Ashes

by P. M. Briede

  He didn’t need to tell me for me to know. As I peered over Olivier’s shoulder my eyes were locked on Wesley’s. With Abigail in his arms, if you didn’t know any better you’d have believed he was still madly in love with her. They were head-to-head and his eyes were smoldering, but they were smoldering for me. “Carissime, he’s playing his part but you aren’t being as convincing,” Olivier whispered. The arms around me tightened as he spun me away from Wesley. He was right. While I didn’t have to pretend to love Olivier, I did have to pretend to despise Wesley.

  To make up for the poor job I’d done so far, I brought my eyes to Olivier’s. As they did whenever his emotions were roiling through him the green flames of the ignes iudicii danced among his forest green pupils. Reaching up on my tiptoes, I brushed his lips with mine. Initially startled by my forwardness, his mouth quickly caught mine with the first deep kiss we’d shared since the morning I moved into the hotel. When he was finished his lips found my ear. “Much better.”

  The raptness of his voice and the spread of his hand on my lower back would have been enough to tell me the location of his mind. He also pressed me against the obvious. “Vos postulo scio, Olivier, non ego reliqui vos.” You need to know, Olivier, I haven’t left you. I had more to say but I didn’t get the chance.

  “Non sit verum dicere quod mihi non eras. Volo autem vos volo plus quam seipsum.” Don’t say things to me that may not be true tomorrow. I want you more than I want my own life.

  He knew I was a terrible liar, so I didn’t even try. I felt guilty because Paige had spotted this issue at Alexander’s birthday. I’d been lying convincingly enough to myself that I’d gotten Olivier to believe it as well. I’d never actually gotten over Wesley and I may never do so. I swallowed hard as I gathered the courage to admit as much to Olivier. “Ute um, ut non satis nosti.” I may never fully get over him, you know.

  Olivier’s heartbeat increased as he carefully chose his words. “Cogitatio contigit ut mihi instar sicco quam tempus egestas Ego agere. Vobis potest ut det mihi, carissime?” The thought has occurred to me so I need time to figure out how I’m going to deal with it. Can you give me that, my dear? Of course I could. Both Wesley and Olivier thought I’d chosen the other, but I hadn’t even had time to think straight about my feelings beyond the fact that I loved them.

  I chose to ignore the rest of the ball and all the trying events of the evening that had already passed and were yet to come and snuggled into his chest. We danced through one more song before Paige and Tristan pulled us off the dance floor. She handed me her phone and I saw an unsent text. We have an appointment tomorrow morning with the sketch artist for Celinda’s rendering. I’ll pick you up. Am I doing that from here, Olivier’s house, your house, or your hotel? Baffled that she hadn’t just told me what she’d made me read, I opened my mouth to respond but Paige’s eyes quickly darted around the party as she tugged on her ear. I got the hint that she didn’t want to talk but still didn’t understand why.

  She took her phone back, rolled her eyes, and quickly typed out another message. Sorry with eyes and ears everywhere I thought this would be the safest way to talk about this. I don’t have Olivier’s skill with dead languages. Well, since she’d put it that way it now made a whole lot of sense. The texts wouldn’t be permanently recorded since she wasn’t sending them and no one could overhear us. It was actually damn clever and I felt stupid for not figuring it out before. Exiles have bat-like hearing and there was at least on enemy exile in this room. Celinda Banks, Alexander’s press secretary, Wesley’s puppet master, Olivier’s commanding officier, and architect for a hopeful hostile takeover of Heaven. Until tonight no one knew what she looked like but I had somehow been able to store every detail of her appearance tonight. I can only assume because I’ve been told the exact details of how exiles manipulate a mind by Olivier and because I’m a muse.

  After I retrieved my own phone from Olivier’s pocket I wrote my response. To the untrained eye Paige and I looked like two women texting and when Olivier realized that he nodded approvingly. Pick me up from here. I’ll be staying with Olivier. Briefly pausing before showing it to Paige, I waited for his reaction. His arms encircled my waist and pulled me back to into his chest as he murmured thank you in my ear. She smirked with mischievous eyes. Will you need your change of clothes tonight then or should I just bring them by in the morning? Thankfully, Olivier seemed to have stopped paying attention to us because there was no rejoinder from him. And he’d have one.

  Olivier and Tristan chatted idly to maintain our pretense. Paige and I finished out the remaining details for tomorrow. As a foursome we mingled through the crowd and spoke with anyone who stopped Tristan. Alexander and his wife, Regina, found us at some point and thanked Olivier and me for attending and dancing at his birthday concert. Finally, at about a quarter to one Olivier took my hand and called an end this part of our evening. “Iustus got signum. Tempus enim nos ire,” he whispered in my ear. Just got the signal. Time for us to go. I had no idea who we were talking with but we made our excuses and attempted to not race to the elevator.

  I expected Olivier to brief me on the details of what was about to take place with Abigail. Instead, the second the doors closed he swept me into his arms for a passionate kiss. His tongue assaulted mine as his hands searched the curves of my body. Too surprised by the act to protest, I gave into my own desire and succumbed. My arms slid up his until my hands were tangled in his hair as my body arched against him. At my full surrender his hands gripped my hips and pressed my pelvis to his as he groaned.

  The bell dinged and the doors opened bringing an end to our seductive reunion. With white eyes he snatched my hand and led me into the hallway. “This is not exactly where I want to be with you right now,” he admitted as we entered Wesley’s room. When he shut the door he turned to the closet and motioned for me to step inside ahead of him. At my quirked eyebrow Olivier grinned. “The whelp and I agreed this was the best place to hide in case Celinda is with them. I have a signal for when it’s safe to come out and get this over with. Although, I should have thought through the idea of being trapped in a confined, dark space before kissing you. It’s going to be hard to behave.”

  I shook my head and stepped into the closet. With only the city of New Orleans lighting the room it had been dark. The closet was pitch. His arm snaked around my waist and pulled me into his chest. It was the only intimacy he tried for our time there. I reached out and took his hand, running my thumb across his palm to keep myself calm. As if the thought of what we were about to do weren’t enough, enclosed spaces had never been my friend. While I did a pretty good job of keeping my breaths shallow, they were coming in short and rapid. I hadn’t felt him move so it was a shock when his breath tickled my ear. “Breathe with me, Charlotte.” Mine became more regulated when focused on Olivier’s steady breathing.

  Surrounded by darkness and silence I had no idea how long we waited and actually grew bored. So when the door to the room opened and I heard Abigail’s voice I jumped. “That was quite a party, darling.” A pit dropped into my stomach when I heard her muffled voice call Wesley by my pet name. “And how lucky were you to be there with the most beautiful woman. I believe you were the envy of every man.” God, where was a toilet when you need one? I didn’t know which would fill it first, my vomit or her self-indulgent spewing.

  “Oh, I agree I am the luckiest of men. To realize I still hold the heart of the woman I love most in this world makes the worst parts of this campaign bearable.” His voice dripped with sensuality as Wesley spoke. The words had been directed at her but I was his true audience. I melted at his admission. Olivier silently responded to Wesley as well by bringing my hand to his lips, brushing a kiss along my fingers.

  Abigail’s laughter trilled through the space. I heard her feet carry her deeper into the room. There was a pause in their conversation before she picked it up again. “Wesley, why don’t you come then and take what else makes this campaign bearable for you.” The spr
ings of the bed creaked as she sank into it. I don’t know what would have been worse: imagining what she was doing or actually seeing it. “I’ve missed the feel of you inside me this week since you’ve been so devoted to the convention. Let me reward you for your loyalty to my father and all your hard work. You’re now one step closer to everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”

  My body impulsively moved to burst through the closet and stake my own claim on the man who should be my lover. Thank God, for the one who currently is. The arm around my waist was joined by the other as it came across my shoulder and along my chest, locking me to Olivier. But nothing could be done about the growl that erupted from deep within my throat. “What was that?” her panicked voice squealed. “Did you hear something?”

  Wesley deserved an Oscar for his performance. The last five months had made me question if his love for me had been an act. The last five hours had proved to me it hadn’t. He growled to help cover mine. He was choosing his words so carefully as to make her think he loved her without ever lying to say he did. “That was nothing. You just heard my overwhelming desire to have my love wrapped around me again. You’re right it has been entirely too long since I was entangled in the arms and legs of the woman I love while nestled deep inside her.” He’d joined her on the bed, evidenced as it creaked again under his weight.

  By this point I was shaking uncontrollably. Were both of these men trying to test the limits of my love for them? Was this some sort of contest to force my heart to make a choice? To have my reaction decide what my mind could not? “Kiss me, my darling. Stop toying with me,” Abigail begged in a breathy voice.

  I childishly closed my eyes, hoping it would close my ears as well. Her moans filled the room. I swallowed the bile that leapt into my throat. “Not just yet. I believe you mentioned a reward for my loyalty and hard work?” His pause must have elicited some kind of positive response from her. “The thought of the reunion with my little love has been haunting me this past week,” Wesley chuckled. “I was hoping you’d be up for maybe bringing a fantasy of mine to life?”

  “Yes” floated from her lips with fervent longing. The bed voiced their movements before her clear, questioning “Wesley?” erupted.

  “Trust me; this will bring nothing but pleasure to my little love,” he replied.

  I was suddenly thrown behind Olivier as he burst out of the closet and turned on the nearest light. When my eyes adjusted I observed a very humiliated and incensed Abigail shooting daggers at the three of us. In nothing but the skimpy lingerie she’d worn under her dress, she was splayed on top of the bed. Wesley had handcuffed her to the bed posts and was holding down her ankles. Relief washed over me when I saw he was still fully dressed. His necktie had been untied and a few buttons of his shirt were undone, but that was all.

  Silently and swiftly Olivier took one of her ankles from Wesley and they both removed their ties to restrain her legs. The room was anything but quiet. Abigail was railing obscenities at all of us. “You son of a bitch! You will pay for this Wesley Breaux! I don’t know how the hell you got out from under Celinda’s spell but if you think I’m not going to let her know, you are a fucking idiot! The minute she gets her hands on you, you better hope she doesn’t release you back to me.”

  I spotted her hose on the floor and picked them up. Surprised at my resolve to hold someone against their will after having lived through the experience I hesitated, second guessing my intentions. “You bitch!” Abigail spat at me. “You must have some magic of your own the way you’re able to wrap men around that snatch of yours.”

  I’d heard enough. Second guessing was over. I grabbed her jaw in one hand and stuffed the hose in her gaping mouth, sadistically relishing the way her eyes bulged. Inside I was burning with an unrelenting fury but my voice sounded ice cold, void of all emotion. “I figured you didn’t think I’d actually do it. So now that we can have a polite conversation, let’s get a few things straight. It’s not my magical snatch that lures and holds men to me. It’s power. I have it and you don’t. So what you should actually be asking yourself is what does it mean for you that I’ve decided to drop the poor, innocent Charlotte act?” The men were done at her ankles. I was surprised neither had interjected a comment.

  In my blind rage I committed to my role of demented tormentor. “This evening can go one of two ways; it’s all up to you, Abigail.” The inflection I put on her name was done in a way to make her think I was hoping she’d be difficult. The terror I’d lived through every day since May had made an impression on my psyche. Some of my attackers techniques had taken root in my subconscious and I hoped Olivier and Wesley wouldn’t leave me to this for long. “You can either cooperate or you can be difficult but know that either way, what I want will be accomplished. Your comfort level with the process makes no difference to me but Wesley is seething with vengeance for all you’ve put him through. It’s only my order keeping him from exacting it.” In an act of sheer improvisation, Wesley took a determined step towards her. “So know what I’m telling you is true, of the three of us, I’m the hidden danger in the tall grass.”

  Her lips started working around her makeshift gag as tears spilled in rivulets from her eyes. My stomach turned so I didn’t immediately move or say a word. She was afraid of me. I hoped that would make her more pliable for what Olivier needed to achieve. I drew on my courage to continue. “What’s that? I’m sorry but I’m having a hard time hearing you? Oh that’s right, let me just help you remove those.” I made to pull the hose from her mouth but didn’t. “Now, Abigail, are we now going to continue our civil conversation or should I just leave this where it is?”

  She nodded her head vehemently so I freed her mouth of the gag. By this point she’d stopped fighting her restraints and she spoke in a defeated tone. “Go ahead, Charlotte. Have your lap dogs here rape me. I should have figured as much after instructing those two buffoons to do as much to you. Although, I won’t be as unwilling a participant as you were. After all, I’ve already tasted them both.” She wasn’t anywhere near defeated which was evidenced by her maniacal peal of laughter at the end. The tears had been a very convincing performance.

  At her confession both men raced forward but stopped when I flung my hands out. For the first time in my life I knew what it was to truly hate someone with every fiber of my being. My violent rage threatened to take over but this was going to be a battle of wits and we all needed to keep ours. “You say that like I didn’t already know, you silly, naïve child.” Olivier was in front of me and I saw him blink and shoot a look at Wesley to keep him in line. Abigail’s laugh died and her sneer faltered. “Yes, it became obvious to me that someone had sent them there since it was my photograph that was used for your engagement announcement. Given they’d been guests at the school’s fundraiser in February, I figured you were the connection.” Her eyes grew wide. “It’s a shame you thought you’ve been one step ahead this whole time. But I’m sure you’ve been confident in your partner.”

  Finally, a reaction as she squirmed uncomfortably on the bed. “You see I’ve chosen my soldiers a bit better than it seems she’s chosen hers. Though I did hate sacrificing one of my pets here these last few months.” I turned and kissed Wesley deeply. He must have been too shocked because he made no move to respond. I avoided his eyes when I was done and sauntered around the bed. “But the information he brought back has been absolutely invaluable.” I was now beside Olivier and caressed his chest. “I believe the term you used was lap dogs? Yes, they are sometimes that, very loyal dogs.” I now kissed Olivier and well, he took full advantage of it. When he released me I was breathless and licked my lips to cover it up. “But you seem to forget that a loyal dog can be a savage one when it feels its master is in jeopardy. So let’s remind you of your spot in the pecking order. Celinda is the master, and cupcake, you’re not even a dog. You were just bait. I, on the other hand, well I rank a bit higher than you do. No, these dogs won’t rape you. That’s not to say I don’t have some who will and they
could be anywhere in this room.”

  This whole charade was draining on my spirit. Hate and fear took a lot of energy. There was no way to have her convicted for my attempted rape and murder because the only evidence we had was her confession which we were going to erase from her mind. But it seemed she didn’t know that yet. In a low venomous tone she tried to regain the upper hand. “You have to let me go sometime, Charlotte. I’ll admit you have turned out to be more of a cunning bitch than anyone ever suspected but eventually Celinda is going to come looking for me. You can’t even comprehend her kind of power.”

  “Charissimus, show our doubtful prisoner here why I don’t need to fear Celinda Banks.” Olivier nodded, clamped his hand over Abigail’s mouth, and let her see the fire in his eyes. Her muffled screams sounded against his palm. They were definitely not an act. Now we had her. “Ah, so you know what he is. How stupid of a girl are you? Having met Celinda, your reaction tells me she’s told you about herself. You said you tasted him, surely you knew then?”

  Olivier started shaking and turned his flaming eyes to me. I fought to keep my curiosity from my face as I locked eyes with him. “Please, master, can I have fun with her now?” Ah, he was giving me the out I was longing for. It was well timed because I didn’t know how much longer I could continue to play the role of sadist. But there was one last thing left to do.

  I hoped she knew a little about how Wesley’s mind had been manipulated so I seized the opportunity to find out. We needed that information to improve Olivier’s chances at success. “I suggest, child, you stop thinking someone is going to charge through the door to rescue you. It’s not going to happen.” I made my way back to Wesley’s side and ran my fingers along his brow as I looked into his emotionless eyes. His lack of response to my kiss earlier would hopefully underpin the lie I was about to tell. “The only reason I’m wasting any time with you is because I need something. While I’ve gotten my pet here back, he’s not quite whole. Explain in exact detail how his wires were crossed so we can fix him. Don’t and well, I’ll call for the wolves.” I kissed Wesley again and this time I saw the barely reined in response in his eyes. He understood what I was up to and was playing his part.