Angel in chains (Forever yours)

by Lind, Nellie C.

  “Please, don't stop,” he said before he could stop himself, but he didn't regret it and leaned his cheek into her hand while he closed his eyes.

  Could this really be what he thought it was? Could these feelings really mean ... ?

  It had to be.

  “So much loneliness,” he heard her whisper. “When will the warlock return?”

  “In a day or two.”

  “And what does it take to set you free?”

  Chapter 8

  Inez saw that Aledyan froze. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Instead, he turned his head away from her hand, and for a short moment disgust filled his features. That made her wonder.

  Inez moved even closer and placed her hand on his leg. She smiled toward him, and saw that her touch made him yet again shiver. Inez wasn't blind. She saw how much he needed her nearness, and she understood very well why.

  “Please, tell me,” she said.

  Aledyan didn't want to answer. Whatever needed to be done to set him free, was something he didn't want to do. It was written all over his face. She had to admit it worried her.

  “As you may have realized by now, these chains are protected by a strong spell. Yorin came up with the most twisted and awful spell he could think of when he put them on me. He made sure it would be almost impossible to get rid of them.”

  “What spell?”

  When Aledyan avoided answering the second time, Inez grabbed him by his arm, pleading with her eyes for him to answers.

  “A woman,” he said with a grim expression. “Only a woman can set me free.”

  Inez gave him a confused look. What did he mean with that? Then it hit her. “So, to set you free I have to ... we have to ... ”

  “Yes.”

  Inez held her breath. Thoughts started to fill her head. Not exactly the thoughts she had expected though.

  She didn't understand what was wrong with her. She had just met him, but already felt an attraction toward him that she had never felt for any man before. The thought of lying in his arms, touching him and just being near him send a pleasant chill through her body. She wanted his touch, and now it seemed as if she could get it. She should feel disgusted, she should feel everything protesting inside of her. She should shake her head and tell him she couldn't agree to a thing like that, but those emotions just didn't come over her. Instead, it made her long for him even more, but then she realized something. It could have been any woman. She just happened to be the one who entered the cave. He wasn't doing this because he felt an attraction toward her. He needed this done because he had no other choice.

  “I want you to know that I won't hurt you. The decision is yours,” he said.

  How foolish she had been! She realized that his emotions and attraction for her came from his long time of solitude. He was starving for affection and would have asked this of any woman who entered the cave, but she couldn't ignore her own growing feelings for him. She wanted him after all, and not just for one night.

  “I understand what you're thinking.”

  “Do you really?” she asked with more of an angry tone that she had intended to.

  “Yes, and please believe me when I say that I can never take advantage of a woman. It's not in my nature. I want to be set free, but I wouldn't be able to do this with any woman. It doesn't work like that among us angels. There must be an attraction and feelings must be involved. If another woman would have walked in here and I wouldn't have felt anything for her, I wouldn't have been able to ask her to set me free.”

  Inez blinked in surprise.

  “That's why Yorin chose this kind of spell to set me free. The chance that a woman walked in here was small. You're the first one, but the chance that the woman was the right one was even smaller. Yorin was convinced I could never be set free.”

  Inez straightened her back. “So why are you asking this of me if you don't feel anything for me?”

  Aledyan leaned forward, and Inez noticed that it was easier for him to move now. The heavy wings didn't seem to bother him that much anymore. She couldn't help but feel joy that his strength was returning. Hopefully he would soon be able to lift them up from the ground.

  “Isn't it obvious?” he asked. “I do feel something for you, something I've never felt for any woman before. And don't think for a second it's because I've been in here for a long time. It has nothing to do with that, I can assure you. Falling for someone isn't something angels do on a daily basis. Honestly, it's very rare, and when it happens it's with the right person.”

  Inez felt that her face was turning red from the fire that was burning inside her body.

  “We have just met,” she said and swallowed nervously.

  “Yes, and I felt attracted to you from the moment I saw you.” Slowly he started to reach out his hand toward her. “I'm aching to touch you, to be near you, to hold you.”

  Inez looked him in the eyes and saw fear in them. He was afraid that his words would scare her away, and that she would back away from him now that he had opened his heart to her. Usually she would have accused him of being desperate, if he had been any other guy. But he wasn't, he was a lonely angel, filled with sorrow, and nothing like the other men in her life. She had trusted him from almost the first minute they had met. When she should have run away, she had stayed. When she should not have believed a single word he said, she had listened. And now there was no turning back. She would never abandon him.

  Inez moved closer, making it easier for him to reach her. She grabbed his hand and placed it toward her cheek before closing her eyes. She heard him gasp and felt his hand tremble.

  “You feel something for me too,” he said with a hoarse voice.

  “Yes,” she admitted.

  She opened her eyes and saw him smile. His eyes were shining, and it looked like as if he would cry. She moved even closer and caressed his hair. She was so close now that she touched his wings with her legs. When his arms pulled her into his warm and gentle embrace, she felt more relaxed than ever before.

  Chapter 9

  Aledyan couldn't help but to wonder if he was dreaming. The moment she moved closer and let him hold her emotions flooded him. His head was spinning, his heart was beating like never before and his body was slowly heating up. For a second, he thought he would pass out. It was too much, it was overwhelming, but at the same time it was the best thing he had experienced. It was amazing, how an embrace, could make him feel like he was back in heaven. It made him wonder what it would feel like to get even closer to her, but he didn't take the next step. There wasn't much time before the warlock would show up and drain him of his life force, but Aledyan didn't want to force Inez into anything. The decision had to be hers because he knew what would happen once she had accepted him ... The thought of it sent a cold chill through his body.

  Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that the warlock was laughing. Torturing him was one of the activities the warlock amused himself with every ten years.

  It had only been a half day since Inez walked inside this cave, but he was already willing to fight for her, to keep her safe and make sure that no one hurt her. But he knew he would be the first one to do just that.

  He hadn't seen it at first. He had been too tired, too weak, but he saw it now.

  She was his chosen one.

  His hands went gently up and down her back. They didn't say a word for a long time, but his mind worked fast. If she agreed to give herself to him, he would do everything to save her. He would make sure that his curse would not become hers ... somehow ...

  Chapter 10

  Inez couldn't believe that she considered helping him, to do what he asked of her. The thought made her body tingle all over from anticipation.

  Everything about him was appealing and just right. He had a body to die for, and his deep gaze send pleasant chills through her. No other man had managed to do that before, but there was also something else. It was the sadness, the loneliness and the pain in his eyes that made h
er feel as if she needed to take care of him. She really needed to. He still looked weak, and far from able to do anything.

  Inez winced, and realization struck her.

  What the heck was she thinking? Yes, her body wanted him, but her head should know better. Getting involved in this was not a good idea. She should get up, walk out and never look back while she still had the chance. Who knew what would happen once he was free. Would he just fly away and leave her, make her feel used and tossed aside?

  Inez pushed herself away from his arms and their gazes met. It was as if he already knew what was going through her head.

  “I'm sorry,” he said. “I shouldn't have touched you.”

  Inez put a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Don't worry about it.”

  She got up on her feet and walked away from him, but she could feel his gaze follow her around. She needed to think, and above all, she needed to know more. According to Aledyan the warlock would return within a day or two, and that awakened many questions in her head.

  “What will happen when the warlock returns?” she asked.

  “I have already told you.”

  “Yes, he will take your life force to live for another ten years, but I meant more literally.”

  Inez avoided looking at him. She had done that when getting up, and realized she shouldn't have. There was too much disappointment written all over his face. He was hoping, but she also saw that he would never ask it of her. Instead, he would wait, and let her decide. That made her calmer.

  “Well, he will wait until I'm strong enough before he shows up. He will bring some of his men with him, just in case, even if he knows that I can't escape, but it's all about intimidating me and having fun at my expense. He will also bring a small, magical urn. He will leave the urn here with me for a few days. At first it will give me strength to go through the draining of my life force. Then Yorin will return to drain me. After, that I will be on the verge of death while the cave closes for another ten years.”

  Inez gulped. “I thought you can't die.”

  “I can't. That's why I will, for a long time, just fall in and out of consciousness.” She heard him take a deep sigh. “I've been through this so many times by now ... and I'm so tired of it all ...”

  His last words were nothing but a whisper, but Inez could hear the pain in them. There were no lies in them, only sincerity and a deep longing that hit her right in the chest.

  For several minutes, there was nothing but silence between them. Even though Inez had told herself not to look at him she couldn't help it. Would it really be so bad to help him? So what if he just left and never looked back? Then she would have at least done a good deed, right? He would be free and safe, and she could go on with her life.

  A chill went through her again, but this time it was an unpleasant one. Going back to her regular life after this? Would it even be possible? Did she really want to return to her own prison? The difference was that her prison didn't have walls or chains, but it was a lonely prison without much hope for the future.

  Aledyan slowly got up on his feet. She immediately noticed the difference. He was stronger now and not that tired anymore. He stood straight, and didn't seem to be in pain. It wasn't until she looked down at his legs that she noticed he was still a little bit shaky. The wings were still lying down on the ground, but he started to try to raise them.

  She heard a deep sigh from him as if lifting the wings took huge amounts of his energy.

  “Are you alright?” she asked, even if she knew that he wasn't.

  He gave her a gentle smile. “I'll be alright soon.”

  “But not for a long time ...”

  His smile disappeared. “No.”

  “Is there a way that I can ... help you get stronger ... faster?”

  She didn't know what his answer would be, but while she waited for it she started to feel more and more nervous.

  He nodded, and Inez thought her heart would jump out from her chest when he said: “You could kiss me.”

  Chapter 11

  Aledyan saw Inez eyes grow big. Her jaw dropped, and she stared at him as if she couldn't believe what he had just said. It was no lie, a kiss would give him some strength. Well, at least it would make him feel good for a while, and maybe open her up to him more.

  Aledyan felt that his legs were still weak. The wings were too heavy to lift, but things were improving. His body was getting stronger, and he wasn't that tired anymore. Now, when his strength was returning and Inez was here with him, his escape was closer than ever before. He didn't want to hurt Inez, and he promised himself that he wouldn't. He would do everything to make sure she felt safe with him. He would make sure that being in his arms would be the best thing she ever experienced.

  And once he was free, he would come back for her.

  He would find a way.

  “A kiss?” she asked.

  He nodded again. “I promise I won't touch you. I will keep my arms behind my back, and you will have complete control.”

  Aledyan lowered his arms and placed them behind his back, just like he had said, and waited. He looked forward to kissing her. He had enjoyed being near her, but this was something else. He felt his body react to her. His heart was beating harder, and he was breathing faster. He felt the excitement in the air and Inez seemed just as effected as he was.

  She approached him slowly and kept eye contact with him. When she licked her lips he almost jumped out of his skin, and she hadn't even touched him yet.

  “Just a little ... kiss?” she asked and tried to smile, but her lips trembled.

  “The more, the better,” he answered with a hoarse voice.

  Inez seemed to prepare herself, but she was hesitating.

  “Do you really want to do this?” he asked.

  Inez winced and stared at him as if his question surprised her. “Well ... yes.”

  “I mean, do you really want to do any of this?”

  She looked at him as if she didn't know what to say. That she didn't seem sure hurt him more than he had expected, but at the same time he understood. He had to admit that he was desperate. He really needed to get out of here, and she was his only chance. Expecting her to make up her mind within a few minutes was too much to ask, he knew that. But he saw her attraction for him, and that made him smile on the inside. It was as clear as her insecurity.

  He, on the other hand, was already burning. The thought of kissing her made him long for it badly, and it wouldn't get better once the kissing started. The tingling need for more was already awakened within him.

  Suddenly Inez seemed more sure, and her voice was determined when she said: “Yes.”

  That simple word was enough for him. He couldn't wait anymore. He leaned forward with his arms still behind his back and placed his lips against hers, without any hesitation. The touch felt like an electric charge that went right through him. Inez seemed to feel it too. She gasped as loudly as he did.

  At first she was unsure and barely opened her mouth, but Aledyan only registered her hesitation for a short while before his mind shut down and his feelings took over. The more she opened up the more emotionally drunk he felt. His head was spinning, and it felt as if the cave did that too.

  He tried to recall what he had promised her before the kiss, but it had somehow slipped away. He needed to come closer, to put his arms around her. Her warm mouth felt sweet and intoxicating. Her moaning didn't make things any better either, and when she touched his tongue with hers, he lost it.

  Before he could stop himself, he had his arms around Inez waist and pressed her against his waiting body. He felt hot, almost feverish, and he wanted to burn more. There was no stopping now.

  “What are you doing?” a voice said somewhere from the distance.

  “What?” he said, but didn't wait for an answer.

  He desperately needed more, to explore more of her wonderful mouth. He had never experienced anything like it, convinced that there were nothing better than this.

&nbs
p; Somehow, through the fog he was in, he managed to hear the voice again. The voice sounded angry. “I said, what do you think you're doing?”

  Something hard landed on his foot, and pain shot through his body. Aledyan screamed and let her go. The pain was almost paralyzing. Tears filled his eyes and confusion followed. What had happened? Had he done something wrong? How could he have done something wrong? It had felt so amazing, so mesmerizing and just wonderful. There was nothing wrong in that, and he wanted more ... now.

  As soon as the pain eased he reached out to pull her into his arms again. To his surprise Inez jumped back and gave him an angry look.

  “You promised to keep your hands behind your back!” she screamed. “You're no better than any other of them!” Furiously she walked to her backpack, threw it over her shoulder and headed toward the cave's exit. “I'm leaving!”

  “No, wait ... what?”

  Aledyan stared at her. He tried to recall the last few minutes, but it wasn't easy. He was still lost in the wonders her lovely kiss had given him.

  Then it struck him. He had touched her, even though he had promised not to. Then she had stepped on his foot because he had broken his promise. She had said something about that he wasn't better than the others. What others? Had someone hurt her?

  His fear grew stronger the closer she came to the exit. He walked after her, but the chains around his wrists forced him to stop when he stretched them to their limits. Desperation screamed inside him.

  “No, please, Inez! Please, don't go,” he pleaded and didn't care how desperate it sounded. “I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to ...”

  He dropped to his knees. His body started to shake and fear crept all over him. Panic grabbed him, and Aledyan tried to scream, but no sounds came out from his mouth. It was as if a small piece of him died with every step she took away from him.