Damned and Desirable (Eternally Yours Book 2)

by Tara West

  The man’s bony, grotesque features morphed into a more familiar face as he carried me inside a fortress. Bright, watery blue eyes smiled down at me as we traveled through a lush garden and slipped into a shimmering pool. I smiled as the cool currents soothed my aching limbs. Amazed, I clenched my fingers as if feeling them for the first time.

  “What happened?” I rasped.

  Aedan draped a finger across my lips. “Shhh, you must heal.”

  And so I did, sighing contentedly as I snuggled against his chest, relishing the feel of him stroking my scalp and back. But when I closed my eyes, I saw Scorpius’s triumphant glare as he stabbed Callum through the heart.

  “Callum!” I screamed as I jolted up. “No!” I kicked and punched the water.

  Aedan grabbed my arms, cradling me against him. “Shhh, sweetheart.”

  “He’s gone,” I sobbed, slapping his wet chest. “We have to save him.”

  Aedan rocked me in his arms. “I know, baby.”

  I pulled back, desperately searching his eyes for any sign of hope. “You know? Does that mean you’ll help me save him?”

  “The king has already reassured me he will help us.” His voice hardened. “He still has two kin down there, remember?”

  “The king?” I recalled Scorpius stabbing King Og’s hand. “He’s okay?”

  “The Nephilim saved him with their holy water.”

  More memories of the battle surfaced. There’d been so many demons. Too many. “What about Jack and Sarge?”

  “Both fine.” He flashed a weary smile as he tucked a strand of wet hair behind my ear. “Ash, the war is over. You did it. You defeated the demons. Once you banished Scorpius, his blood slaves surrendered.”

  “Really?” Wow. I’d done it. Just as the prophecy had stated. Did this mean God would allow the Nephilim to return to Heaven, and if he would give them a pass, would he grant one to Callum, too? If so, how were we going to free Callum from the fourth dimension? Jeez, and I’d thought the top level of Hell was a shithole. I could only imagine how much worse Callum had it now. Dark thoughts swirled in my brain, threatening to overwhelm me. I didn’t care what it took. We had to save him.

  I nuzzled Aedan’s chest, which felt harder than a block of concrete. A shiver wracked him before he pulled me closer. Odd, because the healing water didn’t feel too cold. In fact, the soothing liquid felt heavenly. Then I remembered Aedan was hydrophobic. Oh, wow! How the heck had he managed to climb into the pool without having a panic attack?

  “Aedan,” I gasped as I sat up and looked into his features, which reminded me of an eggshell ready to crack. I could tell he was doing everything in his power to keep it together. “I thought you were afraid of water.”

  His stony features splintered. “I am, but I’m more afraid of losing you.”

  I cupped his cheeks in my hands, planting a feather-soft kiss on his lips. “I’ve had enough water for now.”

  Fatigue consumed me, and I was barely aware of Aedan pulling me from the water and drying me off on the grass, and of Jack’s heavy pants as he followed us inside. After Aedan hoisted me onto the bed, Jack licked my nose as he settled down beside me. A short time ago he was my beastly two-headed guardian, biting the heads off demons and gigantic fanged cats. Jeez, my afterlife was strange.

  “I must go speak with the king,” Aedan murmured. “You going to be okay?”

  “Yeah,” I sighed as I turned into Jack, snuggling against his neck. “I have my guardian angel.”

  Jack’s deep growl woke me from my slumber. I slowly sat up, clutching a blanket as I stared into the darkness. I could see nothing, which was weird because the wall sconces had been shining brightly before Aedan left.

  My heart began to hammer, so loud I could barely hear Jack’s growls from somewhere by my feet. Where was Aedan, and why was it so dark? An icy breeze blew through my hair, sending a shiver down my spine. Then I heard the snap of Jack’s jowls. Fear gripped my limbs when he bounded off the bed, barking before his howl of pain pierced the thick air, sending a shard of panic straight into my chest.

  “Jack!” I screamed as I heard a sickening thump. I pushed myself against the headboard, a cyclone of dizziness spinning circles in my brain and causing me to feel faint and disoriented. What was happening to me?

  And then the darkness faded, the sconces slowly flickering back to life, revealing two ominous eyes staring down at me.

  “Shadow,” I rasped.

  He clutched two faded scrolls, crinkling the paper as he squeezed them with whitened knuckles. “I had to see them for myself.”

  “What?”

  Frowning, he threw a scroll at my feet. “I had to see what had gone wrong.”

  I didn’t understand what he was talking about, but somehow I got the feeling he was still a creepy demon. “Shadow.” I tried to keep my tone even as I peered over the bed looking for Jack. “Scorpius is gone. You are no longer his blood slave.”

  He tossed his head back and laughed. “You think that’s all I was to him? Oh, if it were only that easy.” He pushed back his shirtsleeve, revealing a tanned arm with bulging veins. “I can still feel his blood in me,” he said with a snarl as he clenched his hands. “I can still hear him telling me to seek revenge.”

  Oh, shit. Revenge. And I suppose I am on the top of his shit list.

  “Fight it, Shadow,” I cried, unfurling my fingers and preparing to strike. “You were a good person once. Remember fifty years ago before Scorpius captured you?”

  “Fifty years?” He tilted his head, smirking. “No, that was the second time he captured me. I have been serving my master for a hundred and fifty years, waiting to find you so he could bring the giants to their knees. The first time one of his demons dragged me to Hell, I managed to flee, fading into the shadows while I searched for a means of escape. I came here through a hidden passage.” He waved at the walls around us. “For I’d heard the Nephilim had a portal to Earth.”

  So much for King Og’s secret passage. Though he had said no demon could find it, I was certain he’d never met a demon with Shadow’s penchant for darkness.

  “I crept around their fortress while they slept, for I feared they would see me even in my shadow form. In my search,” he continued as he pointed to the scroll at my feet, “I stumbled upon their scrolls. As I read through the first parchment, I realized they had been written by angels centuries ago. According to their proclamation, a fallen angel would lead them in a holy war.”

  I cringed at that. By fallen angel, they had meant me. Who knew getting thrown out of Heaven would get me knocked all the way down to Hell?

  “But when I unfurled the next scroll, I saw the scene where Scorpius held the king of giants by the hand, driving his venom into him while a golden angel wept on her knees, and I knew their fallen angel would fail them.” His shoulders slumped, shadows obscuring all but his glowing eyes. “I was made so distraught, I dropped the parchment and fled, and then Scorpius found me. He tortured me for days, burning me with venom that raced through me like liquid fire, paralyzing me with unfathomable pain. He poured his blood into me and forced me to bare my soul. Through my eyes, Scorpius saw everything, including the scroll where he defeated the Nephilim king. He released me, sending me on a mission to search for this fallen angel, hoping I would find her in Purgatory.

  “I lived in Purgatory peacefully for a hundred years, and then Scorpius sent his demons after me. He was angry I had not yet found you. This time his cruelty was far worse. He forced me to drink his blood again and sign a second bond, proclaiming me more than just his blood slave.”

  My fingers itched as the magic strained to break free. I knew my wind wasn’t as powerful as my lightning, but it was my only defense. “Well, what are you?” I asked through clenched teeth.

  His smile was wide and bright, illuminating the shadows in his hollowed cheek bones. “His soul slave. Not only his blood flows through me, Ash.” He held up his arms as a shrill burst of laughter escaped from his throat. “H
is soul does, too.”

  Well, shit.

  “So now you see why I seek revenge for the wrongs done to my master.” He pounded his chest. “I am Scorpius, and he is me.”

  His eyes bulged, and he jerked back, falling on top of the bed as Jack held his ankle in his jaws.

  “Get him, Jack!” I squealed, clasping my hands together as my dog pounced on him.

  Shadow’s arms flailed wildly before I saw the flash of steel. Just as he was about to drive the dagger into my dog’s heart, I hit it with my wind, knocking it out of his hand, but not before the blade sliced open Jack’s shoulder. I screamed as Jack howled before falling on top of the bed.

  Shadow jumped to his feet, a triumphant gleam in his eyes as he turned to me. “I’ve never liked that dog.”

  Anger surged inside my skull as I threw a blast of wind at him. He flew back and smashed into a bedpost before wrapping around it in a swirl of darkness. Where had he gone?

  My gaze darted to my dog. He was panting hard as blood oozed from his wound. I worried that Shadow had used a poison-tipped blade, just as he’d used on Callum. I had to pour holy water on Jack before he turned to dust, but first, I had a demon to kill.

  I fell onto the table and jumped to the floor as the massive doors leading to the hall swung open.

  Sarge was standing there, scythe drawn. “I heard screaming.”

  “Shadow!” I cried. “Watch out. He’s disappeared.”

  “Stay down!” he commanded, his features hardening as he raced to me.

  My gaze darted to the doorway leading to the garden. The holy water was there. All I had to do was scoop up a handful and race back to Jack without getting killed.

  I screamed when Sarge grunted and stilled in front of me, hovering there for an eternal second before crumbling to the floor, Shadow’s blade sticking out of his back.

  “Nooo!” I fell to his side as he gaped at me, holding out a hand and trying to speak.

  “Ash, I….” He disappeared in a burst of dust.

  I jumped to my feet, unleashing my wind, blowing back candles, drapes, and oversized chairs, not caring who or what I blasted so long as I got that son-of-a-bitch who’d banished my friend.

  Above me, Jack was whimpering. “Hang on, buddy.” I turned, racing toward the garden. I would not lose another friend on my watch. Just as I was about to cross the threshold, darkness overtook me. Where there had been bright light before me, I saw only blackness, crowding my mind with confusion.

  I spun in circles, trying to figure out where I was, feeling like I had fallen into a void of depression and fear. Oh, dear God, this was it. Shadow would stab a hole through my heart and cast me down to the fourth dimension.

  “Aedan!” I screamed. “Help me!”

  A heavy boom shook my bones as the light snapped back on. I turned around gaping up at Shadow, who was hanging upside-down in Garf’s grasp. Aedan was standing beside him, scythe unsheathed and aiming at the base of Shadow’s skull.

  “Garf,” I gasped. “How did you catch him?”

  Garf flashed a baleful grin and tapped his head. “Nephilim use brain to find Shadow.”

  Of course! Their echolocation. I had thought they could only see in the dark while in demon form.

  Shadow cursed and banged Garf’s knee while he swung like a pendulum. All the while, Aedan shot eye daggers at Shadow while holding the blade at his throat. I knew he was itching to use it.

  “Are you all right, Ash?” Aedan asked, not taking his eyes off Shadow.

  I ran my hands down my arms as my gaze drifted to the pile of dust on the floor. “I’m fine.” I bit my knuckles to keep from sobbing. “But Sarge was dusted.”

  “Ash, look at me.”

  I jerked, swiping a stray tear at the sound of Aedan’s commanding voice.

  He held me in his gaze for a long moment. “We will get Sarge back when we save Callum. I promise.”

  I choked back more tears, unable to answer. I cringed at the sound of Jack’s low whine.

  Oh, no! I will not lose him, too! I pointed at the demon squirming in Garf’s grip. “Don’t let Shadow go!”

  “Yah,” Garf answered.

  “Where are you going?” Aedan called, but I was already running out the door.

  I grabbed a goblet off the blanket and practically dove for the pool. I scooped up the water, sloshing it on my hand as I raced back inside, past Garf and the pendulum demon and up the bed to Jack. Much to my relief, he hadn’t turned to dust. His chest rose and fell with each strained breath as blood and puss pooled around his shoulder, staining the sheet beneath him.

  He whimpered as I poured water on his wound. His eyes shut, and my heart slowed to a dull thud as I waited for them to open. Soon his breathing returned to normal and those big brown eyes fluttered open. He sat up with a resounding bark and then planted a big wet kiss on my lips.

  “You really are a guardian angel,” I said with a smile as I hugged and kissed my dog. “Thank you, God,” I whispered, “for sending him to me.”

  I didn’t care to stay and watch the Nephilim decapitate Shadow with his own poisoned blade and then cast him into a lake of fire. Not that I was complaining. Decapitations just weren’t on my list of fun evening entertainment. They ranked down there with going to monster truck rallies and attending Amway meetings. Besides, I figured I’d seen enough blood and gore to last me an eternity.

  King Og and Garf took us to a secret chamber where they revealed the portal to Earth. And much to my disappointment, it wasn’t an elevator, but rather a long-ass flight of stairs going up a dark and musty cavern. Fun times. Too bad I didn’t have my wings.

  Garf sat on the ground, sobbing like a baby as we shared our goodbyes. Jack tried to soothe him with lots of licks and tail wagging, but that only made him cry harder.

  “Don’t cry, Garf.” I leaned up and squeezed his neck. “You know I’ll be back. I promise.”

  Of course I’d be back. I had two friends waiting for me to save them, and then there was that whole prophecy thing. If I really was the Nephilim’s fallen angel… who was I kidding? Of course I was, and I was somehow supposed to lead them all up to Heaven. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to get that part of my afterlife behind me.

  “You good friend.” Garf said as he patted my head a little too hard. “Thank you, fawen angel.”

  Aedan shook hands, or actually thumb, with the king. “We will go straightaway to Heaven and plead your case, as well as our friends and kin in the fourth dimension.”

  I snaked my arm through Aedan’s, pulling myself close to him and relishing the warmth of his bare skin on mine. When I got back, I was going to institute a new rule that Aedan had to wear a toga whenever we were alone. Not only were they easily accessible, he looked damn fine with all that muscular man meat hanging out. When the king cleared his throat, I forced myself to get my hormones in check. There would be plenty of time for victory sex later.

  I beamed up at King Og. “I am sure there is something the Holy Ones can do.”

  The king bowed to both of us, his eyes gleaming with the same sparkle as the star around his neck. “Thank you, Grim and angel.”

  “No, thank you.” My throat tightened with emotion as I tried to find the right words. “Not only for your friendship but for helping me find a purpose in my life, for making me feel for something beyond my own needs.”

  We parted once more with hugs, and thankfully, neither of the giants did permanent damage to my ribs. It took us way too long to climb those stairs. Holy buckets, I thought my legs would collapse beneath me. My jokes about seeing Aedan’s hairy balls underneath his toga wore thin, and so did my breath as I followed him up the final flight. Jack’s tail was drooping by the time we reached the cave. I had no idea where we were, and I didn’t care. I just wanted to get home.

  Much to my relief, Aedan banged his scythe on the ground, and an elevator materialized out of nowhere.

  “After you,” he smiled, bowing like a gentleman as he ushered me onto
the platform.

  I sank against cool metal, heaving a sigh as the elevator lurched. My hair frizz caught the static off the wall, and I could literally feel it springing to life. I swore when I realized I should have dunked my mop in the Nephilim’s holy water. Damn. I reminded myself to dive into the pool head-first on my way back down.

  “I need a hot bath,” I groaned. “And a tall drink.”

  Aedan wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him.

  “I’ve got a need for you to fill,” he growled.

  Heat crept into my cheeks when he pressed his groin against my hip. “Do you?”

  “Yes. Right here.” He nibbled my ear as he dragged my hand toward his rather stiff and large bulge.

  Oh, my goodness! Either Aedan had stuck a rock in his toga or climbing stairs until his butt cramped made him horny.

  “Aedan, don’t.” I tried to push him away, but not really. Truthfully, all that staring at his hairy balls had made me horny, too. “Jack’s looking at us,” I giggled as he trailed kisses down my neck.

  As I listened to the familiar sound of him licking his ass, I realized he probably wasn’t interested in what we were doing. Eventually, though, he would tire of chewing on butt munch and look up.

  “I don’t care,” he rasped as his lips sought mine. “I need you.”

  “Oh, Aedan.” Loathe though I was, I broke the kiss as his roving hands slipped under the hem of my toga and straight for my “Oh, God, yes!” spot. I pushed him. “Stop, or I’ll tear off your clothes.”

  Last naked guy I’d seen in an elevator scarred my eyeballs for life. Not that Aedan would scar my eyeballs. Far from it, but if we got caught, our bare humping asses would probably be plastered all over the Purgatory papers.

  He ignored my protests, showering kisses on my cheek, nose, and brow. “You are the most incredible, caring, loving woman I’ve ever known, and I can’t believe you’re mine. Do you know how much I love you?”