He paid the bill and followed her out to her car. He stood in the shadows and watched her climb in. His Harley was parked next to her, but he didn’t want her to know that he knew what kind of car she drove. She pulled out and headed home, so he strolled to his bike. As he was pulling his helmet on, he heard Dominic.
She has us pegged, my friend.
Pegged? How?
We are weak.
Speak for yourself. I have never been weak. He flung his leg over the bike.
You have never been weak? We were all weak the instant Lucifer convinced us that rebellion was the right option.
The emptiness in his mind told him the other Enforcer had shut off communication. He thought about Dominic’s theory as he rode swiftly through the night trying to catch up with Abby. He knew the other fallen had made a point. If they had all been stronger, Lucifer’s rebellion would never have happened. He settled three cars behind her black Mustang. He looked at the lights of the Strip and saw the blur of faces in the crowd. He had chosen to come to Reno so he could get lost in the crowd. He didn’t feel like such a freak in the city because there were people stranger than he was who lived here.
Why do you think I live in New Orleans? Dominic’s voice broke in on his thoughts.
There are many strange things in the Big Easy. I’m sure you are only one of them.
Their laughter joined together and he felt a twinge of happiness for the first time since he had arrived home from Detroit. Celeste might be caught up in her new life with Adam but there were others out there who could be friends if he allowed it.
Follow your woman home. I will watch Thompson tonight.
He was about to deny Abby’s status as his woman when he realized that was how his heart had been thinking of her since the moment he met her. He didn’t know what it was about the woman. He was sure it wasn’t love, but it was the hottest case of lust he had ever had. Just thinking about her made him hard. He shifted on the bike. The vibrating engine sent shivers through his body as blood pooled in his groin. He arched his hips a little to rest on the gas tank. Holy shit. He would never have thought that riding his bike could get him off. He pulled to the side of the street as she drove into her driveway. Using his power, he shielded himself from view. He rubbed his cock against the gyrating bike. The pressure started building as he ripped open his jeans and his cock sprang free. He gripped it and stroked. He imagined Abby’s luscious red lips wrapped around the shaft. He could almost feel the moist heat of her mouth and the teasing swipes of her tongue. He pumped harder and faster while his hips arched. The explosion came and he spurted over the gas tank of his bike. He took several deep breaths as he allowed his heart to calm down. He managed to harness some of the power from his climax.
Feeling embarrassed, he stuffed his cock back into his jeans and used his shirt to wipe off the tank. He couldn’t believe he had done that. It had been centuries since he used his own hand to get off. There had always been women around who were more than willing to ease him. She was taking over his mind and he was finding out he wasn’t as attracted to other women as he used to be. All he could think about was Abby. He wanted her spread out on the floor in front of his fireplace where her hair would match the color of the flames. The shadows would caress her full breasts and lovingly conceal her pussy. His cock started to get hard again and he groaned. He had better go and visit her then head home. He knew he wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight.
CHAPTER FIVE
Abby smiled as William appeared in her bedroom. “I’ll admit I’ve never had such vivid dreams before. It’s like you’re really in the room with me.”
He stared down at her and didn’t say anything. Hunger was burning in him and the heat of his gaze made her move restlessly under the sheets. Passion flared as his eyes traveled over her body.
“Thank you for following me home.”
“How do you know I did?”
“I spotted you on the way home. You do stick out.”
“I couldn’t bring you home myself but I could ensure you got home without a problem.” He sat on the bed, his thigh pressing against her side.
She didn’t move as he leaned forward to kiss her. He was wondering if it would be as good as their last one. It was better. His tight control over his lust slipped and he was devouring her mouth. A gasp allowing his tongue entrance, and he started a subtle thrust and retreat that soon had her hips arching off the bed. He heard whimpers coming from her throat.
Somehow he managed to pull away from her but only enough to strip the sheet from her body. With a quick jerk, he ripped her t-shirt from her. Her gasp pushed her breasts up and he feasted on the firm plump mounds. The noises she made drowned out the disapproving voice in his head. He stroked his hands down her sides. Her skin was so satiny soft, he found himself drowning in her body.
He tried to remember all the women he had slept with. None of their faces appeared. His tongue slipped down from her nipple to take a shallow dip in her belly button. Her head twisted as he moved and licked quickly at her pussy. A soft cry shot through the dark. He smiled. Hell, she was hot.
He spread her legs wider and settled on his stomach. He loved the taste of her flowing juices. No mortal had ever tasted as good on his tongue. Cupping her ass, he lifted her hips to get deeper penetration with his mouth.
He felt her orgasm build. He heard her pleading with him, begging him for release. With one nip of her clit and thrust of his tongue, she came screaming as the pleasure swamped her. His soft laughter echoed in the dark as she fell asleep.
* * * *
It was still night when William arrived home. He poured a glass of Jameson whiskey and went to his library. There in the glow of a single lamp, he touched the leather binding on one of the books. Milton’s Paradise Lost had been his favorite book since he had read it when it was first published in 1667. Milton had been a friend of his and he remembered the hours they had spent talking about heaven and hell. He had often mourned the loss of heaven and they had talked about what hell would be like. He admitted to hoping that he never found out what his own hell would be like.
Sipping the whiskey, he went out the French doors that opened into his back yard and stared up at the stars in the midnight black sky. He was feeling lonely tonight. He had kissed Abby on the cheek and left after she had fallen asleep. He had ridden up into the mountains around Reno while he tried to bring some semblance of peace to his heart. For the first time in his life, he didn’t want to leave after sex. He had ached with the need to bury himself in her wet pussy, but he left instead. She wasn’t a woman to seduce and he did have some morals. For some reason she believed he was part of her dream and he wouldn’t take pleasure in her body until she knew they were together for real.
Even though Mika’il would frown on their affair, he knew he didn’t have the strength to walk away without fucking her. He didn’t have that much strength of character. If he did, he wouldn’t have had his ass kicked out of Heaven.
He moved to the fireplace and to a picture placed on the mantel. A pretty blonde smiled at him from the photo. He ran his finger over the glass that covered her face. It had been five years since the last time he had risked his heart. He had given it to a mortal and she had died. The love he had for Monica had been warm and comfortable but her death had still been enough to send him into a tailspin of grief. Thank goodness Celeste had been around to pull him back from whatever edge he had been standing on. It hadn’t been the same burning lust he felt for Abby every time he saw her. Something about the passionate redhead got him hard and aching. From the moment he’d seen her, she had slid into his heart and found a spot for herself. He sighed. This time around he was afraid it was far more than simple attraction or lust. He was about to lose his heart again.
The phone rang, dragging him from his memories. He answered it while pouring another drink.
“Hello?”
“Hi, William.” Celeste’s soothing voice drifted over the phone.
“Hey there, a
ngel. Your husband’s allowing you to use the phone?” He settled down into the leather chair facing the fireplace.
She laughed. “Yeah, he let me out of the bed finally.”
“Darling, that is more information than I needed. How’s married life treating you?” He was thrilled that she had called him. The one thing he regretted about Celeste and Adam’s relationship was that it didn’t leave much room for him. She had been his best friend for centuries and he missed talking to her.
As the two old friends caught up, an angel with silvery gray eyes stood in the shadows and watched, a hint of loneliness in his bowed shoulders.
* * * *
He stumbled out of his bedroom. Maybe getting to bed earlier would be a good idea next time. He thought about the two bottles of whiskey he emptied after his conversation with Celeste last night. Thank goodness he couldn’t get drunk or he wouldn’t have been able to move this morning. He wandered into the kitchen and stopped short. Dominic sat at the table calmly drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Sensing his presence, he looked over the top of the paper at William’s naked body.
“You should really check for visitors before you parade around in all your glory, Bradford.” Dominic smiled at his growl. “Grab a cup of coffee. Maybe it will make you more personable this morning.”
He went back to his bedroom and threw on a pair of sweat pants then stomped into the kitchen to get the coffee. Slumping in the chair, he glared at Dominic. “If certain people would learn to use the door like mortals, they wouldn’t have to see me in all my abundant glory.”
Dominic snorted. “Abundant glory? I guess it’s all in how you look at it. I did use the door. You have a pretty good security system.”
“I meant knock on the door and wait for someone to answer it. Not pick the lock and circumvent the alarm.”
Dominic pouted. “I get so few opportunities to practice my burglary skills.”
“Were you a thief before?”
“I was at one time. Got some lovely art pieces, all originals.”
“What did Mika’il do?”
“When he found out, he made me donate them to museums. That’s when I gave up my life of crime. It’s no fun when I can’t keep what I take.” He looked wistful at the thought of the good old days. “Now I’m a solid citizen who pays for everything I buy.”
William laughed with him. It was nice to have someone to joke with.
“Abby got home all right, I take it.”
He flushed as he thought about his climax outside her house. His mouth watered thinking of her luscious pussy and passionate moans. “Yeah, she got home just fine.”
Dominic studied him through narrowed eyes. “Did you visit her again?”
He stood up to pace as the restlessness settled in. “She thinks it’s a dream. So I make sure they’re good and wet for her.”
“Why waste your time on all this bullshit, Bradford? You can deal with Thompson without my help, no matter what Mika’il thinks. You’re totally caught up in her, so seduce her and make her want you. That way you can stay close like he wants and have a little fun while you’re at it.”
He stopped in front of his sink and stared out the window. He wasn’t seeing the beautiful day or the colorful flowers. He was seeing Abby’s smile and her bewitching eyes. “Have you ever been in love? Not the lust that gives us power but bone deep, happily-ever-after sort of love. The kind of love that destroys you if you lose it.”
Dominic’s reply was so low he almost missed it. “Yes.”
He turned to face the man at his table. From somewhere Dominic had pulled a picture out and was staring at it.
“Then you know how I feel. I’m afraid I could love her like that. Watching her grow old and die would destroy me. It’s better if I keep my distance and not risk my heart that way again.” He leaned on his hands and allowed his head to fall forward. “I loved a mortal like that once. I thought I would slip over the edge when she died. What I feel for Abby is so much stronger, I’m terrified of what would happen to me if I lost her.”
Dominic sighed. It had the sound of bone deep weariness. Running his fingers over the picture, he said, “What if we’re here to learn how to love?”
“What?”
Dominic’s eyes met his. Deep in the blue, he saw a fear that matched his own. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while. We don’t make sense. If God is about forgiveness, why wouldn’t He let us back into Heaven? We’ve repented, we’ve begged for His forgiveness, we’ve pleaded for His love and yet for some strange reason He has turned away from us. There is something we’re meant to do here.”
“We’re supposed to keep our brethren from hurting mortals.”
Dominic frowned. “There’s more to it than that. He doesn’t need us to do that. He has His own Host to take care of the ones out of control. We aren’t here to keep order. I think we’re here to learn something.”
“What would that be?”
“I don’t know. What if it’s how to love? We’ve shown how arrogant and selfish we are by choosing to rebel in the first place. Love takes a certain kind of selflessness. We have to be willing to give away a part of ourselves. How do we know we’re not supposed to learn how to do that?”
“I think that’s too simple a solution. We’ve all fallen in love many times in the centuries since we fell. I think we’re here to do more than learn how to love but I don’t know what it is though. I can’t say that I’ve really thought about it much.” He sat down across the table from the other fallen.
Dominic looked up and their eyes met. “I’ve thought about a lot of things during the nights when the dreams get so bad, I’m scared to go back to sleep. You’re right. He must have another purpose for us but I long for love to be the true reason we’re still here. How do you do it?”
“Do what?” He rubbed his chest where the cross brand burned.
“How do you become strong enough to lay your heart on the line? When does the joy of loving her overwhelm the risk of losing her?”
“I guess when you get to the point where you know that it would be hell to be without her even though you know that when she dies, you’re going to go insane.” He found himself listening to the advice he was giving to Dominic. He smiled ruefully. “I believe I just gave myself some good advice. I hope you listen to it like I’m going to.” He stood up and headed to the shower.
Dominic smiled. There might be a happy ending after all or as happy an ending as a fallen might get. He brushed his thumb over the serious face of his best friend. He would tell her the truth when he got back to New Orleans. Life was too long to go without taking the chance on love. He wished William good luck.
* * * *
Picking up the phone, William realized his hands were shaking. When had the thought of asking a woman for a date turned him into a wimp? Just do it, Bradford, he ordered. Without thinking about it anymore, he dialed Abby’s number.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Abby, this is William Bradford.”
“Mr. Bradford … how did you get my number?”
“Unlike Thompson, I didn’t buy it off of anyone, Abby, so don’t worry about that. I simply looked it up in the telephone book.”
“I forgot that it’s listed. I’ll have to change that.”
“I was going to suggest that. Having it listed makes it too easy for stalkers to get a hold of it. Not that I’m a stalker of course.” He wanted to slap his own face. Could he sound any dumber?
“Of course you’re not, but wouldn’t any self-respecting stalker try to convince me that he’s safe?”
Maybe making a complete idiot of himself was helping her feel better about his call. He could only hope so. “That’s true. I guess you’ll have to use your good judgment to decide for yourself whether I mean you any harm. Would you honor me with a date?”
He could feel her surprise through the phone line. “Um…”
“You don’t have to answer right now. Just think about it and I’ll call you in a day or t
wo. I’ll give you my number in case you want to put me out of my misery earlier.” He rattled off his number and then said good-bye. After hanging up, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He felt like a teenager asking a girl out for the first time and he had screwed up. Maybe he should have approached her in the casino while she was dealing. Not a good idea, he thought, if he didn’t want to remind her of the main reason why she should say no. He was just going to have to sweat out the next couple of days and hope to hear from her sooner.
CHAPTER SIX
Abby dealt the next hand but she wasn’t really thinking about the cards or the bets. She was still in shock over the phone call she had earlier that day. William Bradford, one of the most notorious gamblers in Nevada, had asked her out. He was a man used to the finer things in life. She didn’t count herself good enough for his taste and yet he chose to ask her out. She could tell he was nervous about it as he babbled on about stalkers. Why would a man like Bradford be nervous about asking her out? She couldn’t figure that out.
“Maybe he isn’t as confident as you would assume,” a quiet voice said from across the table.
She looked up to see an impeccably dressed man with unusual silver eyes staring at her. She could tell he was a high roller by the tailored Armani suit he wore and the expensive watch flashing from beneath his cuff. He wasn’t typically handsome but his strong features and sad eyes made a compelling portrait for any woman to study. His smile seemed to tell her that he knew all of her secrets and that he still liked her despite them.
“Maybe who isn’t as confident as I think?” she asked as she dealt out the next hand.
“The man you were thinking so fiercely about.” He bet and then leaned back.
“How do you know it was a man?” She waited for the other players to make their bets.
“When I see a frown on a pretty woman’s face, I just naturally assume that a man has put it there.” He won the hand and without taking his eyes off of her, he gathered his chips. “You’re trying to decide something about him. Maybe some advice from a stranger would be helpful.”
Fallen: William Page 3