by Rose J. Bell
Lord Constantine nodded.
“How did you know that I saved the life of a Nephilim?” This question bothered her for a long time, but she hadn’t found an answer.
He didn’t hesitate with his answer. “From Madison.”
“What?”
My word of the day, Rosa thought.
She was completely stunned. “I don’t understand. How? She was a shadow creature.”
Lord Constantine nodded knowingly. “I know. So she joined me to fight against the Angels. Madison had hated what the angels had done to her, so she was on my side. I was always updated with all information.” His gaze intensified. “I knew exactly the day when you killed Madison that this Nephilim was with her. It was not difficult to figure out that it was you.” He sighed wistfully. “Madison’s death was a shame, but I cannot bring her back.”
Rosa looked at him speechless. She shouldn’t really be shocked. Lord Constantine was ruthless, dangerous, and intelligent.
“Thank you for answering me,” Rosa said quietly.
He smiled at her coldly. “You are welcome, Rosa.”
With heavy steps, she left the room.
Jason was waiting outside Rosa’s apartment for her. He had long considered whether he should take this step, and finally decided to do it.
He heard someone climb the stairs and he watched as Rosa’s red hair, followed by her face came into view. She stopped abruptly on the threshold of the stairs and looked at him in surprise.
“Déjà - vu, isn’t it?” he asked with a smile.
A crease appeared between her eyebrows. She didn’t seem to be happy to see him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked harshly. Disappointment spread through him. Jason had hoped that she would be happy to see him, maybe.
That wasn’t the case
“I need to talk with you,” he said, standing up.
The crease between her brows deepened. “Didn’t we talk already?”
“Not about everything.”
Slowly, she climbed the stairs. When Rosa walked past him, he could smell her scent.
Leather and vanilla.
Why hadn’t he noticed her scent before? That wonderful fragrance. He was standing right behind her as she opened the door.
How much he wanted to dip his face in her hair and breathe in her scent.
Get a grip. She is forbidden.
Rosa opened the door and he entered her apartment. She pulled off her leather jacket and threw it on the couch.
Then she sat on the couch and looked at him.
“Go ahead.”
Jason sat down facing her, and took a deep breath.
“I’m here because I want to free my sister from the hunter clan. She was kidnapped more than six months ago and since then I’ve been searching for her.”
He looked at her face vividly to read her response, but got none.
Rosa looked at him blankly. “And you’re telling me this because?”
Why was she acting so different? She had wanted to know his plan before!
He frowned. “I’m telling you this because you wanted to know.” She sat opposite of him on the couch and looked distant and ... cold.
“I thought you didn’t trust me?” Her sober tone made him angry. It hurt him that she was so cold toward him.
“Obviously, I trust you, otherwise I wouldn’t have told you.”
No response. Only an expressionless gaze.
“Is everything alright with you?” Jason asked concern, and leaned forward.
“What shouldn’t be alright with me?”
Jason groaned. “Come on, Ice Princess. Stop acting like that.”
A twitch of her jaw muscle. Finally a reaction.
“How do I act?” She raised an eyebrow
“So!” he pointed at her. “Distant, cold, uninterested.” He didn’t want to sound angry, but couldn’t suppress it. “Be the real Rosa.”
“I’m the real Rosa.” Now anger was sparkling in her ice-blue eyes.
“No, you’re not!”
“Yes, I am!”
They stared at each other angrily—another staring contest again. It was like all of their conversations ended with a staring contest.
“Ice Princess, please,” Jason sighed, too tired to fight. “Tell me what’s going on.” He looked at her.
Rosa stood up abruptly. “I think it’s better if you leave now, Jason.” She didn’t look at him, her eyes fixed on the ground.
There, he felt it again, the powerful attraction between them.
Jason wouldn’t leave her until he knew what the matter was.
He got up and stood directly in front of her until they almost touched.
“Look at me, Ice Princess,” he said softly. He didn’t know if he could touch her.
Reluctantly, she lifted her head and met his gaze. Her eyes were cold, but he could see other emotions hidden behind the wall.
“Can I touch you?” he asked quietly. She nodded almost imperceptibly.
Jason grabbed her arm and drew her close to himself. She made a sound of surprise and looked at him confused. He was going to kick her butt or kiss her. Jason wasn’t sure which of them he would do, but he knew that both would be really funny.
Rosa didn’t know what she should do. Jason was looking at her with a dangerous gleam in his eyes and his strong grip on her arm didn’t allow her to move back.
“Stop acting like that to me,” Jason said angry, squeezing her arm. “I know that you’re only pretending to be cold. Just admit that you’re attracted to me, like I am to you!”
Rosa blinked and opened her mouth to say something, but no word came out. She hadn’t expected this reaction from Jason, but she had to act like that. She had to make him clear that she wasn’t attracted to him.
“Jason, you’re hurting me,” Rosa said, pulling against his grip. Damn, he’s strong.
“Admit that you’re attracted to me, and then I’ll let you go,” he said.
Irritation spread through her as she pushed him hard with one hand on the chest. Jason stumbled back, but didn’t release her arm.
An amused smile curled on his lips. “Are we going to fight again?”
Her answer was her fist in his gut. Jason’s breath caught and when her feet crashed on his chest, he let go of her hand. He lost his balance and fell to the ground.
Rosa walked to him and pressed her foot on his chest. Her eyes glimmered angrily.
“I’m not attracted to you, Nephilim,” she said, pressing her foot on his chest. He grunted.
“I never was, and never will be. Even if you would be the last man, angel or whatever, on the earth, I wouldn’t be attracted to you.”
She moved to kick him, when he stood up lighting fast in front of her.
“You can’t lie, Ice Princess,” he said, with a grin.
Rosa snorted. “I’m not lying. You’re not my type. You’re …”
He arched an eyebrow. “I’m what?”
“An asshole, arrogant, overconfident, an idiot,” Rosa listed. “I do not like guys like that.”
Jason smirked. “Such a pretty liar you are.”
Jason drove her crazy. “I. Am. Not. Attracted. To. You!” she said with clenched teeth.
Suddenly her back was against the wall and Jason’s golden eyes fixed to hers. Her heart beat faster and her breath caught when his body pressed to hers.
“If you’re not attracted to me then say stop,” he whispered and his lips found hers.
Rosa froze.
Lightly, like a feather, his lips touched hers. A shiver ran through her body, making her tremble
Lust, desire, love welled up in her.
His kiss turned hungry and passionate.
Jason kissed her desperately, like a drowning man, and she was his oxygen.
Her self-control crashed down like a wall and she stopped thinking. Rosa pressed her body against him and the desire her body had been harboring for him for weeks took control over her.
She felt the fire again, like at their first kiss. Against his mouth, she moaned his name, and that seemed to drive him crazy.
Jason shuddered and there was a sound from the back of his throat, half growl, and half moan. He wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her up. The heat and strength of him overwhelmed Rosa as his hands wandered under her shirt.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and ran her hands through his soft and silky hair. Jason tore her shirt from her body as his strong, warm hands memorized her bare skin.
Little shivers of pleasure shot through her as Jason pressed her hips against his, and his lips teased her neck and shoulders.
Rosa put her head back and moaned of pleasure.
Then Jason crashed down his lips on hers again and their kisses become harder, more demanding, as if they couldn’t get enough of each other.
Before Rosa knew it, she was lying on the couch, Jason’s body between her legs. Their hips were molded together and they moved against one other.
Jason broke apart and pulled his shirt over his head as it joined hers on the floor.
She trailed her hands down his strong chest to his jeans. Jason’s lips were on her shoulder and he was shoving her bra straps down her arms. His hands skimmed over her skin, sending a rush of blood to every part of her body.
“So beautiful,” Jason whispered, kissing her hard on the lips. Rosa dug her nails in his back, scratching his skin, when his hand slipped between her legs. She pressed his body harder against her, but it wasn’t enough.
Her body ached for him. She wanted more, more of Jason and she knew Jason wanted her, too. His body shook against hers and she wanted nothing more than to feel him, and to get lost in him.
Then Jason stilled, his breath coming out in rough gasps as he pulled back.
Rosa opened her eyes and looked in his. They were a shade darker and when he spoke his low, sexy voice slid down her body like lips stroking her bare skin.
“And you said, you aren’t attracted to me, babe,” he teased her.
Rosa needed a moment before she realized what he meant and what had happened between them.
“Screw you!” Rosa snapped and tried to push him aside, but he pressed deeper between her legs, his hand grabbing her wrists to hold her fists back.
“You have enjoyed it as much as I did,” he said fiercely. “And don’t even start to deny it.”
Rosa clenched her teeth. She could still feel his lips on hers and lust was seethed in her body.
“It doesn’t matter if I’m attracted to you or not,” Rosa replied. “It doesn’t change the fact that we couldn’t be together.”
His golden eyes sparkled. “It matters to me.” He let go of her hands.
Gently he stroked her cheek, and the look he gave her was more intimate than their making out had been a few moments ago.
“When I first saw you, I knew you’d be dangerous,” he said softly. “At that moment, I thought you were like the others, and I just wanted to get in your pants. Sometimes, I wanted to kill you. But now—” He stopped.
“But now?” Rosa asked quietly. Slowing she touched his face, ran her thumb careful down his scar. Jason caught her hand and nestled his face in her hand.
“Now I just want to hold you. I want to be near you, hear your voice, look in your beautiful eyes, and want you to call me names.” Jason took her face in his hand. His eyes never left hers.
“I’m in love with you, Ice Princess,” he confessed, his lips touching hers gently.
Rosa inhaled a sharp breath, and she looked wide eyed at him. Jason kissed her lips, her cheeks, and her neck. But she couldn’t do anything. She was too surprised to hear him telling her that he loved her.
“My heart belongs to you,” he whispered.
Her heart melted at his words, and she couldn’t believe that he felt the same way as she did. She didn’t want to push him away; she didn’t want to pretend that she didn’t love him, too.
“Jason,” Rosa said. He watched her with his sparkling eyes. “I never thought I would fall in love with one of my enemies.”
A smile spread across his face. “Really? Or is this just a dream, I’m having?”
She smiled at him and touched his lips. “I love you, Nephilim. You’re an idiot, but I love you.”
Jason kissed her and she knew that he wanted more than kissing.
She pulled away. “But I’m not going to have sex with you.”
He frowned. “And why not?”
“Because I have only known you for a month or so, and I don’t spring in a bed with a guy I’ve only known for a month,” she explained him.
“I can live with that. I’d wait forever for you.” He wanted to kiss her again, but Rosa shook her head.
“No. That’s enough for today.” She pushed him away. Jason stood up and handed her shirt to her.
Rosa raised an eyebrow, when she looked at her torn shirt.
A devilish grin played on his lips. “Next time your panties will lie on the floor, too.”
Rosa shook her head, smiling as she stood up. Jason’s eyes wandered over her body and stopped at her breast.
She punched him in the arm. “Stop looking at my boobs,” she said.
“Hmm, I’m just thinking …” He stroked his chin. “C’s right?”
“What?” Rosa asked, frowning. Then it hit her. Jason had correctly guessed her bra cup size.
“Asshole!” she hissed and showed him her middle finger. Jason chuckled then his face became serious. “Where do you get these scars?” He meant her scars on her breast.
“Where did you get your scar?”
Jason pressed his lips together and didn’t answer. Rosa shrugged and walked toward her bedroom.
When she dressed, she walked back in the living room. Jason had put his shirt back on, and was sitting on the couch.
“We need to talk to,” he said seriously. She didn’t like it when Jason was serious.
Nodding Rosa sat down. She suspected what was coming.
“Before you say anything,” Rosa started. “I want to say that I know that we can’t be together and all this stuff. So, even though I … love you, you don’t have to be with me.”
Jason watched her in silence. Rosa pressed her lips together and asked herself if she had said something wrong.
Then he sighed. “Yeah, I know, Ice Princess. We can’t be together, and I won’t force you to be with me. It’s too dangerous.”
Rosa was surprised, and a little disappointed. She was aware that nothing could happen between her and Jason, but she had hoped Jason wouldn’t give up so soon, that he would try to convince her to be with him.
But he didn’t do it.
“Why do you hate angels so much?” Jason broke the silence.
She stiffened. “A long story,” she replied shortly.
“I would like to hear it.”
Rosa wasn’t ready to tell him the story.
Shaking her head, she said, “Maybe later.”
Jason nodded. “Okay, I’ll respect that; even if I’m dying to know.”
Rosa smiled. “Why did you tell me the reason you were in Boston?”
“Because,” Jason said, looking at her. “I want to ask you if you would like to help to free my sister. She’s captured by the hunter clan.”
“Jason, you know what you’re asking me, right?” she said, and suddenly she had a premonition.
She narrowed her eyes. “Is this the reason why you are so kind to me? So I can help you to find your sister?” Her blood started to boil again, she should have known. You could not trust an angel, and she had thought that he really loved her. How stupid of her.
“You are not going to use me, Nephilim!” Rosa called angry and stood up. “I should have known that you were just playing with me.”
Surprised by her reaction, Jason faced her wide eyed.
“What?” he exclaimed in disbelief. “Of course not! I do not want to use you! If you don’t want to help me, that’s okay, too. I would nev
er take advantage of you. I am not that big of an asshole.”
Rosa crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow. “I don’t know if I can believe you.”
Taking a deep breath, he stood up and stood before her.
“Ice Princess,” he said. “I admit at the beginning I had thought that you could help me find my sister. But I did not lie to you about my feelings. My feelings for you are true and I’m not pretending. I… just thought that you could maybe help. I already know where my sister is captured, but I don’t know how to free her without getting captured myself.” His eyes looked at her pleadingly.
“Please. I just want to get my sister back. I have been searching for her for so long.”
“I cannot betray the hunter clan again, Jason. I have done it before. When they find out, I betrayed them once again… I’m dead.”
He nodded. “I know, but you could just help me to get in the hunter clan. You don’t have to come with me to free Jasmine.”
“I would love to help you, but ...” She let out a deep breath.
He demanded too much from her. She understood Jason, and really, she would like to help him, but it was too dangerous.
You can say no, her inner voice said. He said himself that he’s okay with it if you don’t help him.
But Rosa didn’t say no. She wanted to help Jason, even if she would betray the hunter clan—again.
With clear ice-blue eyes, she looked at him.
“I’ll help you.”
I signed my death warrant, was the only thought that passed through Rosa’s mind when she agreed to help free his sister.
She not only wanted to help Jason. It was more than that. The hunter clan controlled her life, and she wanted to have that control back. She wanted to help Jason, and she would do it.
Yes, she was aware that it was dangerous, but nothing was without danger.
Jason’s face beamed with joy, and he hugged Rosa.
“Thank you! I love you! You can’t believe how much your help means to me.”
It made Rosa so happy to help Jason, the boy she loved. She placed her head on his chest. How could she leave him? How could she live without him, when he loved her, too?
I hate, hate, hate my life!
Suddenly her throat was burning. She swallowed hard.