“Obviously, we can’t get married,” said Hugh. “There are bigamy laws, and the curse won’t break if one of us marries the woman, regardless. We have to live in sin.” His grin didn’t have the same effect on her that it usually did, but his words did remind her of another question that had been plaguing her.
“And children? You can’t have any, right? Is that why you and Sterling weren’t concerned about using condoms?”
Sterling nodded. “That wasn’t originally part of our punishment. Lilith, who by the way is not our cousin, decided it would be fun to add to our curse. We’re sterile.”
“Lilith? But how can a person…” Her voice trailed off as she recalled being unsettled looking at Lilith’s portrait. She’d been right. There was more to her than met the eye.
“She’s a demon,” said Hugh. “We spurned her, and she cast a spell. As far as we know, it’s irreversible.”
“A demon. That you spurned. I didn’t realize demons and angels could…be together.”
Hugh’s eyes turned dark, and Caleigh swore she watched regret pass over his face, but it was gone so quickly she began to think she’d imagined it. “They can, but it’s forbidden. Lilith didn’t tell us she was a demon right away. She let things play out for a while.”
Caleigh leaned back against the chair and glanced at the table. This was too much to take in at once. What would her pastor at the Third Presbyterian Church in Philly say? She knew exactly what he’d say, but Caleigh wasn’t ready to go there. She never would be, as long as she stayed in this nightmare.
“I have to be alone.” She rose from her chair. “I have to think.”
“That’s not a good idea right now,” said Sterling.
“I disagree.” She looked into his eyes, fighting the temptation to just give in. It would be so easy to fall into his arms, forget everything he and Hugh had just told her, and continue on as if none of this had ever happened. But when she awoke in the morning, she’d still have to deal with it.
That thought triggered another question. “Why can’t I remember how I got back to my room this morning?”
“That happened to me, too,” said Blair. “It’s part of their powers. They’re so strong at times your memory gets fuzzy. It’ll come back eventually.”
“Powers?” asked Caleigh, looking from Sterling to Hugh. “So all those things I feel when I’m with you aren’t real? You’re just using your powers on me?”
Sterling shook his head before she was finished speaking. “No, that’s not true. Everything you feel is real.”
“But how do I know that?” Caleigh searched his face, desperate for an answer, but it wasn’t there. “I can’t deal with this right now.”
“Caleigh, please stay and talk this out with us,” said Sterling.
She looked into his eyes, shining like emeralds, and had to avert her gaze before she gave in. Was he using his powers, or was her reaction to him real? How on earth would she ever know the truth? “I can’t. Not right now. Maybe not ever. I just don’t know.”
Without another glance at any of them, Caleigh left the room.
Chapter Thirteen
Caleigh made it through rehearsals the next three days by sleeping too much and not allowing herself to think. Whenever she started to ponder everything Hugh and Sterling had told her, she took a walk outdoors or went back to sleep. The fresh air helped to clear her head, but being in the woods reminded her of the evening in the boathouse with both men.
She couldn’t walk anyplace inside the resort without being reminded of them. Their scents lingered in the air even when she couldn’t see them. They showed up to rehearsals, but she wouldn't look them in the eyes. She took the roses they sent to her room every day down to the lobby and asked the desk clerks to give them to a guest.
By the time her next performance came around, Caleigh didn’t have any clear answers, and she still had no idea what she was going to do. The easy thing to do would be to leave. She could land another gig. But all the reasons why she’d taken this one in the first place kept running through her head every time she imagined herself driving away from the resort. And there was the annoying little problem of her feelings for Sterling and Hugh.
She cared about them in a way she’d never allowed herself to care for any other man, but she constantly questioned whether her feelings were real or whether they were the result of their powers. How had Blair known the difference? Perhaps she should ask her?
Telling herself she’d get over them in time didn’t seem to help. She’d been going through men like water for years, but this was different. Babs had always told her that one day she’d meet a man who would go through her, and when it happened, it would be fast and furious. Babs, as usual, had been right.
Caleigh stood on stage, ready to sing her first song of the night, and glanced toward the table in the front where Hugh and Sterling sat with Blair, Leo, and Andras. The lyrics to “Someone To Watch Over Me” took on a new meaning as she pondered Blair’s situation.
Blair seemed so happy. Andras and Leo were attentive, they protected her, and when she looked at one of them her eyes lit up like fireworks. As Caleigh sang, she noticed little things like Andras brushing back a curl from Blair’s face or Leo rubbing her shoulder while he whispered something in her ear.
When Hugh and Sterling had told her the only way to break the curse was for a mortal woman to choose two of them, it had sounded like an impossible situation. What woman would agree to spend the rest of her life in the middle of nowhere with two men, and no possibility of marriage or children with either one? And yet, as Caleigh finished the song and began to sing “Stormy Weather,” she realized that’s exactly what Blair had chosen to do, and she certainly didn’t appear miserable because of her choice.
But Leo and Andras had fallen in love with Blair, and neither Sterling nor Hugh had said anything about love. They’d merely explained what they were and why the odd things happened. Caleigh immediately felt foolish for going down that path in her mind. This wasn’t about love. They had only wanted her to understand. By the time she started her third song, “I’ll Be Seeing You,” she had decided to stay, but on her terms only.
She loved singing, and this was a great gig. The place was packed for every performance, they loved her, and the pay was a lot more than she’d get during the war, even in Philly or New York. Why should she leave and start all over again in a new city? Or worse, return to New York and start auditioning on Broadway again?
All she needed to do was keep her distance from Hugh and Sterling. Perhaps with time and space she’d forget the feel of their hands on her body and the passion their kisses stirred. If she didn’t look into their eyes, she could put aside that woozy feeling of falling into them, and maybe her dreams would no longer be haunted by images of both men. By staying as far away from them as possible, perhaps one day their scent would not follow her around like a phantom.
Caleigh took her bows, but this time the roar of the crowd completely failed to give her a rush. She sprinted off stage and locked the door to her dressing room before anyone could notice that her smile wasn’t quite as bright as usual.
* * * *
Sterling thought Caleigh performed her first two sets well, but he could tell she wasn’t herself. He motioned for Hugh to follow him as soon as Caleigh had exited the stage after her second set. Once they were out of earshot, he made a suggestion. “We need to do something for her. Something special that will show her how we feel.”
Hugh’s eyebrows shot up. “How we feel? How do we feel, Sterling?”
Sterling frowned. “Oh, come on. You aren’t going to try and tell me you haven’t fallen for her, are you?”
“That’s exactly what I’m going to tell you.” Hugh dug a cigarette out of his breast pocket and lit it.
“You can’t smoke inside. You know that.”
“I don’t give a shit. Look, you can swoon all over her and try to convince her we’re not monsters or something, but I want no part of it. We to
ld her what we are, we told her the resort’s history, and she’s repulsed by it. She’s repulsed by us.”
“No, she’s not.” Sterling glanced toward the doorway, expecting Emmett or Zach to appear any second. The two could smell smoke a mile away. “Don’t you remember what happened when Leo and Andras told Blair? She was upset as well, but it turned out all right in the end.”
Hugh looked at him like he’d gone insane, then he stubbed his cigarette out on the floor and began to laugh so hard tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes. Sterling realized his mistake almost immediately, but it was too late to take back the words. His remarks had made it sound like they’d both already chosen Caleigh.
“Oh man.” Hugh wiped his eyes. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that. You haven’t said anything like that to the others, have you?”
“All right. You’ve made your point. But if you really have no feelings for her, how do you explain the flowers you send her every day?”
Hugh averted his gaze. “I couldn’t let you be the only one giving her roses.”
Sterling lowered his voice. “Why can’t you just admit you care for her?”
Hugh dug out another cigarette, but this time he didn’t light it. He put it in his mouth, ran his fingers over his chin, then stuffed the cigarette back into his pocket. “Look, you and one of the others can live out your mortal lives with her, okay? I’m jake with that.”
Sterling watched Hugh’s retreating form ascend the basement stairs. Something about the slump of his shoulders told Sterling that Hugh hadn’t meant what he said. There would be time later to talk to him about it. In the meantime, he had to do something to put Caleigh’s mind at ease. During her first set, he’d had the uncomfortable feeling she was contemplating leaving the resort. He couldn’t let that happen. She was his songbird, and he couldn’t give her up.
Sterling arranged for roses to be sent the next morning, but when Molly told him Hugh hadn’t done so this time, Sterling asked her to send some in Hugh’s name. Molly looked doubtful, but she finally agreed to do so.
“Do you think we can find chocolate in Chicago?” he asked.
Molly gave him a dubious look. “I don’t know, Sterling. It’s pretty scarce right now. I’ll do some checking, okay?” She glanced around and leaned closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. “But if you’re really trying to impress a gal like Caleigh, I have a better suggestion. Want to hear it?”
Sterling grinned and nodded. Trust Molly to get right to the heart of the matter.
“Take her to see a film.”
“What? Where? You mean in Chicago?”
Molly chuckled. “Right here, silly. Leo and Andras had the projection room built for Blair, remember? They have all kinds of films now.”
“Sure I remember. But do you really think Caleigh would enjoy that?” Blair practically worshipped Hollywood and its stars, but Sterling had a tough time picturing Caleigh as someone who would be that interested in movie stars.
Molly grinned like the cat that swallowed the canary. “Absolutely. She told me she loves musical films. And, I happen to know we have copies of No, No Nanette, Irene, and her favorite, Holiday Inn.”
“Molly, you’re fabulous.” Sterling leaned over the desk and gave her a peck on the cheek.
“I know. I’ve been telling all of you that for years.”
As much as having Caleigh to himself for an evening would be heaven, Sterling didn’t feel right about it. He knew Hugh cared about her, but he also knew Hugh wouldn’t admit it easily. Still, it felt wrong not to tell him about his plans for a movie night with Caleigh. If he refused to join, then so be it, but at least Hugh couldn’t say he’d never been told about it.
Hugh wasn’t in his suite or in the office he and Cristian shared, although that wasn’t unusual. Cristian managed to take care of most of the accounting matters at the resort, despite the fact he was lazy as hell. But Hugh’s contribution to running the resort was more along the lines of leaving cigarette butts all over the place and blaming the staff or guests for them.
Finally, Sterling left him a note and placed it on Hugh’s desk, along with all the other notes and memos Hugh never bothered to read. To hell with it. It wouldn’t be his fault if Hugh didn’t read the note in time.
After debating for twenty minutes, he also decided to invite Blair, Leo, and Andras. Maybe Caleigh would feel more comfortable if there were others around? Sterling also hoped by Caleigh noticing how happy Blair was with Leo and Andras, she’d realize they weren’t monsters, as Hugh had put it.
* * * *
Caleigh took her time choosing an outfit to wear for movie night. She wanted to look alluring, but not so seductive they’d think she was there for no other reason than to get back into their beds. Her entire body ached for their touch. The last two days had been torture. She hadn’t seen them or spoken to them. She’d barely spoken to anyone, and consequently Caleigh was lonely. It wasn’t like her to avoid people altogether.
She’d talked to the band members during rehearsals, but only when necessary. Hugh and Sterling hadn’t shown up at them. At first she was glad they hadn’t, but on the second day all she felt was an overwhelming sadness at not seeing their faces in the room. Sticking to her plan of staying as far away as she could from Hugh and Sterling had quickly turned into a complete failure.
When Molly brought her the note from Hugh and Sterling inviting her to see a film with them, she almost declined, but then decided that would be rude. It was only a movie. She didn’t have to have sex with them. Plus, she became intrigued when Molly let it slip that the movie they planned to show was one of Caleigh’s favorites.
The note only said to have Blair show her where the projection room was, if she didn’t already know, and meet them both there at seven in the evening. Caleigh had no idea they had a projection room at the resort. Was it squirreled away somewhere remote, where she’d be stuck if they tried to seduce her? Or would she be able to leave and find her way back to her room if she grew too uncomfortable?
Now that she knew what they were, and realized the odd things she’d felt were the result of them using some kind of supernatural powers around her, all she had to do was resist them. How difficult could that be? Although, Caleigh couldn’t deny the thrill she’d felt at reading the note. She was touched that they wanted to do something special for her. When they hadn’t shown up to rehearsals, she thought they’d given up on her.
On the designated evening, Blair led her to the projection room, tucked into a corner of the basement. “Leo, Andras, and I will be joining you,” she said. “I hope that’s all right.”
Caleigh breathed a sigh of relief. “Of course it is.” Now she wouldn’t have to worry about being alone and vulnerable with Hugh and Sterling.
The room was lit by soft lights and could easily hold forty people. They hadn’t simply built a projection room. They’d built a theater. It boasted a stage, a large screen, and actual theater seats. Caleigh took a deep breath and swore she smelled popcorn and candy. It wouldn’t surprise her at all to find out they had a concession stand hidden behind one of the curtains lining the walls.
Leo and Andras smiled as she and Blair entered. Next to them stood Hugh and Sterling. The relief on Sterling’s face made Caleigh’s heart give a strange lurch. He’d been afraid she wouldn’t show up. Hugh gave her his characteristic half grin, but the light in his eyes told Caleigh he was just as happy to see her as Sterling.
Leo and Andras took seats with Blair between them, about halfway between the stage and the back of the room. Sterling took Caleigh’s hand and led her to a seat two rows behind and slightly to the left of the three.
Hugh walked toward two staff members who stood in the corner and said something to them. After they left through a side door, he took the seat on the other side of Caleigh. Within seconds, the screen lit up and the speakers roared to life. Caleigh smiled as a newsreel played, featuring footage from several years earlier.
“I'm afraid we don
’t have any current news,” said Sterling, leaning close to her ear. The smell of honeysuckle filled her head. Caleigh closed her eyes and willed herself to stay strong.
“We can’t have a movie without refreshments,” said Hugh as the two staff members entered the theater again. They passed out boxes of popcorn, candy, and cola in cups, just as if they were in a real theater, then left again.
Caleigh laughed. “Is there anything you didn’t think of?”
Leo turned around in his seat and smiled at her. “Are you kidding? Blair never would have let us get away with not making this place a perfect replica of a movie house.”
Blair twisted around. “Do you like it, Caleigh?”
“It’s amazing. Everything about this resort is amazing.”
“The more time you spend here, the more it grows on you.” Blair held her gaze for an uncomfortably long time, and Caleigh wondered if she was sizing her up or trying to convey some hidden meaning. Either way, it was kind of unnerving, and Caleigh was glad when she turned to face the screen again.
The newsreel ended and a cartoon came on. Caleigh munched hot popcorn and candy, just as if she was sitting in a theater with Babs instead of five people she’d met less than a month earlier. How odd that she felt as though she’d known them much longer. In fact, Caleigh realized at that moment that she hadn’t thought about Philadelphia for at least a couple of weeks. She needed to write her parents and siblings and let them know she was settled and happy here.
Was she happy and settled here? Her thoughts were so confused right now she didn’t know what to think. Little Lulu danced across the screen, her high-pitched voice barely penetrating Caleigh’s musings. The scents of lavender and honeysuckle filled her head. How was she supposed to stick to her guns with both men flanking her in a dark theater? Had she been out of her mind to agree to this?
The cartoon ended and the screen went dark for a moment, then the Paramount Pictures logo appeared, and Caleigh clapped her hands, nearly spilling her popcorn in the process, as the familiar music of Holiday Inn started.
Tempted by Two Angels [Notorious Nephilim 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 10