“I take it you’re happy to see me.” She breathed.
“You have no idea. What are you doing here? How’d you find me?” He asked, stepping back to hold her at arms distance, taking her in with open appreciation.
“I have many, many talents Det. Cain,” she whispered, resting her head on his cashmere covered chest. She exhaled sharply and shook her head trying to break the spell he had on her.
“We need to talk,” she was saying, as Riley, Boogie and Grace moved closer to the Freemans watching with amused interest.
Riley could just about feel the steam coming out of Hannah’s ears as she stared. Ana and Lowell simply watched in confusion.
“That her?” Grace asked in a mock whisper. Riley smiled broadly.
“Oh yeah, the one and only. Didn’t I tell you, they look like they were made for each other?”
Boogie sidled up to Hannah, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she said, “Looks like you’re shit out of luck girlie. You can’t compete with that. It’s like putting a Shetland pony next to a thoroughbred. You’re cute and all, but you ain’t gonna win this race.” Boogie laughed and gave Hannah’s shoulder a conciliatory pat, which Hannah slapped away the way one might shoo away a fly.
Determined, Hannah sauntered over once again possessively looping her arm through Eli’s.
“You remember Hannah,” Eli tilted his head towards Hannah, his eyes still on Celeste. She inclined her head to Hannah who stood tight lipped. “And these are her parents.”
Polite as ever, Ana Freeman rushed forward to shake Celeste’s hand, a radiant smile on her face, yet there was a look of profound befuddlement in her eyes. Lowell Freeman on the other hand, had a look of pure unadulterated envy in his lecherous eyes as he glared at Celeste. He edged Hannah aside, dislodging her from Eli’s hip, to get a closer look at Celeste. He lowered his voice to a nearly comical baritone and held her hand a little too long, staring a little too blatantly.
Riley cleared his throat and broke the contact between the two when he saw Celeste try and fail to politely slip her hand out of Lowell Freeman’s grasp. He smiled brightly and gave her a tight squeeze, “How you doing Doc?” He asked, a fleeting look of concern darkened his features.
“I’m fine, Riley. Thanks.”
“CeCe, this is my grandmother Grace Babineaux.” Celeste extended her hand, which Grace ignored and embraced the woman. Then her body went stiff. She pulled back, her smile faltered but never dropped. She looked into Celeste’s eyes and her breath caught in her chest.
“It is so nice to meet you, Caelestis.” Her voice cracked slightly as she stared at Celeste whose eyes widened in surprise at the use of her given name. Grace swallowed hard, but never took her eyes from the younger woman. She nervously stepped back, bumping Boogie as she looked at Celeste with something that was very close to awe.
“What did you call her?” Eli asked.
“What?” Grace looked at him, a bit distracted and confused. Celeste extended her hand to Boogie. “You must be Boogie,” she said. Boogie took her hand and in both of hers and nodded.
“So you’re the one, huh?” She asked giving Celeste an appreciative once over.
“The one?” Celeste asked. Boogie tilted her head toward Hannah who stood with her mouth in a tight little line.
“The one leading Eli around by the short hairs and putting the twist in that one’s panties. You’ve got his nose wide open. Not that I can blame him, I mean look at you. When you walked in every Johnson in the room stood at attention.”
“Boogie!” Eli snapped, but it was too late. She’d already said it. Celeste stifled a snicker as his temperature rose a few degrees. Boogie always had a way of embarrassing him, but then that was Boogie. She had no filter and whatever she thought always managed to slip from her lips. Celeste gave him a kiss on the neck before Boogie grabbed her right arm and Riley took her left.
”Ignore him, come on. We’ll show you around. Riley and I will give you the grand tour.” Before Eli could protest they had whisked her away. She turned too looked back at him with a knowing smile as he watched her. She could feel the heat of his gaze as he took note of the back of her dress; better yet, the lack thereof. The dress dipped low in front, exposing perfect caramel cleavage, but the back was nonexistent, giving him an eyeful of toned bare back all the way down to the small of her back. He made a noise close to a high pitched squeak, and closed his eyes.
“Goddamn.” Lowell Freeman whispered and gave Eli a slap on the back, suddenly in a more jovial mood. “You lucky motherfucker.”
“Lowell!” Ana snapped, her plastic smile finally dropping.
“Daddy!” Hannah barked in unison. Lowell looked at the two of them with little remorse.
“Do you see her?” He asked the two women with a slight degree of indignation. “Sorry, sweetie,” Lowell kissed Hannah’s forehead and held her close, in a conciliatory hug, giving Eli the thumbs up behind her back. Eli followed Lowell’s gaze as she was introduced to guests at the party. Her eyes drifted over to Elijah every once in a while, a smile on her berry colored lips. She narrowed her eyes before she turned away and he saw a brief shadow cross her face. There was something wrong, something she wanted to tell him but wasn’t sure about. She was definitely hiding something. He stared for a while longer, grabbing a glass of champagne that was being passed on a tray by the few servers that hustled through the crowd. “Why was she here,” he thought. And how did she know where to find him? He’d always known she was hiding something, but what?
Everything in him screamed Run! Stop! Danger! But he ignored the warnings. He was falling for her, and he couldn’t stop himself. How could he stop something that was more natural than breathing? Sure, she was evasive, closed off and secretive. She was from one of the richest families in the world, that was just par for the course, he supposed, self-preservation.
He’d seen Grace shut down when people got to close, now that he thought about it. Celeste and Grace had that in common, among other things. They were both shielded with a tightly held group of close friends and family. They were strong willed, beautiful, effervescent women. They attracted people like bees to honey, but they held the world at arm’s length. Hell, Celeste was the sexiest, funniest, smartest, liveliest woman he’d ever met and she had never made love, for Christ’s sake. How was that even possible? How had she never been made love to, or better yet, how had she never been in love? How someone could look at her and hurt her, use her? How had she remained so much of an innocent, well, not completely innocent. She did melt when he kissed her, her body growing hot and wet at his slightest touch. She was uninhibited and seductive and playful, yet she was still pure. He sipped his drink and watched her being moved through the crowd by her over enthusiastic escorts.
“Curiousier and curiousier,” he mumbled.
Grace stood beside Eli so quietly that he’d forgotten she was there. He turned to her, lifting a brow.
“Okay, what is it?’ He asked, and Grace visibly jumped at the sound of his voice, then laughed giving Eli’s arm a playful punch.
“She’s lovely, Elijah. Just lovely.” She tucked her arm into his and walked him out into the cool night air and soft jazz being played by the make shift band of her neighbors. Lovely, was a term that Grace reserved for people and things she did not particularly care for. Had something about Celeste had shaken her? He’d seen it when they had embraced. Something had happened and Grace had momentarily stiffened. And she had called her something, what was it she’d said?
“What did you call her? Caelestis?” Grace paused only for a moment.
“I think I must have slurred my words. And it’s tacky for you to bring up how tipsy I am.” She paused and turned to look up at him. “I think she is very pretty. She’s very-tall.” He shook his head and was about to speak when Grace placed her hands on his face and looked into his eyes. There seemed to be serenity about Grace that always made him feel safe and that everything was going to be fine. She smiled and gave him a kiss o
n the cheek. “She makes you happy, Cheri, then I am happy.”
He smiled and held onto her wrist and sighed. “I really do like her, but-”
“But what?” She held his eyes waiting.
“There’s something wrong about her.” He hadn’t wanted to say it out loud, but there it was. There was something strange and wonderful and very wrong about her. Grace laughed, giving his head a shake before releasing him.
“Some say the same about you, Elijah. But you’re wrong in the right-est way possible, if that makes any sense.”
“No, it doesn’t.” He laughed and kissed the top of Grace’s head. “But I get what you mean.” He sighed.
“Good. Come buy me a drink.” She said once again looping her arm through Eli’s, guiding him over to the open bar.
***
Celeste stood next to where the Zydeco band played a slow fais do-do, rocking to the beat, a glass of champagne in her hand. She closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet smell of the night blooming jasmine from Grace’s garden and let her mind wander. She tensed slightly when she felt the approach of someone from behind. “By the twitching in my thumbs,” Celeste mumbled, “something wicked this way comes.” With a satisfied smile she turned to see Hannah standing with her arms folded across her chest, a tight smile on her overly glossed lips.
“You think you’re hot shit don’t you?” she asked in a low angry tone.
“Pardon?” Celeste widened her eyes and feigned innocence. Hannah dropped her arms, her hands balling into fists and narrowed her eyes.
“Just so you know, you’ve met your match. I will not step aside for you or anyone else. Eli -“
“Is just not that into you?” Celeste finished. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, Hannah.” Hannah shook her head.
“Maybe you don’t know what you’re getting into.” Hannah countered. “This little kitty has claws and teeth. And I don’t fight fair.” Celeste tilted her head and studied the other woman. There was something that caught Celeste’s attention, a hint of something unnatural in the flash of the girl’s eyes. She took a step closer and sniffed the air around Hannah, then smiled. Hannah stepped back,
“What are you doing?” she stammered her eyes wide. Celeste smirked and folded her on arms across her chest.
“You may have claws, but you huff and puff just like a little- wolf.” Hannah’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Celeste. Her deep brown eyes flashed briefly glowing bright amber. The scent she’d smelled that was hidden beneath the sickeningly sweet perfume was all lycan. So it hadn’t been Briar who’d given her up, it had been little Ms. Freeman.
“So you’re Julian’s little pet? Or are you part of Deva’s clan? I must admit, you’re a very good actress. You even had me fooled, pup, but your game is done.” Hannah’s face tightened, she opened her mouth to speak when Eli approached and took Celeste’s hand.
“Dance with me, CeCe.” She smiled at Eli, but her eyes remained on Hannah. He turned his back as he coaxed her to the small dance floor. Celeste hesitated and smiled briefly at the other woman exposing glistening white fangs, and flashing eyes that sparked with blue fire.
“Be careful where you tread, little pup. There be hunters in these woods,” Celeste whispered into her ear as she brushed past.
***
“What was that about?” he asked, drawing her into his arms as the band switched from Zydeco to “At Last,” by Etta James.
“Girl talk,” she mumbled, melting into him. He looked down at her.
“You’re lying,” he said.
“Yep,” she agreed draping her arms around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and listened to his heart beat, indulgencing in the feel of him against her, his hand on the small of her bare back, pressing her hips tightly against his rock hard body and her skin warmed. He was assaulted by her scent, and made a soft happy sound.
“I love the way you smell. I haven’t washed my sheets because I can still smell you when I go to sleep,” he confessed. “And what is it about you that makes me admit these things to you?” He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled. She intoxicated him. His body tightened with the overwhelming need for her, the feel of her body pressed against made him harder than he’d ever been. She moved closer, her hips moving against the bugle in his pants, the feel of the rough material against his already vibrating groin made him growl deep in his chest. His reaction to her was always visceral, and he knew just from being that close to her that she was wet for him. Leaning over, he nipped at her neck, just above the vein that pulsated in her neck. He could smell her blood pumping just beneath the surface, her skin grew hot to his and her scent seemed stronger, and the smell of lavender seemed to envelop him. Again, he found himself longing to sink his teeth into her tender flesh and drink from her long and deep. Instead, he kissed the skin just below her ear.
“Eli, we really need to talk.” She looked up into his eyes and the world seemed to disappear, all she saw was him. He was looking at her with smoldering heavy lidded eyes and she felt her body go weak. She was lost; all she could think of was kissing him, of kissing every naked inch of his body. He leaned closer, his lips moving over hers with such a fierce need, she couldn’t breathe or think, all she could do was tighten her arms around his neck to pull him closer. She nipped his lips with her teeth, before pulling away.
“Are you finally ready to let me in on the big secret?” He teased and she looked down.
“There is so much you don’t know.” Her voice was nearly a whisper.
“About you?” He placed a finger under her chin and forced her to look at him. She gently pulled his face down to her so that her lips could touch his again. This kiss was soft and tender, but her need for him was still so strong but she needed to tell him before it went any further.
“About everything. Take me home, detective.” She breathed against his lips.
***
Grace stood close to Boogie as they watched the two of them dance, their bodies so close not even air seemed to get between them. Boogie sighed.
“I think he’s found the one, Gracie,” she whispered. Grace looked at Boogie with a sad smile and tear filled eyes.
“I think you’re right, Boog. And I think we’re all in big trouble.”
TEN
It had only taken a couple of minutes for Eli to get his car. She snuggled closer to him in the front seat, their fingers intertwined.
“So where are we going, Doc?” His voice was low and thick and sexy, his entire body humming in anticipation. She sighed, her head resting on his shoulder, the fingers of her free hand moving slowly up his thigh. “I live on the top floor of the Cotton Mill.” She whispered, her tongue darting out to tease his earlobe. The Cotton Mill was a former warehouse that had been transformed into luxury condos about four blocks from the river front, high-end and very exclusive. She gently nibbled his ear, her lips leaving hot little kisses on his neck, and he hit the gas, making a bee line for the place.
As he swung the car onto North Peters Street and headed towards her building, her cell phone came to life.
“Damn it,” she grumbled as she punched the speaker button, wanting to continue her exploration of his thigh, and continue moving her lips down his throat.
“Where are you?” Lisette just about yelled in her ear. Eli’s brow lifted at her sister’s rather abrupt tone.
“On my way to my condo. Why?” She mumbled, taking Eli’s earlobe between her teeth.
“Are you eating?” Lisette barked. “What are you doing?”
“What do you want?” She bit back.
“Is someone with you? You sound funny.” Lisette persisted.
“I swear to God, Lissy, I’m going to hang up if you don’t get to the damn point,” she growled, her hand resting on Eli’s crotch. He made a deep guttural noise, and she smiled deviously.
“Remy is at Jinxie’s drunk off his ass and picking a fight with Julian Onder. I need you to get to him before he starts a war. I�
�m not going to get there in time.” Celeste rolled her eyes.
“Why can’t Gaston go? He lives right on St. Charles.” She sat up, pulling her hand from Eli’s in frustration.
“Jonas sent Gaston to Prague for some asinine reason or other. He’s landing as it were, now. Could you please get him? This could be trouble CeCe. You know how stupid he gets and Julian is just looking for a reason to tear into Remy’s ass.”
“He does have that effect on people,” she mumbled. “Fine, I will get him before he gets himself killed.” She grumbled and disconnected. She looked at Eli, frustration and anger building up in her. “So where is this Jinxie’s?” He asked, waiting for directions.
“You don’t mind?”
“Oh I mind, not as much as my dick right about now. The sooner we get-Remy is it? That’s your younger brother right? The sooner we get him squared, away the sooner I get to be alone with you. No more interruptions.” She kissed his cheek. Their little talk was going to have to wait a little longer. Not that she was all that eager to say anything. What she wanted was to be wrapped in his arms in a blissful cloud for as long as possible. She could postpone the inevitable, just for a little longer.
“I owe you,” she whispered, a warmth growing in her chest. Something soft, something she had never felt before with a man.
“And I plan to collect,” he mumbled, before putting his foot down hard on the gas pedal again.
The First to Fall: A Fallen Novel (The Fallen Series) Page 18