Damon turned his face into her hand and held it tight.
She stretched her legs out and wrapped her whole body around him. His body shook as he sobbed.
“I love you, Damon.”
“I love you, too. I knew you would tell me sooner or later,” Damon said with a slight smile.
Damon laid her on the floor and ripped her clothes from her body. “Ilisha, don’t take this wrong, but right now I need you. I need to forget him.”
Ilisha woke to the sound of hammering and power tools. She wrapped her robe around herself and walked down the stairs.
“Damon?” she said walking through the living room to the kitchen.
She peered around the corner and found John sawing wood.
“Hey John, what are you doing here? Where’s Damon?”
“He asked me to fix the mess in the kitchen. I won’t be long.”
“Oh, well, thank you.”
“He’s on the front porch,” John replied nudging his head in that direction.
She could hear voices outside and opened the door to see Damon wrapped in a smock and a lady cutting his hair.
“There she is,” Damon said sticking out his hand.
Ilisha tucked her hair behind her ear and tried to comb it with her fingers. She wasn’t expecting early morning visitors.
“This is Kate,” Damon said pointing behind him at the lady.
Kate made one last cut and sprayed his hair with water. She smoothed it back and took a little too much comfort in running her fingers through it for Ilisha’s taste.
“I think we’re done here.” She placed her scissors in a zipper pouch and turned to Damon. “You look fantastic, Majesty.”
“Kate, you will acknowledge my wife before you go.” Damon’s eyes were full of warning.
She shifted uncomfortably and turned to Ilisha. “Of course.” She bowed, but her voice held a mocking tone.
Ilisha rolled her eyes looking down at the woman like she was ridiculous.
When Kate left Ilisha turned to Damon. “What the crap was that all about?”
“She seems to have a thing for angels in power, but she’s the best hair stylist I know.”
“I could tell the first part just by watching her; she’s pure hussy.”
Damon smiled and pulled her to his lap. “Are you jealous?” he said his hand sliding under her robe and clutching her breast.
Ilisha inhaled deeply. “No, her actions were just plain pathetic.” She took hold of his hand. “John is here, remember?”
“I do now.” He sighed and walked with her inside.
John was sanding a cabinet front. “I’m just about finished, Majesty.”
“Nice work” Damon replied.
“Thank you.”
Damon sat at the table watching John and smiled.
John put his tools into the tool box. “I have a sheet of drywall coming and I will fix that hole in a couple days.” John waved goodbye and walked out.
Ilisha heard the front door close and she sat at the table, looking at Damon. “Why are you grinning?”
“No reason.”
She stared, waiting for an answer.
Damon’s index finger covered his upper lip. “He’s quite fond of your mom.”
Ilisha’s face wrinkled in disbelief. “Whaaat?”
“Quite fond,” he repeated.
“Okay, Damon, spit it out.”
“I think he should tell you, if he gets the nerve that is. I only know because I can hear his thoughts if I concentrate.”
“No, you should tell me, and right now.”
“John had quite a good morning. Your mom kissed him pretty passionately before he left.”
Ilisha’s eyes bulged and her mouth hung open. “This is my mom you’re talking about, right?”
“The very one.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Ilisha you should know what happens in angel relationships by now.”
Her memories flashed and she saw the day she met Damon. They were both nine and at a party. Damon’s parents were throwing a bash to celebrate his grandfather’s life. Ilisha ran around the tables in a white dress. She was avoiding her sister. As she rounded the last table she ran full force into Damon.
“Sorry,” she said in a little girl voice.
“I’m Damon.”
“Ilisha.”
“Want to play tag?” Damon asked fiddling with his shirt. He thrust out his hand and tapped her on the shoulder. “You’re it.” He ran while Ilisha chased him, giggling.
When she caught up, she tackled him. There were squeals and laughter. When he surrendered she put her hands behind her back and leaned in to give him a peck on the lips.
“That was the first time I ever kissed a boy,” she said smiling up at present day Damon.
“When angels meet their soul mate it’s instant.”
“Are you telling me my mom is John’s soul mate?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“This is just too weird.”
“He loves her.”
“And her, what about her?”
“She hasn’t said it yet.”
Ilisha blinked a few times before standing and walking upstairs to shower. She was in a daze. Imagining her mother kissing anyone was impossible, add in passionately and that left her feeling the world was spinning backwards.
She heard the shower door pop open and smiled as Damon stepped inside. He put some shampoo in his palm and massaged it into her scalp.
“I need to say something to you,” he said scratching her head.
She waited.
“I need you to quit your job.”
Ilisha turned to face him. “Why? Won’t we be here for a while?”
“An army of demons are coming for you. They will take advantage of anything that will help them. If you stay you will be putting every person in that hospital in danger. Demons don’t care who is in the way of their prey, they will simply kill to get rid of them. It also puts knowledge of our existence in the lime light.”
Ilisha wiped some shampoo from her forehead. “Because you know I’ll fight them to save people,” she replied almost to herself. “I have bills to pay,” she added.
“This house is now ours.”
“What do you mean? This is a rental.”
“I contacted the landlord and paid cash.”
“You paid cash for a house?” Ilisha asked.
“Yes, and I will take care of your other bills as well.”
“But, I love my job.” Sadness filled her eyes. “I know it is a part of my human life, but I guess it never dawned on me I would no longer be a nurse.”
“I know.” His hands gripped her shoulders and turned her back around. He rinsed her hair and applied conditioner.
“You’re right of course,” she reluctantly whispered.
“I’m sorry, Ilisha.”
“What I don’t understand is why doesn’t Azriel just give up?”
“I contracted him to bring you back to me. He’s a death maker. Once that contract is signed they know nothing else and feel nothing else. Losing you many times now, he’s probably going mad. Anything it takes to kill you now, that’s what he will do. If Bram didn’t lie about the number of demons he has on his side we can assume he thinks you have full power now.”
“Enough depressing talk.” She put some body wash on a puff and ran it down his torso. Her free hand took hold of him. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation.
When the suds had run from him, Ilisha’s lips encased him and he gripped the soap caddy, yanking it from the wall. A few tiles fell with it. Ilisha stood up and smiled, knowing she was teasing him.
She walked out of the shower, leaving him stunned. She heard Damon flip the water off, his feet splashing across the floor after her. He found her in the living room sitting in the chair, smiling.
He leaned over her and tried to kiss her, but she climbed out of the chair. Ilisha shoved him into her place.
“This is my show,” she said climbing on top of him.
She watched his body language and couldn’t help herself from getting into his mind.
He wanted more and fast, but she moved at a very slow pace. When his mind was begging for more she stood up and ran up the stairs.
When he got to the door of the bedroom his eyes were on fire. She smiled sinfully. In a blur he was across the room, throwing her on the bed where took her. When they finished she curled herself up to his chest. “Tell me what you meant when you told John you could trust him.”
“The night he was attacked, that demon was beating him within an inch of his life to get information and he didn’t say a word. No matter how much pain he was in he kept his word to me.”
“Why doesn’t Azriel’s army just come and get me?”
“He knows I’m here, but I’m positive he hasn’t told them. There is no way they would agree to this if they knew they would be fighting a royal army. They don’t know I’m here, but they can feel a strong angelic presence in the house. They also know they sent a pawn to the house and I killed him. They aren’t taking any chances.”
“What would they do if they knew you were here?”
“Get reinforcements, and hope they lived to tell the tale.” Damon paused and anger filled his eyes. “As for the king Bram sent, he had enough power to take me and he knew it. The army Azrielhas is pretty much low level.”
“From what I understand royals of the underworld don’t like to get involved in angel politics.”
“No they don’t, but if an opportunity presents itself to take one of us out, they’re going to take it.”
“We need to go see my mom. I told her I would explain all this.”
“Oh, goody, I can hardly wait.” Damon reluctantly got up and dressed.
A half an hour later Ilisha looked back and forth between her mother and John. “How much has he told you?”
“He explained the butterfly thing.”
“I didn’t know if I could say anything, Majesty.”
“John, thank you for your discretion,” Damon replied. Ilisha looked to him as he spoke. She could tell that he genuinely liked John.
Ilisha started from the beginning on the train. She could see Damon tense when she spoke of Bram. Dena listened as she told of their marriage and his betrayal. Shock filled Dena’s face.
“Mom, Damon is my husband from my other life.”
Dena eyed Damon. Her eyes ran up and down his tall, intimidating stature.
“Could you guys leave us for a second?” Ilisha asked.
Damon leaned down and kissed her forehead before they walked outside.
Ilisha scratched behind her ear. “You know I’m an angel. Actually I always have been. Damon restored me by letting me drink his blood.”
Dena’s face crinkled.
“Mom, I know you’re dating John. You may as well know all this. He may ask you to do the same thing.”
“How…?”
Ilisha cut her off. “I’m happy for you. I hope it helps relax you a little.”
Dena straightened her skirt across her lap. “What do you mean?”
“Mom, come on. You became so uptight after daddy died. It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to feel.”
Dena sat silent.
“Nobody likes to feel pain. I think I would rather have someone punch me in the face than feel emotional pain sometimes. You deserve to be happy again, take this chance.”
“Are you really okay with this?”
“Mom, I loved daddy with all my heart, but I also think it’s time for you to move on. John is a good man.”
That made Dena smile. She paused for a second and leaned forward on the chair. “Did you drink Bram’s blood also?” Fascination filled her voice.
“No, he knew I was already bonded that way to Damon.”
Dena looked confused so Ilisha explained the bond of blood.
“Is he good to you?”
“He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Dena listened as Ilisha explained Azriel and his army.
“What can you do?” Dena asked. She looked down at her knees and they began to bob. She was wringing her hands and Ilisha knew her nerves were getting the best of her.
Ilisha got up from the couch and knelt in front of her mother. “Pray,” she said looking into Dena’s eyes.
In that instant Ilisha acknowledged religion and God, which she had protested since her dad died. Dena gave a slight smile and nodded.
“I pray for you every day, honey.”
The guys came back in and John kissed Dena’s hand. She responded by grinning from ear to ear.
“John, can you remind me to call the main bank branch in Denver?” Dena asked gaining her composure.
“Why?” Ilisha asked.
“Well, I tried to drop off my house payment at the local branch and they insisted it’s paid off.”
Ilisha eyed Damon. “You don’t need to call the bank. It’s paid off.”
“No, this is some kind of mistake. I still have ten years mortgage remaining on this house.”
“Damon paid it off.”
Dena’s hand went to her chest.
“You took John in with no questions. It’s the least I could do,” Damon explained.
“I’ll have to pay you back,” Dena insisted.
Damon leaned forward on the couch. He gave her that stern look that only he could give. “You will do no such thing.”
Dena went to speak, but Damon silenced her. “I would feel very insulted if you try to pay me anything.”
Tears welled up in Dena’s eyes. “Thank you. And thank you for loving my daughter.”
“You don’t need to thank me for that either. She’s my world.”
As Ilisha and Damon walked out to the car she said, “Were you going to tell me?”
“It wasn’t a secret; I got a little preoccupied this morning.” He raised his eyebrows and she smiled, getting into the car.
Damon drove Ilisha out of town and into Denver.
“Where are you taking me?”
“There is something I’ve always wanted in this human world. I think it’s time I get one.”
Ilisha raised one eyebrow.
A few minutes later they pulled into a Porsche dealership.
“Are you serious?” she asked rolling her eyes.
“Very.”
When they got out of the car, a salesman practically ran out the door. Damon was dressed in designer jeans, a black t-shirt and Italian leather shoes and jacket. Ilisha was wearing jeans, black leather boots to her knees, a cream spaghetti strap tank top, and jean jacket. Every piece of clothing was designer labels. She was sure the salesman spotted this, hence his eagerness.
Damon scanned the lot and then looked inside the buildings large windows. “That one.” He pointed to a black 911 Turbo S circling around on a platform just inside the door.
“We have another one just over here that you can test drive, let me get the key,” the salesman said.
Damon stopped him. He brought a huge wad of cash out of his jacket and held it between his fingers. “I want that one.” Damon pointed again at the car.
“Of course sir, my mistake.”
Damon and Ilisha followed him inside.
One salesman opened the double glass doors while the other turned off the turning platform. The car was driven just outside the doors and Damon was handed the key.
“We just need to fill out some paperwork, then you can be on your way.”
“No paperwork, just the registration, and you can take the other car off our hands.” Damon pointed to Ilisha’s car and she opened her mouth to protest.
Damon turned to her. “That car is old as dirt.”
She looked over at it. “No it’s…okay.” She paused. “I guess it is.”
“Of course, Mr…” the salesman said.
Damon raised his eyebrows, cutting the man off.
“Mr. Samuels. Have fun in your new Po
rsche.” The salesman walked away.
Damon slid the key in the ignition and hit the gas, while in neutral. He closed his eyes like he was having an orgasm. Putting the car in first gear he sped out of the lot and skidded onto the street.
“What’s with all the money your spending?” Ilisha said gripping the door handle.
“Ilisha I have more money than I know what to do with. I may as well give some away and buy a toy while I’m here.”
“While you’re here? Are you planning on leaving me?” Hurt filled her voice.
“No, my beauty, you’re coming back with me.”
She thought of leaving her mom and Amy.
“I can sense your distress. It’s not like you can’t come back to visit.”
“Oh. So why not just go now?”
“Because I have a demon problem to deal with. I have to stop them or they will wreck havoc.”
Damon drove them up a winding mountain road. The car glided around the turns sometimes at seventy miles an hour. Damon had a perma-grin. The speed actually got to Ilisha and not in a bad way. It seemed to turn her on. She looked over at Damon dressed in leather, his dark blond hair slicked back. As his hand gripped the shifter she wished it was her.
He cranked the wheel and they drifted sideways and hit a small dirt road. Damon drove back a few feet and turned the car and lights off. “Your desire is so strong I thought I might wreck the car.”
“Not likely,” she said climbing out of the automobile and removing her jacket.
She leaned back on the hood supporting herself with her elbows. Her long black hair dangled behind her, grazing the shiny paint.
Damon tossed his jacket onto the front seat of the car and stood looking down at her. “Too bad you don’t have a dress on.”
She tilted her head to the side and smiled. “Sorry, you’re going to have to be more creative than lifting my dress up.”
He took off her boots and socks, moved up and slid her jeans and underwear off. Getting as far as dropping his pants to his ankles he took her.
He hesitated for a second. “Don’t break anything on the car.”
She chuckled and wrapped her legs around him.
Damon drove them home, taking the curves at high speeds. He rounded the corner to their street, skidding tires and came to a screeching halt in front of the house.
Broken Butterflies Page 19