“What does that mean; you’re not doing this right?”
“I know you don’t throw much credence into religion, but sex is for marriage.”
She let out a choking sound, and tried not to burst out in a fit of laughter. When his face stared back at her all she saw was dead seriousness.
“I don’t know what to say,” she softly replied.
“Say yes.”
“But, this is just so sudden.”
Ilisha put her hands on the side of his face and ran her tongue over Bram’s lips. His lips parted and she wrapped her fingers in his hair, and kissed him. Her hand slid down his abdomen and past his belt. Bram caught her hand and stopped its downward motion.
Ilisha leaned away from him. “You mean that we’re not going to make love until we’re married?” she asked shocked.
His hesitation and deep sign was all the answer she needed. Her mouth fell open, rejection filling her. Ilisha’s eyes drifted from his face and she looked sideways toward the floor.
“Don’t be upset,” he whispered next to her ear.
A tear ran down the side of her face and landed on the rug.
Bram turned her face toward him. “You don’t have to wait. If you don’t mind skipping a wedding ceremony I can marry you right now.”
She blinked back her tears. “What are you talking about?” she questioned.
“Marrying an angel isn’t like a human marriage. We’re bound by spirits, forever.”
She wiped the tears from her face. “I can’t wait for you to touch me again.”
“Are you sure.”
“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. This just knocked me for a loop because you’ve never brought it up before. I’ve never been more sure about who I should be with.”
Bram shifted uneasy.
“What is it?”
“Nothing. I’m just glad you feel the same way.” Bram stood and held his hand out to her and reached behind to unhook her bra, letting it fall to the floor.
Ilisha smiled and cocked her head sideways. “I thought you weren’t going to do this until we were married?”
“The best part of angel bonding is we need to be naked.” He smiled crooked and looked her up and down. “My gosh, you’re beautiful.”
“Thanks,” she responded smiling.
“I’m serious, you’re breathtaking.”
He slid his clothes off, and carried her to the living room. Bram extended his hand into the air, and all the blinds and curtains closed, causing the living room to go dark. Ilisha felt tense, but if she were going to marry anyone it would be Bram. A feeling of uncertainly filled her gut and she chose to shove it aside.
Taking her head in his hands he kissed her.
“This is going to feel a little weird to you,” he warned.
Ilisha didn’t know what to expect, but trusted him. Nodding her head she indicated she was ready.
Bram wrapped his arms tight around her back. There wasn’t a centimeter of skin that wasn’t touching. Bram’s wings burst from his back and enveloped them both. A soft, brilliant, white light grew from his chest. Though the light was brighter than the sun, Ilisha didn’t need to shield her eyes. It pulsed and grew until it too surrounded them.
Bram closed his eyes in concentration. Ilisha felt a tingling in her chest. Soon a slightly dimmer white light emerged from her own body. She compared it to a piece of yarn being pulled from deep inside her; the soft fibers caressing her skin.
“Is that my soul?” she asked eyes wide.
“Yes, it is,” Bram replied.
A warm chill filled her body and the two souls extended above them, never fully leaving their bodies. Their souls began to intertwine with each other, merging Ilisha’s dim with Bram’s bright light. Their souls became one and a single ball of light slammed through their bodies. Ilisha’s hair blew back as a cool breeze hit them. The sensation of circular motion traveled from her chest up to her head and down to her toes, leaving a cool trail.
She looked into Bram’s eyes and it was as though she were watching a movie of his entire life play out in a matter of seconds.
Bram’s body was not that of a human, instead he was a glowing aura of light; watching her, protecting her, until his fall.
Behind him she could see another angel, blond, and tall. He was saying something to Bram, but Ilisha couldn’t hear it. The angel looked angry, and she could tell he wasn’t someone to be messed with. Quickly, the image changed and Bram pushed himself from the spirit world, and tumbled naked into this one. He landed on one knee, his opposite hand, in a fist, as his arm supported his weight. His wings spread out behind him in the darkness.
He forced himself up and stumbled on his legs like a new born deer. He walked through the forest to the old church. Father John was waiting for him. He wrapped Bram in blankets and escorted him inside. Bram laid cold and shaking for days in the basement of the church, which looked nothing like the main level. The lower level was refurbished and had all the amenities of a modern home.
Bram fought for his strength for four days. The next image was his presence on the train.
Tears sprang to Ilisha’s eyes in an overflow of emotion. Her soul burned with his. She was a part of him now. Deep inside an ache filled her. She thought she might burst apart if she didn’t have him in every way.
“I agree,” Bram said bringing her out of her own trance.
She sucked in a long, hard breath as their bodies combined. They hung suspended in the darkness of the living room. As he moved inside her a cool burning filled her. She grabbed his hair and pressed her lips to his. Her hands slid from his head, down his back, landing on his wings.
Any past lovemaking couldn’t have prepared her for this. It wasn’t a need or longing for release, it was a burning deep inside her for Bram. She needed him, all of him, mind, body, and soul, like she needed water. Ilisha’s feet hit the rug. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, desperately needing more.
Bram’s wings retracted, sliding through her hands, leaving no trace, into his back. He carried her to the oversized chair in the corner and sat down with her on his lap.
She looked into his eyes and stroked his face, but that only made her longing stronger. Slipping her tongue back into his mouth she kissed him. After several minutes Bram took her face and gently pushed her back, giving a huge smile.
“I’m yours forever,” he whispered, nose touching hers.
“I’ve never felt like this. My body actually aches for you,” she replied.
“Now you know what I’ve gone through for years.” He chuckled.
“How did you stand it,” Ilisha question.
“It wasn’t easy.”
“But you said you didn’t have sexual desires until you fell?” she asked.
“That was a little white lie. I loved you and my soul ached just the same. After I fell it got worse.”
Ilisha turned to face him, placing her legs on either side of his. She began kissing him and he was ready again instantly.
They fell asleep on the living room rug, curled up in each other’s arms. Both were so content that they didn’t move all night until the morning sun shone through a small gap in the curtains. It rested directly on Ilisha eyes. She blinked and moved her hand up over her forehead, pushing her unruly hair from her face.
“What’s your mom going to say when you tell her you’re married?” he asked kissing her chin.
“I think its best not to tell her and have an actual ceremony.”
“You’re not serious,” Bram stuttered believing she was being factious.
“I am serious,” she responded.
“But, you said you didn’t want a huge ceremony.”
She rolled on top of him, moving her hair to one shoulder. “I don’t, but I don’t want to be killed by my mom either.”
Bram laughed. “Scared of her reaction?”
“Damn straight.”
“I’ll do whatever you want,” he replied still laughing.
Bram was always watching Ilisha’s immediate future. Until Damon was destroyed she would always be in danger. The morning started off normal and calm. She left to see how Dena was doing. Bram told her he would watch her from the house, saying he could be at her side in an instant should anything happen.
Ilisha was walking out Dena’s front door and didn’t see Damon waiting. She twirled her keys, happily walking to her car. Damon grabbed her arm, with force. Yanking her to his chest, Ilisha didn’t have time to scream or react. In a blur, her body was spun around against him.
Damon grabbed her hair, pointing her face up to his. That infamous evil smile of his looked down at her, triumph glowing in his eyes. The entire encounter only took seconds. By the time Bram appeared, it was too late.
Ilisha shoved against Damon in a desperate attempt to free herself from his in-human strength, to no avail. Bram took hold of Damon’s arm and the death maker cried out as Bram’s touch burned him. As Damon slipped away and disappeared, Bram’s grip on him slipped and Ilisha knew he couldn’t save her.
As they traveled, Ilisha could see nothing but grey. Darker and lighter hues of it flashed before her eyes like a twister. When they stopped, Damon set her down on the wraparound porch of a Victorian mansion. Ilisha turned to run, but he was too fast and strong. His fingernails extended from his hand, looking more like a grizzly bear than human, digging deep into her arm. She had no choice but to fall to her knees as he twisted.
“You’ll do well to stay put.”
He waved his hand in front of the door knob and the locked clicked. Turning his hand the door flew open. With his claws still dug into her flesh he said, “Enter.”
She cried out again and slid across the floor on her knees as he tossed her inside. Damon crossed the threshold, waved his arm behind him causing the door to slam and the lock to turn. He retracted his claws, leaving blood running down her arm from several large gashes. Ilisha instinctively put her hand tightly over the openings to stop the blood flow and winced in pain.
“Sit,” he ordered.
She looked around her. Off to her right was a large living room filled with sheet covered furniture. She chose the chair furthest from him. Damon stood above her, his iridescent, blue, eyes looking at her in disgust.
“Did you marry dear Bram?” He smiled, teeth sharp as razors, coming to jagged points. Ilisha shoved herself against the back of the chair in fear. Damon placed his hands on the chair arms and leaned in. “Bram just causes more and more trouble for you.” He chuckled. “Funny thing is—you’re too stupid to realize it.”
He removed her hand from her arm and a dark grey light burst from his skin, burning Ilisha’s arm. She squirmed in the chair and kicked frantically, which made him laugh. The entire house laughed back as the echo circulated.
“Don’t be so dramatic. It’s healed,” he said nonchalantly.
Ilisha turned her arm, looking at it skeptically. All that was left was pink scar tissue.
“See, I’m not so bad.”
She refused to say anything.
Damon started pacing the room. Ilisha counted each step and timed them. When Damon had his back turned she shot up from the chair and ran for the foyer. When she hit the edge of the living room her body slammed into an invisible wall. Her face smacked hard, causing blood to trickle from her nose. She fell backwards onto the wood floor coming to rest at Damon’s feet.
“Am I going to have to spend the entire night healing you? You’re being quite silly, you know. Sit down and relax.”
Ilisha’s mind whirled. When she didn’t get up, Damon lost his temper. His arms shot out, black dust rushing from his palms. “I said relax!” The black powder crawled up her legs. She panicked as the dust enveloped her entire body in a squeeze, immobilizing her. Damon snapped his fingers and her body came off the floor and drifted to the sofa. He turned his palm down and she slammed onto the cushions, dust flying up in a cloud. She lay there unable to move or speak.
“I do hate to do this to such a pretty thing.”
Ilisha’s eyes widened as his finger traced down her cheek.
“We’ll talk in the morning.”
He closed the room curtains and walked out, leaving her paralyzed in the dark.
Ilisha whimpered and tried to free herself. Her fingers danced like spider legs, but the more she moved the tighter the powder held her.
Relenting to the fact that she needed to be still, she lay, gazing at the ceiling. Tears rolled down her cheeks while her mind raced with everything from where is Bram, to how and when her death would come. To calm herself she took in every last detail of the living room. The walls were a light color. In one corner sat a grandfather clock, which had probably been silenced when the owners left. The weights didn’t move and no ticking sound was heard. Above a fireplace that was big enough to walk in, was a family painting. It wasn’t modern; the people were dressed in period clothing that included top hats, and long flowing dresses. If this were any other circumstance she would think the house quite beautiful.
After studying the house she began to sing in her head; anything to keep the panic at a minimum. She thought of her mom, and how she was doing. More than anything she hoped she didn’t know about this. Ilisha couldn’t take her having another stroke. She couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever see her again, and at the moment, that chance was slim to none.
Though the night had passed, Ilisha didn’t sleep. She lay on the couch terrified of her future. When Damon came down the stairs his walk had a skip to it, a very triumphant skip. He ran his hands through his grey hair and straightened his suit jacket. His shoes were perfectly shined, belt perfectly centered.
“Good morning,” he said as he entered the room. He gave a huge smile, exposing his sharp, yellow teeth.
Ilisha squirmed as he sat on the edge of the couch.
“Oh, now don’t act like that. It’s your own fault I had to restrain you. Trust me this is for your own good.”
Damon bent down and licked the side of her face. Her eyes closed tight, wishing him to go away.
He waved his hand over her body. The black dust conjugated into his palm. It dissolved into his skin, becoming a part of him again. Ilisha immediately sat up, despite the stiffness of her body, and backed to the corner of the cushion.
“Let’s have a talk, shall we?” Damon said cheerfully.
Ilisha said nothing so he proceeded.
“Since you seem to be so enamored of Bram I just thought you might want to know he’s not so perfect.” He flexed his fingers and turned his hand to examine the dirt under his nails. “He’s so weak. Sad really. He has set himself on a course for death.” He paused for a dramatic sigh. “On top of that you’re not his to have. You belong to another. He ruined my mission and I will not be punished for his infatuation.”
His face turned serious and came within an inch of hers. “Did you know you’re cursed now?”
Ilisha’s eyes stayed fixed on his.
“No? Well, you are my dear. You missed your fate. Add in the fact that you can’t just marry another angel, well this just gets more and more interesting. I guess our hero forgot to mention that to you.”
Ilisha’s mind raced trying to understand what he was saying.
Damon continued, “He was so selfish in his longing for you that he doesn’t care that you will soon have an army after you. I can save you, you know.”
Ilisha still sat silent, which angered him even more.
“Say something!” he yelled, causing the window beside her to shake.
“I…” she choked out before he grabbed her chin in his hand, pulling her toward him.
“Come on Ilisha, where’s that spunky girl I love?” he chided
“What do you want?” she winced.
“Isn’t it obvious, I want to save both our skins. You need to meet your fate.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not dying fo
r you or anyone else.” His voice growled.
“No.” Ilisha shook her head back and forth.
“Trust me, you need to die. You don’t want to know what is coming for you.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” she whimpered.
“You better get used to one thing, I will have you meet your fate no matter what. You can come willingly or I will take you.” He cocked his fist and hit her square on the cheek; the pain hit instantly, burning and throbbing. Ilisha’s hands went to her face and she gasped.
“I have a message to deliver so I’m leaving you for a while. Don’t think about escaping. You’re trapped and I don’t feel like healing a broken nose, again.” Damon got up and walked out the front door.
Ilisha propped herself up on the couch and peered out the curtains. The death maker stepped off the porch, straightened his suit jacket, and looked up at the sky.
She pressed her face to the window taking in her surroundings. The house was in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees, with a small lake just off the front lawn. Not a single person or house was in sight.
Closing the curtain she walked around the living room. At the entryway she put her hand up and pressed it forward until it touched the invisible wall that Damon had walked through seconds earlier. It felt hard as steel under her fingertips.
Ilisha went back to the window. Her hand rested on the glass. She turned to the fireplace and grabbed a fire poker. Raising it up like a baseball bat she hit the glass with all her might. It shattered instantly. A sense of victory hit her and she got up on the couch ready to climb out. When her leg was almost out the window the pieces moved in rewind. She jumped back just in time. In front of her was a perfect windowpane.
“Damn it!” she cried to herself.
A rustling came from behind her and she jumped.
“Hello?” she asked in a broken voice.
The sound came again from the direction of the fireplace. She moved slowly and put her ear to the brick. From inside the chimney scratching and squeaking could be heard. Ilisha bent down and stuck her head through the fireplace opening. The flue was closed. She searched for the latch or chain, coming up empty. Running across the room she threw open the rest of the curtains, exposing the entire window and sunlight poured in. She stuck her head back into the fireplace opening and found the chain. Giving a firm tug the flue opened bringing a gush of air to her face. At the same time a raccoon jumped from the chimney causing her to scream. It scrambled across the floor screeching back at her.
Broken Butterflies Page 11