by CK Dawn
Her heart sank at the emptiness left by his departure. “I wasn’t worried about me.”
“Two days!” Cassie yelled for the fifth time to an unsympathetic Maia. “This is ridiculous! How could he just leave me not knowing anything for two days?”
Maia’s initial response to Cassie’s anger was to curl in a ball and purr. It had worked to calm Cassie down before, but after the emotional rollercoaster of the past two days, not to mention the past two months, nothing could soothe her.
Cassie paced the room over and over. Yesterday, she’d been close to calling out to Gabe just to be sure he was all right, but she’d stifled the urge in time. Today, it rose again. She plopped on the couch with a thud. She’d been replaying the events of the past in her head trying to decide the best course of action for the future. She had arrived at the moment Albert led her into that room of torment and she spotted Gabe broken and bloody.
“No! It won’t help.” She sprang up and ran to one of the bookcases. “I need something to help me figure this out.” Looking through the stacks, she came across a blank writing pad with a pen tied to it by a pretty woven string. “Ah ha!” Grabbing it, she set back down on the couch and went to work.
Scribbling, she made three columns Angel, Demon, and Other, and wrote various comments under each. In the Angel column she put notes such as Bring about peace. Creatures of Light. Loss of free will = hard price to pay. But, supposed to be good and such. In the Demon column she wrote Darkness. Evil. Not to be trusted. And in big bold letters VAL. For the last Other column she paused. Rafe’s proposal echoed in her thoughts. After a few minutes she wrote, Rafe? Then skipping down a few lines, Would Gabe? Lost to the Light. And finally Has to be another way.
Cassie stared at the last lines until they became nothing more than a blur. Frustrated, she rose with paper in hand and slammed it onto the dining room table. “Nothing,” she cried in defeat. Sighing, she stripped off her heavy yellow sweater and black jeans. She entered the immaculate bathroom and turned on the water to the tub. The space was nearly three times the size of her bathroom back home. It had a spa-like feel with a jet tub surrounded by a privacy curtain, a separate glass enclosed a shower across from the tub, and a wooden bench heated from below. The controls on the wall allowed not only the bench to be heated, but the air in the room to be warmed, as well as the tiled floor. Off to the side laid a smaller room with a pedestal sink and toilet. Gold and white hues decorated both this space and the smaller room.
When the bath water gave off a slight steam, Cassie slipped in and allowed her body to relax. She leaned her head back against the cushioned side and closed her eyes. A heady scent of citrus and pine filled her nose. “Gabe,” she murmured as the stimulating aroma brought him to mind.
“Yes?” Gabe said.
Cassie sat up, smacking her arm hard against the tub in her fright. “What the hell?”
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.” He laughed. “You looked so peaceful.”
Her face ignited with heat as she gasped. “What is wrong with you? Haven’t you ever heard of privacy?” She grabbed at the curtain almost ripping it from the hooks in an attempt to cover herself. “Get out!”
“I thought you’d be glad to see me.” He laughed again. “Ah well, since I’m here.” He pulled his shirt over his head giving Cassie a full view of his sculpted chest. Next, he undid the top button to his dark jeans and pushed them down his muscular thighs. As they fell to his feet he stepped out of them, shaking off his boots and socks with a grace no ordinary male could possess. When he removed his boxers, her face flushed deeper and she turned her head away. Yet, she still managed to keep his gorgeous, and now naked, body in her peripheral vision.
“Do not think for one second you can take off for two days, having me worried and then just show up and jump into bed with me.” She bit down on her lip.
“But, Cassie, you’re not in bed.” The same seductive grin as before met her eyes as she snuck a peek at him.
She ducked her head away again. “You’re still not getting in this tub!”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He turned on the shower across from her and stepped into the glass enclosure. Before shutting the door, he said, “Well maybe I would.”
Cassie drew the curtain all the way closed and sank deep into the water. She tried to drown out the noise of the shower, and the images of the beautiful creature in it, but came up sputtering for air instead. Cursing, she clamped her hands against her ears and her thighs shut. The fiery heat pooling in her lower regions betrayed her. “Shoot.”
A few minutes later, Gabe emerged from the shower. She heard him pat a towel against his skin before leaving. When the door closed, she sprang from the tub. I’m going to kill him. She thought as she dried off and donned a fluffy white bathrobe. Or maybe something else. Her mind echoed what her body craved most. Tensing all her muscles, she tried to stifle the urges.
When she was sure of her composure, she exited the bathroom to find Gabe sitting on the couch in nothing but a pair of black sweat pants. A vibrant fire blazed in the hearth, illuminating his body. As she drank in the sight of him, heat continued to spread through her every cell. Droplets of moisture clung to his hair, creating small rays of light in the dark mass. His eyes always changing, always hard to describe, now burned with a rich golden hue. His fair skin radiated power under the fire’s glow. The muscles of his chest and arms seemed carved from marble.
She sucked in a big gulp of air.
Gabe turned, his gaze shifting down her body. A wolfish grin lit up his face. “Why are you wearing that ridiculous thing?”
Caught off guard, she looked down to see the oversized bathrobe. She smiled, and then shrugged. “It might look funny, but it keeps me warm.”
“I could keep you warm,” he said as he rose from the couch.
The suggestiveness made her skin feel afire. She rubbed her arms to try to control the heat. Oh, I know you can. An image of their previous intimate night together in the canyons blazed through her mind.
Gabe took a step forward and pointed at her robe. “It’s a well-known fact body heat is far better than fabric.”
The golden hue in his eyes changed to a burning glow that matched her desires. His eyes, so beautiful and radiant they lacked all description, bore into hers with obvious lust. If she’d seen anything else in them, she might have lost her nerve. The realization he wanted her, however, gave her courage. She took a step toward him and said with boldness she’d never felt with any man, “You know what, you’re right. If you think you can keep me warm, then I don’t need this.” She discarded the robe in a single motion.
“Beautiful,” he murmured as his eyes drank in the sight of her. Then, he was in front of her before she had time to think further, crushing her to his chest in a fierce embrace. His mouth captured hers as his tongue demanded entry. Her lips parted as the hunger for more reached unbearable heights. He pulled back to growl, “Did I say warm? I meant hot.” He lifted her onto the couch’s high backing and guided her legs around his waist. “Burning, scorching hot.”
As he dove to plunder her mouth once more, she wound her hands around his neck and drew him closer. His tongue darted in and out, coaxing her to follow his lead. Teasing, she flicked her tongue along his bottom lip. He groaned in response, the proof of his arousal pressing against her bare flesh. Yet, his cotton sweat pants soon became an unwelcome boundary. She swept her hand down his chest relishing in the feel of smooth skin against hard muscle. When her hand reached his waistline, he leaned back and placed a hand over hers.
“Not yet,” he whispered with promise. “I have other ideas first.”
Before Cassie could protest, he blazed a trail of kisses down her neck and collarbone. Tiny pinpricks of pleasure ignited wherever his tongue met her skin. Her mind reeled from the sensations, causing soft moans to escape her without thought. He worked his way steadily down her body. When he reached a mere fraction of an inch past her belly button, she yanked his hair.
“Problem?” he asked, masculine satisfaction coating the question.
A deep breath was needed before she could answer. Eventually, she managed to stutter, “I...need...you...NOW!”
Husky laughter filled the room. “Later,” he said. Without another word, he bent yet lower and licked her with a long even stroke. Fire raced through every nerve ending as he increased the pressure. She melted more and more into the couch with every passing minute. He expertly used one hand to direct her legs about his shoulders and steady her, while the other hand sought the inner walls of her most sensitive spot. The ache became insufferable as her hands twisted in his hair.
“Please, Gabe,” she cried losing her last grip on reality. “I can’t.”
“Don’t wait, lover. Come for me,” he said enticingly between strokes. The simple request sent her spiraling out of control. As her hips arched, he thrust his fingers deep inside her and sucked gently on the small nub. Earth-shattering cries filled the room as ecstasy washed over her. Her insides throbbed and pulsated as wave after wave of pleasure hit. A few heartbeats later, the fire subsided, replaced by a deep satisfaction working its way into every pore.
As Cassie tried to find the strength to remain in her half sitting position, Gabe rose, discarding his pants in the process, and picked her up. Her head rested against his chest as her legs hung over his arms like jelly. He looked questioningly down at her just outside the bedroom door. She nodded in response to the implicit request.
Crossing into the bedroom, he placed her down on the hand-quilted blanket. The soft material caressed her skin as she burrowed into the fabric. A sigh escaped her as she stared up at Gabe. His dark hair tangled about his face. His eyes filled with passion and shone a deep amber hue. She drew her gaze lower down his body. His broad chest and trim waist rivaled Adonis. She bunched the blanket in her hands as the longing to feel his flesh ignited her desires anew. Blushing she brought her eyes still lower and gasped at her findings.
“I see now we ended that night in the Canyon too soon,” Gabe said. “A mistake I attribute to the heated situation at the time, but a mistake I don’t plan to make again.” He kneeled on the bed, only inches away. “I’d stay like this all night with nothing but your eyes upon me, and still desire would consume me. Your gaze alone is an addictive drug.”
Cassie couldn’t agree more but for far different reasons. Just looking at him and hearing his seductive words was enough to bring back the ache with renewed vigor. Greedily she sat up enough to grab his biceps and drag him down to the bed with her. “No more window shopping,” she said, the lust making her voice raspy. “I want you.”
“Good.” The one word packed more promise and pleasure into it than all of his previous talk. His mouth was on hers in an instant, tongues dancing to an ancient beat. His hand sought her breasts, rubbing and pinching in varying degrees. The motion had her back arching to his touch. When he pulled away, she cried out in frustration, only to have his tongue swish around one taut peak. When the blood rushed to the surface, he switched, carrying out the same torturous motion. His hand, meanwhile, stroked and caressed her below bringing flames of need to the surface.
As the need rose to a crescendo, she grabbed his rich black hair and pulled hard. His eyes shot up filled with a primal hunger. Heat radiated off his skin. Carefully, he shifted his weight to his forearms and stretched his lean powerful body atop her. Any remaining modesty was cast aside as she opened her thighs to allow him access. A last wordless question in his stare let her know she could change her mind. She wrapped her legs around him in response.
Her slow exhalation was the lone sound in the room as he buried himself inside her. Small spasms reverberated deep within as her muscles extended and lengthened to accommodate him. After a brief pause, he pulled out almost completely and lunged forward once more. He repeated the motion three more times before seeking a faster rhythm. She met his pace with a wild thrashing of her hips. Sinking the tips of her nails into his shoulder blades, she raked them down his back in a savage caress.
“Yes,” she moaned into his chest.
Gabe’s thrusts increased in intensity, filling her to the breaking point with each passing heartbeat. She relished in the sensation of feeling so full, so alive. None of her previous experiences had prepared her for the intimacy and the power of being with a fallen angel. Every nerve stretched to the point of snapping. Every muscle clenched and released in unending pulses. Her mind reeled, lost in the blissful chaos. Just as she thought she would die from the overwhelming sensations, her orgasm tore forth in an avalanche of pleasure. She screamed his name as the waves took her. Her cries of ecstasy mixed with a heady groan as he drove inside her for the last time.
When consciousness seeped back into her hazy mind, Cassie squirmed underneath him. He lifted his head and their eyes met. A warm golden light stared back at her. He kissed her on the cheek, then shifted so they lay side by side wrapped in each other’s arms. He never broke the eye contact. Eventually, the urge to speak outweighed the afterglow.
“What now?” she said uncertain.
Gabe turned to stare at a clock on the nightstand. Cassie could see over his shoulder the red digital light shining 7:15pm. So early. She thought with a gasp. How’s that even possible? The time since Gabe first got back to the cabin now seemed like years. She turned onto her back and made small circles with her hands and feet, wondering at how her body remained intact after their mind-blowing escapade.
“I suppose I should warn you,” Gabe said leaning back toward her and observing her movements with a curious inclination of his head. “Tomorrow your training begins.”
“Training?” She ceased all movements. “What’re you talking about?”
“No reason to worry.” His devilish grin made her insides clench in a way she thought impossible after being sated twice in one evening. “At least not tonight.”
“Why? What’s different about tonight?” Her breath caught as a familiar hunger returned to his eyes.
He cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand and kissed her once more. Fire rose between them again as if it had never subsided. His voice was low and sensual as he whispered into her ear, “Everything.”
Twenty-Four
Light peeked behind the curtain as the sun began to rise on the distant horizon. Cassie stretched her arms overhead and pointed her toes, basking in a satisfied afterglow. Rolling to her side she patted the bed lovingly only to find it empty. The sheet slipped down her torso at the movement, revealing her bare breasts. She glanced about the room to find Gabe watching her from a corner chair, a hunger in his gaze and a set firmness to his jaw. The predatory look dissolved to stoic composure as he rose from his seat.
Cassie covered herself with the blanket, eyeing his sudden change. “Good morning,” she said, more question than greeting.
“Not today, I’m afraid. At least not for you.” He strode toward the bed and pointed to a clock on the nightstand. “The sun will be up in fifteen minutes. I’ve let you sleep too long.” He brushed his fingers over her cheek. “In fairness you are quite captivating when you’re asleep.”
She leaned on her elbow and raised an eyebrow at him. “Not so much when I’m awake then?” In an effort to tease, she let the blanket drop once more.
“Unfortunately, for me, you’re even more intriguing when you wake. However...” He turned away and rummaged through one of her suitcases. She would have shouted at him about privacy and all that, but he apparently found what he needed in a flash and zipped the luggage as if it had never been disturbed. All traces of amusement disappeared as he threw a pair of sweat pants and t-shirt onto the bed. “We have business to attend to.”
“I take it I’m not going to like this...business?” She picked at the clothes with mild distaste.
“Not one bit.” He strode toward the bedroom doorway. “You have fifteen minutes to shower and dress. I’ll be in the kitchen.” He closed the door.
With a sigh, Cassie stood up and arched her back. The gro
gginess wore off as she attempted a few more stretches. Donning the same robe from last night, she grabbed the sweats and shirt from the bed, and made her way to the bathroom attached to the master suite. The hot water felt like heaven as she showered, but she didn’t stay long, anxious to get to the bottom of Gabe’s morning behavior. As always, he puzzled her and she didn’t like following his orders one bit. She shook her head at his nerve as she dried off and dressed. Her hair sat in a clump atop her head. She brushed the knots out as best she could and threw it into a bun. A peek in the mirror had her frowning, but she shrugged and tried to prepare herself for whatever “business” Gabe had in mind.
“Might as well get it over with,” she said to her reflection. A sugary scent pervaded the air as she made her way toward the kitchen. On the antique table sat a small stack of what might have been pancakes. It was hard to tell from the burnt exterior and mound of syrup covering the plate.
Gabe waved a hand at the chair in front of the food. “Please, eat. You’re going to need your strength.”
Biting her bottom lip, she sat and forked the pancakes in the center. “Thanks for breakfast.”
“A feeble attempt to make you more amiable to training.”
“Tr-ay?” she tried to ask with a mouthful of burnt dough. She reached for the warm cup of tea and downed half of it.
“Perhaps, I should have skipped the pleasantries.” A hint of a grin appeared.
“Maybe,” she said honestly. “But, never mind. You mentioned training last night and now again. What do you mean?”
“I want to be sure you’re well protected. Hence the enlisting of Rafe’s help.” He snarled at the mention of the other fallen’s name. “As your Guardian, it’s my duty.” He reached across the table to stroke her arm. “But, now...” His fingers brushed her cheek. “I’d like to be sure you can defend yourself for my own peace of mind.”
She pressed his palm against her cheek. The heat of his hand radiated over her skin. A heartbeat later, he pulled away. His eyes narrowed. “Cassie, what do you know about fighting?”