by Rue Volley
“No. There will be…people from all walks about tonight,” Lucien agreed. “Allow me to play the part of host and lead you to them.”
“You’re enjoying this too much, old man,” Death accused
“Hey, I only have one child. When will I ever get to do this again?” Lucien shrugged. He led them away from the seating area, entertaining Dove with light conversation as he kept the glamour up on the areas they were passing. The smell of brimstone and the pools of fire were hidden behind a seemingly innocent wall of black volcanic rock
They reached a door and Lucien knocked
Layla answered the door looking irritated. She saw him and grinned. “D!” She jumped into his arms. “I’m so glad you made it.”
“Anything for my goddaughter.”
Layla laughed. “Which is exactly why I asked you to take up the role.” They pulled apart and she gasped. “And who is this lovely young woman?”
“This is my date, Dove. I was hoping it would be okay if she stayed with the two of you until the ceremony was ready to start.”
She gave him a look that said they would be talking soon. “We’d be honored.” Layla held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Layla.”
“Hi, Layla. I’ve heard so much about you. It’s good to meet you.” They shook hands.
Death relaxed. Layla had taken her under her wing
“We’ll make sure she’s seated by one of the girls at Purgatory,” Layla promised
“Thank you,” Death said
“Purgatory?” Dove asked
“It’s the name of the bar I run with my daughter Heavenleigh, who you’ll meet in just a few minutes.”
“I can see you’re in good hands, so I’ll take my leave now. I will collect you from your seat the moment the ceremony is over?”
“That’ll be wonderful, D.”
He smiled and inclined his head
She was guided into the room and the door closed
“You want to tell me what that’s all about?” Lucien asked, nodding toward the door
“Not particularly.”
Lucien threw back his head and laughed. “Does she know who you are?”
“No, and it’ll stay that way until I see fit,” Death retorted
“I never thought I’d see the day. Death slumming.”
Death froze and stared Lucien down. “I. Am not. Slumming. She is very important to me and will be treated with the utmost respect, or you’ll have a problem you’re not ready for.”
Lucien paused while looking stunned. “You love her.”
“I’m emotionally invested.”
“Man, you are so screwed. Take it from someone who knows. Beings like us don’t do anything in halves.”
Silence fell between them as Death considered his words. Lucien knew all about impossible relationships. As he watched Yophiel prepare to wed Heavenleigh, he became more and more convinced the decision he made was the right one. Love unrequited was a sad thing. It led to regrets and the constant state of wondering what if. When you were eternal, that was a long time
The joy on Yophiel’s face as Heavenleigh walked down the aisle in a black tulle gown with a hint of sheer pink underneath was inspiring. As they exchanged the vows they’d written, the entire crowd was hushed.
Death’s gaze wandered to Dove. She practically glowed, a beacon in the darkness with her sweet smile and brilliant aura. It pained him to see how much the darkness had spread inside her. She was losing the battle to live
Heavenleigh and Yophiel clasped hands and lifted a glass decanter full of sand. Hers was red and his was black. Together, they poured it into a red, heart-shaped glass container, effectively marrying their souls for an eternity as the grains of sand blended together.
“I know pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Yophiel Spirit.”
Death chuckled and clapped with the others as butterflies flapped around the couples and showers of red petals fell down from the ceiling. The ceremony was small and intimate, but grand nonetheless. He sought out Dove in the crowd and found she was already looking at him. Their gazes locked. The couple walked down the aisle to thunderous applause, but all he saw was the incredible blue of her eyes. Like a zombie enthralled by a master, he strode toward her with the crowd parting like the Red Sea. He stopped inches in front of her
“Hi,” she whispered
“Hello, did you enjoy the ceremony?”
“Yes, it was incredibly unique and heartfelt.”
“Yes, someone reminded me, when men in my…family fall, it’s hard.”
“Oh.” She licked her lips.
At her innocent but sensual action, something tightened in his belly. “I owe you a dance. Let’s make our way to the ballroom.” He held out his arm and she hooked her arm into his. He guided her through the hall, feeling as if he had a precious treasure
The ballroom looked immaculate. Chandeliers hung from the celling in a ridiculous display of crystals. The tables had black lace table cloths over red and the centerpieces were a monstrous collection of red and black flowers with black feathers
“Wow, they went all out.”
“Lucien is the over-the-top type. It’s actually more his style to go big rather than Heavenleigh's or Layla's. Did you enjoy your time with them?”
“Oh yes, they’re both wonderful! They welcomed me in like I was one of the family. I hadn’t realized how much I missed the company of other females until today.”
Death felt a stab of guilt. He’d kept her to himself. “Maybe we could visit them more often?”
“You’d do that for me?” she asked
“There’s not much I wouldn’t do for you, Dove.”
She stared up at him, her expression soft and sweet
His heart raced. He opened his mouth to admit his secret
“We would now like to introduce, Mr. and Mrs. Spirit,” the announcer boomed
“I guess we should find our table,” he urged. He placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her to the black tree that held red roses with numbers and names. They were seated next to a few friendly Fae folk who kept the conversation light and pleasant. By the time the first dance happened, he was itching to hold her in his arms. Her laughter was enchanting and he wasn’t the only one who noticed. The golden-haired Fae hadn’t stopped engaging her since he sat down
“How about that dance?” Death asked
“Please,” Dove replied
They stood and he led her to the center of the floor. Always the gentleman, he held her firmly around the waist, keeping a respectful distance between their bodies as he began the waltz
“You’re really good at this.”
“I’ve had time to practice.”
“So you keep hinting. Come on, how old are you?”
“Older than the stars.”
She laughed. “Fine, keep your age a secret, but at least tell me something about you I don’t know.”
“I want to be more than your friend, Dove.”
“Y—you do?”
“I have for some time, but I wasn’t sure if it was in your best interest—”
“Don’t do that.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Do what?”
“Make decisions for me. I can make my own choices. I’ve been trying to hide my feelings for a long time now, D. You’re my best friend and no one has ever known me better.”
He pulled her closer and guided her through the crowd. “I think we should take this somewhere more private.” They reached the balcony doors and stepped outside, leaving the hustle and bustle behind. He stepped into the shadows and pulled her with him. Bending down, he captured her lips. Light displays danced behind his lids. His body went up in flames. Her lips were the softest he’d ever had the pleasure of kissing and her taste went straight to his head. Like an addict who got a taste of his drug of choice—he needed more. He traced her lips with his tongue and she opened, allowing him to slip inside her moist cavern. Her sweet flavor intensified
Dove clutched the lapels of his jacket
and moaned.
I need more. He deepened the kiss
She stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Her cool fingers burned cold, sending shivers down his spine. They broke apart to breathe and he peppered her oval-shaped face with tiny kisses, unwilling to break the connection he’d craved for too long. He cupped her face and shook free of the bonds of fear. “I love you.”
“I love you too, D.”
“I want to show you,” he said
“And I want you to.” Her voice sounded husky.
He could smell the arousal emanating from her pores. It woke something primal in him. He growled. Tell her. He shoved his conscience aside. There would be time for that later. He wanted this moment with her to carry for eternity. “Can I take you to my house?” he asked, gripping her hips tight as he held himself in check
“You can take me wherever you want. Against the wall, on a table. Right here, where anyone can see. As long as you take me. I’ve day dreamed too many of my days away, wondering how you would taste, feel, and smell.”
Death took her to his favorite home by the ocean, where the sounds of the waves lulled him to sleep, the breezes off the water caressed him like a lover, and there was no one around for miles. They stood inside his bedroom in front of a massive four-poster, cherry wood bed with a gauzy white canopy, white sheets, and comforters. “I’ve thought about seeing you lie here more times than you would believe." He ran his hands down along her curves. “There are many secrets I need to share, but I ask that you give me this night before I lay all my cards on the table. My life is complicated and, here with you, I’m free to be me without the responsibility or expectations that come along with my title. I want to thank you for that.”
“D, nothing you could say could change the way I feel about you. You must know that.” She placed a hand on his cheek. “Whatever is it, we’ll get through it together. We didn’t get here only to fall away now. I refuse to believe that.” She tilted her head to the side and peered up at him from beneath her thick lashes. “Now, I thought we had a deal. You were going to take me.”
He laughed, stowing away the lightheartedness she always provided him. After all he’d seen in his existence, he’d become a bit skeptical about happy endings. “Well, I am a man of my word.” He caressed her back. “So, I’ll make good on that agreement.”
Her lids lowered and her eyes became glazy. “I love the feel of your hands moving over me. I want you to touch me everywhere.”
“That can be arranged.” He leaned in and kissed his way down her neck, inhaling her cinnamon spice scent. Her hands ran under his jacket, spanning his ribs in a slow exploration that shot sparks of electricity straight through him. They shed their clothes, peeling back the physical layers to bare the things they’d both kept hidden for much too long
Her skin seemed flawless and her curves were lush
He explored the valley between her breasts with his tongue, fondling her large breasts and pert brown nipples. She trailed her fingers across back, massaging the tension from his shoulders and cementing her hold on his heart. She touched him like a woman who loved a man. It was a heady experience. No language he knew could put into words how he felt, so he showed her with his hands, his mouth, and his fingers. He walked her to the bed and gently laid her down with her feet hanging off the side. “Tonight is for you. I need to taste you, Dove.”
She opened her legs wide. “Then take all that you want.”
He knelt between her thighs, feeling like a man receiving knighthood. Being welcomed to the heart of her was an honor he wasn’t sure he was worthy of. Gripping her thighs, he licked a slow path up her wet slit
“Yes,” she whispered, holding his gaze.
His dick throbbed. The way her wicked eyes watched him burned him from the inside out. He circled the hood around her swelling clit
“You make me so wet, D. I masturbated so many times to thoughts of you, coming with the image of your face in my mind.”
He moaned and eased his stiff tongue into her molten core. She coated his tongue, flooding his mouth with more of her spicy sweetness. He pushed inside and pulled out, preparing her for what he wanted to do with his cock. He moved her legs over his shoulders and she cried out, clutching the back of his head. Humming, he circled her walls and she pushed him closer to her pussy. He increased his speed, giving her what she silently asked for
“I’m going to come, D.”
He grunted his approval as she rocked against him, fucking his tongue. Her walls clenched and she crushed him between her lithe thighs. His cock jumped and pre-come ran down its length. A gush of thick, sweet liquid flowed into his mouth and he lapped it up, greedy for every part of her he could have
Dove collapsed back onto the bed. Her legs went limp and she released him from her stranglehold
He sat back on his heels and eased a finger inside her. “You’re so tight and wet.” He pumped a few times and added a second finger, stretching her to receive him. “I have to make sure you’re ready for me.”
“Oh, God.” Her hips lifted from the mattress and she moved with him.
“Not quite, little one… Are you ready to take me inside you?”
“Yes. Oh, yes! Fill me up, D. Show me all the things you’ve been waiting to do to me.”
Her words were a magnet drawing him to her. He removed his fingers and studied the thick moisture that coated them. “Everything about you is so fucking pretty.” He sucked his fingers into his mouth.
She moaned. “I like the way I look smeared all over your lips. Later on tonight, you’ll have to let me return the favor.”
He palmed the base of his dick and studied her. “Believe me, before this night is over, no part of your body will be left unclaimed. Are you ready to become one, my sweet love?” He moved closer to the bed and ran his dick between her nether lips, coating himself in her fragrant essence
She whimpered. “Yes.”
Slick and desperate to be inside her, he nudged her opening. She gripped him tight and he pushed in up to the head and paused to let her adjust. She flexed and he growled. “You are an exquisite form of torture.”
“It’s only fair when the very sound of your voice floods my panties.”
Her admissions were sunshine to his soul. He captured her mouth and drove home, drinking down her cries as they came together in a fierce frenzy. She raked her nails down his back, dug her heels into him, and kissed him like they’d never see tomorrow. It was everything he’d imagined and more. Her body shook, her walls began to quiver, and his balls drew up tight. The base of his spine tingled and he drove into her harder, wanting to go deeper than any man before him.
She arched her back, mewling as she came, and pulled him over the edge with her, milking him for everything he had. Relief rushed through him as he filled her with his essence, marking her as his. He rolled onto his back, placing her on his chest as they slowly came back to reality.
“Wow,” she whispered breathlessly
He chuckled. “Yes.” He stroked her back, gathering his strength. “It’s time I tell you who I am.”
She placed her palms on his chest and lifted up to meet his gaze. “Everything is going to change, isn’t it?”
“Yes, I believe it will.”
She offered up a shaky smile. “Hey, at least I finally get your given name.”
“There is that. Dove, I’m—”
Her eyes went glassy and her body convulsed
Death stared at what he did not want to believe. “No, not now—not like this!” he cried out, feeling anguish
She disappeared before his eyes.
With a mere thought, he brought himself to her bed in the hospital
“She’s crashing,” a nurse called
He didn’t need confirmation to know she was losing the battle. Her soul called to him to be taken. He turned away, unable to look at the woman he’d just admitted his love to as she was about to die right in front of him. “I have never asked y
ou for anything. Working tirelessly to ferry the souls you created, but I will have this, brother. I will have her.” He moved to her bedside and took her hand. “I hope when the dust settles, you can forgive me for what I’m about to do.”
Author Note:
I hope you enjoyed the bonus story featuring Death and Dove! They will have their own book in 2015. Thank you to everyone for your incredible support for The Purgatory Series. It’s a series that’s very dear to my heart.