“They are locked.” Adriane swore under his breath, running his hands through his hair.
Evie noticed his breath wasn’t rushing from his chest like hers. “Is this the only way out of here?” she asked, looking down the long hallway, a large plate glass window positioned in the center. Unless they were planning on flying, she didn’t see another way out at least not on this floor.
“We will have to find another way.” He didn’t sound convinced.
Reaching out, she grabbed hold of the handles with both hands and shook them. They didn’t move for her either. Turning around she pressed her butt against them, pushing for all she was worth. Surprisingly, they didn’t move, not an inch. A slight smile played on the corners of Adriane’s mouth as she turned back toward him. “Hey, you can’t blame girl from trying,” she said to defend her futile effort, smiling too, even though she was sure that was last thing she should be doing right now, but she couldn’t help it.
“You okay?” he asked worriedly.
“Oh, I’m fine,” she lied, rubbing her damp palms on the sides of her skirt.
“You’re fine?” He gave her a look of disbelief. “You’re lying.”
“Am not,” she argued, even though what he said was true. She wasn’t fine. Not at all. “What were those things?” she asked, remembering all too clearly the crazy looking woman in the foyer that would probably be starring in her nightmares for quite some time if she ever got out of here.
“Degare,” he scathed, fisting his hands.
An intense surge of dread shot thought her. She shivered and wrapped her arms around her stomach. “What do they want?” she said so low it came out like a whisper.
“Nothing you need to know about.”
She gaped at him. “What about my friends?”
“Simon will look after them.”
“Why would he do that?” she asked, surprised.
He gave her a startled look.
“I don’t mean they aren’t worth it or anything,” she tried to explain, “but he doesn’t even know them.”
“It’s what we do,” he said simply, shrugging.
What you do? She blinked stupidly like a little owl. “Huh?” She shook her head in confusion. “Sorry,” she said. “I don’t get what you are trying to tell me.
He laughed a little but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Inquisitive little girl aren’t you?”
“Am not,” she said, sounding just like the little girl he accused her of being. She pushed against his chest, not budging him in the least. Her fingers tightened on his shirt. His chest was really warm.
He stared down at her. “Yeah,” he breathed, his gaze slipping to her mouth. “You’re not.”
The light from the full moon poured in from a window over his flawless skin, shrouding it in the bluish hue—he looked like a statue frozen in time. Her pulse thumped wildly as the warmth of his breath wafted across her face. She tried to swallow, but couldn’t. Her throat constricted, stopping the words from coming out that she knew she should say. It didn’t matter though. Nothing mattered right now—but him. All she wanted was for him to kiss her…she bit her lip and stared up at him hungrily. Of course, she should be thinking other things right now. Like what were those creatures and why were they here, or how they were going to get away….but instead, the only thing tangible in her mind was how she wanted him to kiss her again…and then he did.
A moan of pleasure slipped from Evie’s throat, as his lips pressed against her own. They were hard and soft at the same time. His tongue slid into her mouth, as he deepened the kiss. One of his strong hands cradled the back of her head as his mouth traveled lower, assailing the delicate skin just below her ear. Her body shivered even more as his other hand roamed freely down the front of her shirt.
“You smell so…damn…sweet,” he murmured against her lips, sliding his hand under the length of her hair, and fisting it at the nape of her neck. His other hand curved over her breast, his thumb gently gliding over her nipple, sending another ripple of pleasure through her.
Evie’s mind reeled. She had never felt anything close to what she was feeling now. The kiss deepened becoming more urgent. It wasn’t like before—no, this was more intense… like he couldn’t get enough of her…which turned her on even more. She ran her shaking hands over his taut stomach muscles to his jeans, working at the button and zipper, her fingers moving deftly as she tried to release him. He groaned… the sound coming out more of a cry of pain, than a moan of pleasure.
Adriane tore his mouth away, placing his hand on top of hers. “Evie…we can’t.” His voice was ragged, like he was in pain.
Evie stomach dropped to her feet, probably a bit lower. How did I keep doing this to myself? “You don’t want me?” she asked barely above a whisper, feeling pathetic for even asking, she stepped away from him, humiliated.
“Oh Evie…” He leaned his head back and partly groaned/laughed, rubbing his hands over his face. “I do want you!” he dropped his hands down at his sides.
Evie gave him a doubtful look.
He reached forward, gathered her fingers into his own, and lifted them to his chest. He leaned forward. “Feel that?” he whispered against her ear.
Evie nodded her head unable to speak. His heart pounded violently inside the steel cage of his ribs.
“Look at me.”
“No.”
He exhaled and placed his hands on either side of her face, forcing her to look at him.
Looking into Adriane’s eyes was like staring into a sky full of stars, she felt very insignificant in comparison.
“I do want you,” his deep voice sounded hoarse. “I want you more than I have wanted anyone or anything…ever.”
“Then what’s stopping you, why don’t we just do it?” she asked, stepping up to him again and gently laying her hand upon his arm. The contact of his skin made her fingers tingle.
“Evie, it is not that simple …if I take your innocence now, nothing will ever be the same…”He lifted his hand from hers.
“The word innocence rang out like an alarm in her mind, drowning out the rest of what he was saying. O-migod! How embarrassing! Did she have a neon sigh flashing over her head or something? “Listen…” She tried to play it cool. “It’s not like I am not old enough… to you know… decide for myself.” She took a breath. “I want you.”
“I wish it were that easy,” he said, struggling, looking down into her eyes.
“It can be.” Before she lost her nerve, she stepped up to him and ran her shaking hands over his chest, feeling his muscles under her fingers. She leaned forward, pressing up on her toes, and tried to kiss him.
He turned his head. “We can’t.”
Now, she felt really-stupid. She dropped back down and stepped back.
He grabbed her arm. “Don’t leave.”
“I don’t get what you want from me?” She pulled her arm away and lifted her hands in the air. “I’m not a yo-yo you know. Either you want to be with me or you don’t?”
He reached out. The tips of her fingers glided down her cheek and then slipped under her chin, making her tingle.
“I just don’t get it,” she muttered, feeling completely confused.
“Look at me,” he urged, nudging her chin up with his fingers.
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t…” Breathe when I look at you. I can’t think when I look at you. I can’t function when I look at you… “I just can’t… okay.”
“I can’t either…”
Startled she looked up at him. “You can’t what?” She swallowed hard.
He smiled. “I can’t… not…” he leaned forward, “kiss you.” He seized her mouth with his own—pulling her roughly against his body. All the pent up emotions between then spiraled out of control. She opened her mouth wider, tasting the velvety softness of his tongue as it twined with her own, delving deeper. He lifted one of his hands, his fingers tangled into her hair, pulling her neck bac
kward as he kissed her with a growing urgency.
The warmth from his body mixed with his scent made Evie breathless and dizzy all at the same time. She could feel his mounting desire as her own spread through her body at an alarming rate. She opened her mouth to his, tasting the warmth from his tongue as it delved deeper. Her own thoughts became a riotous jumble, while other thoughts tumbled into her mind. They were not her own, but his…
A clearing came into focus. The moon still not fully in the sky, the color was blue, just like the moon she had seen with him the very first night she met him. Two cloaked figures emerged from the shadows, pulling him behind by chains, dragging him forward into the clearing. He struggled, trying to break free, but he was not strong enough.
The sound of his muffled groans of pleasure from the present drowned out his anguished cries from the past. Evie held him tightly, peppering kisses over his face, neck, trying her best to kiss his pain away. Stay with me… Stay with me… she kept repeating over and over in her mind for him to stay with her, not listen to the chanting that was pulling him further away.
A low growl emitted from the back of his throat. He pulled up her shirt and covered the soft flesh of her breasts with his hand, kissing her desperately as visions assailed him from other times, spiraling through his mind. “I have been waiting for you…,” he breathed, gripping her closer. His mouth was everywhere, his hands kneading, caressing… “You taste so good…feel so good…,” he murmured against her flesh.
“I can’t stop touching you,” he breathed into her mouth, his lips brushing against hers. “Please,” he begged. “I am not strong enough,” he moaned again. “Make me stop,” he begged with his mouth as his hand slid down between her legs and then up under her skirt. He could feel the heat against his hand, his fingers working the fabric, tearing it away to get closer.
Evie wiggled closer, not caring about her leggings ripping this time. She was burning up. She couldn’t even begin to imagine stopping at this point. Her mind was reeling. She was being bombarded with feelings, ones from the present intermingled with past emotions from another time. Shadowy misshapen shapes formed behind her closed lids blurring the past into the present…dragging her unwilling mind down a rabbit hole and again she was a spectator to the scene unfolding before her eyes…
Another clearing came into focus. A pair of young lovers tumbled on the ground, kissing, touching one another. It was a moving scene. Then it changed. An angry mob crashed through the tree line, carrying torches. The young man was pulled away from the girl and tied to a pyre, the angry mob cursing him for a crime he did not commit.
Evie could feel him giving up. Her mind was appalled—hurt, fear, betrayal, assaulted her emotions. She felt every single one, like it was happening to her. Holding tightly to his body, she tried to use her own to give him pleasure—to take away the awful memories that were flooding his mind. Lifting his shirt, she slid her hands over his chest, then around to his back. Her fingers connected with jagged welts, spread across his skin. He flinched away. She wrapped her arms around him more tightly. He was shaking, his agony was torture, making her own writhe and convulse in his embrace.
The scene opened again in her mind…
They set the mound ablaze. She prepared to feel the heat, but instead she felt coldness spread throughout her body as it turned his human remains not to ash… but to stone.
An image of the statue in the front hall of Briarcliff Manor burned itself into her mind. It was him…it was Adriane. Her body shuddered as her mind came crashing back to the present. Ohmigod!
Tears rolled down her cheeks. His mouth seized hers, kissing her deeply, passionately. She tasted salt. She had no idea if the tears were from him or herself… maybe both. It didn’t matter. She held onto him, not wanting to let go. Not now…not ever—no matter what she saw. “It’s okay,” she whispered against his ear, trailing her fingers lightly over his skin—again he flinched. She lifted her hands to his face, holding them on either side, looking up into his haunted eyes.
She could feel his pain, hurt, confusion, the horrible vision, lingering in her mind. On some level, she knew she should be freaking out from what she saw—but she wasn’t. She couldn’t explain why she wasn’t shocked, appalled, or afraid—when she was with him she felt many things, but none of those. Not even, close.
Evie skirt slid higher when he lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, like she had with Colton. Except this was different… she felt hot and urgent at the same time. Truthfully, she felt so many things, they were all coming at her at once, things she couldn’t explain or even imagine. They were all twisted in a giant knot in her belly and she didn’t think she wanted to untangle them… ever. She jerked his shirt up further with her hands, her fingers skimming over the jagged welts on his back. He ripped her leggings apart wider, his mouth finding hers again as their bodies melded to each other, his warmth pressing in on her. The room began to spin. She couldn’t keep her eyes open. They were all that mattered now.
The doors creaked loudly as their bodies pushed against them. She could feel him throbbing against her flesh, pressing in, but he wasn’t inside of her yet. Reality came crashing in…from the pressure. Was she really doing this right now? She looked down into his eyes. They were black, shadowed, haunted. She was terrified, but determined too. She wanted to let him know that she wanted him, no matter what. Somehow, she knew he needed to see she was not afraid.
Adriane’s body shifted under her hands, he was pulsing just beneath the surface. The coolness of the air around them mixed with the heat coming off their bodies. He shook his head back and forth. “No, we can’t,” he warned, knowing they needed to stop but couldn’t stop himself.
“It’s okay,” she soothed, kissing him back.
Adriane throbbed to be inside of her, knowing somehow it would make everything all right, just like she always said she would. His mouth seized hers again, tasting her sweetness on his tongue as it delved deeper, savoring all she was offering so freely to him. He could feel her heat emanating from between her legs as he pressed in further. Groaning, he pressed in closer, unable to get enough of her. “You feel so good…smell so good…” he breathed, kissing her hungrily, like he had been starved a lifetime and she was what he needed to survive. The only thing he needed.
Again, he thrust forward…nearly inside…
The doors gave out, swinging open, banging forcefully against the walls.
The momentum carried Evie backward…weightless, still wrapped in his embrace, the doors no longer holding her in place. The floor rose up to meet her, sending a jarring swell of pain through her body, taking her breath with it. On her back, she stared blankly up at the invisible ceiling struggling to pull air back into her lungs but the action was caught. She felt like a large boulder was pressing against her chest.
Adriane shook his head. His frantic need ebbing. “Evie,” he said, quickly rolling off her body, pulling her up to sitting.
He shook her. “Evie breathe…”
She wanted to breathe. She wanted to tell him not to worry but she still couldn’t get the air she so desperately needed to come back into her lungs.
A heavy object slammed into her back…
Once…
Twice…
A burst of air surged through her chest. She took gulping breaths. The warmth of his hand rubbed her aching back. “What did you hit me with?” She sounded like she had been sucking on sandpaper lozenges.
He moved his hand. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“No, it’s okay.” It was dim in the room; she couldn’t even see his face.
“No it’s not. I could have…” He scrambled to his feet and practically ran across the room to put some distance between them both.
“I saw what happened to you,” she blurted into the darkness. He was silent so long she wondered if he had even heard her. She started to worry she had said the wrong thing and struggled to stand, pulling her skirt back into place. Her mouth felt swollen fro
m their kisses, her body still heated.
“What did you see?” he asked barely above a whisper, his voice sounding as haunted as his eyes had.
“I saw them, the people drag you to the pyre…” she trailed off not knowing how much she should reveal. She wanted to tell him it was all right, she understood it was not his fault, but couldn’t find the words she needed to say.
She heard him move further away, his heavy steps muted on the carpet. “It’s not your fault,” she said trying to keep the quivering edge from her voice.
He laughed. It was full of defeat.
Evie didn’t know what to say to make it better; she wanted to take the pain away. Make him see she wasn’t repulsed by what he had gone through. She felt desperate to make it better for him, but she didn’t know how. She took a few steps toward him, her eyes adjusting to the darkness.
“Evie don’t… please.” He backed away, lifting his hands to stay her.
“Why?” Her voice shook, “It doesn’t matter, not to me.”
“How can you say that?” he asked the bitterness in his voice palpable.
How can I say that? “I don’t know…but I swear it doesn’t matter.”
He ran his hands over his face, and then dropped them limply to his sides. “You say that now…you’re in shock. Once you come back to your senses you will be repulsed by what I am…what I have become.”
Silently she debated the truth of his words, turning them around in her mind.
Nope.
She didn’t care.
Not one whit.
It just didn’t seem important. Not now…
“Evie, you can go,” he said just above a whisper taking her silence for something completely different.
“I am not leaving you alone Adriane.”
“Evie please… just go,” he said sounding beaten.
“I am not going anywhere,” she stated stubbornly.
“Oh, Evie, don’t you get it?” He raked his hand through his hair. “I am little more than a monster.”
“Yoou…you are not a monster!” she argued, her voice shaking.
Gargoyle: A Reawakening (Briarcliff Series, #2) Page 18