcoal blaze of the angel in the corner. It should have been impossible for black to glow on black but Azrael managed it somehow and Remiele marveled at the beauty of her brother in all of his furious glory.

  “Why are you hiding in the dark, Rae?” She crossed over to where he sat on the cold, bare floorboards and crouched before him. “You haven't left your room in three days and people are starting to wonder whether you've left us.”

  Azrael lifted his face to look at her and Remiele gasped at the violence and pain in his beautiful eyes. “I can't feel her anymore, Remi. I’ve lost my Archeia.”

  “Your Archeia? What are you talking about?” She studied his face for a moment and then it dawned on her with glaring clarity. “Oh, shit. Ardy broke the bond?

  Rae tightened his arms around his knees and rocked silently on his heels. “One minute she was there,” he tapped his temple, “and the next she was gone.”

  Remiele lowered herself to the floor and laid her hand on her brother's shoulder. “Oh, Rae. I'm so sorry.”

  Cobalt blue flashed from his eyes and his anger flared hot through the room. “Don't be sorry for me, Remiele. I won't let him have her. She's mine.”

  The windowpanes rattled in their casings with the ferocity of Azrael's anger. He'd clearly lost his grip on reality and Remiele worried that her brother had finally fallen off the deep end. Rae had never truly been right since giving up the part of his soul to save Ardeur and now that he'd lost it forever, Remiele feared for him. She feared for him and what his descent into madness would mean for Ardeur and Brody. Azrael could be a bastard on the best of days - he was truly evil when he lost his temper, and he was on the cusp of losing it for good.

  “Don't do anything stupid, Rae. You have to let this go. Ardy is in love with Brody and nothing you do will change that. She is not, and never has been your Archeia, Rae. Deep down you know that.”

  Rae shot to his full six-feet-four-inches and glared down at his sister. “Oh ye of little faith. Watch and learn, sister. Watch and learn.”

  Before she could reply Rae disappeared and Remiele was left sitting in total darkness to worry about what her brother had planned. She rose from the floor and sought out the angel and her werewolf. They deserved to know that a crazed angel had them on his radar and there was nowhere safe they could hide. He would find them no matter where they went and his wrath knew no mercy.

  Remiele stepped out into the hall and let her senses search the Abbey's occupants for the energy signatures that would lead her to Ardeur and Brody. The wolf blazed on her radar and her feet set off in the direction of the library.

  Brody looked up as the door opened and he smiled as Remiele stepped inside. The smile quickly vanished when he saw the panic on her face. His wolf was on full alert as he straightened in his chair.

  “What's up?”

  “Where's Ardy?” Remiele's eyes scanned the library but the woman was nowhere in sight.

  The way she looked around the room and the look on her face told him something had happened, something not good for Ardeur. “She's in the kitchen with Tate. Why, Remiele? What's going on?

  “Rae's flipped his lid. He thinks Ardy is his mate.” She turned her eyes, finally, to look at him. “He's lost his mind and Ardy isn't safe. You cannot leave her alone, Brody.” Remiele looked around the room again. “She is only safe if she's with you, Tate or me. Do you understand?”
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  Brody nodded. “What's got him all crazy?” He studied her face and movements for a moment and then realized - the only thing that could freak the angel out was if the bond between Rae and Ardy was broken. The big guy had it bad for his mate and would not let Ardeur go without a fight. Heaven knew Brody felt the same way. “She broke the bond. We did it, didn't we?”

  “I don't know.” She shuddered as she remembered Rae's face in the darkness. “He says he can't sense her anymore.” Remiele turned to face him again. “It's never been done so we have no way to know if that's what happened or if it's something else.”

  “Shit.” He rubbed the back of his neck as his mind whirled. “Well, she's with Tate right now so she's safe. Right?”

  She nodded and his wolf backed down a notch. “He loves Ardy. Nothing will happen to her while in his care.”

  “You'd better hope not or your brother will have one very angry werewolf on his ass, nipping at his wings.”

  I was busy chewing on an orange segment and searching through the fridge when I felt a presence enter the room. I popped up from behind the stainless steel door and spied Tate as he sat down at the counter. “Hey, Tate. Hungry?”

  The big guy sat on his usual stool and nodded while he scanned the room. “Always. Find anything good in there?”

  “Yep.” I stood and closed the door with my free hand. The other held a package of beef tenderloin and another of mushrooms. “Steak and mushers. Wanna chop some potatoes for me and we'll have home fries with them?” I felt his eyes on me and turned to smile at him. “What? Something wrong?”

  Tate shook his head and tried to hide the grin spread across his handsome face. “Nothing at all. Where's Brody?”

  I found a skillet and placed it on the element to heat up. “He's in the library reading. I was going to join him but my stomach had other ideas.”