Aflame (Apotheosis) (22 page)

“You boys clean up.” Chelsea sauntered around the table, clasped Grayce’s hand and led her out the door.

They walked in silence. Too many words crowded her brain. When they reached the thick underbrush, Grayce stopped and plopped herself on a mossy tree stump. The tranquil scenery did help to quiet the chaos in her mind.

Her head slumped between her shoulders. “I’ll never be able to love him, you know.” Wow, she said it out loud. To an actual person. This sharing stuff wasn’t so horrible. “I’ll never be able to love at all.”

“Oh, sweetie.” Chelsea knelt to face her, pine needles and twigs crackling under her legs. “I can’t begin to imagine what you’ve been through.” With motherly endearment, she blotted a tear from Grayce’s face. “You have to know that we already love you. All of us. If you can’t love us back, that’s okay. We’re going to keep on loving you anyway.”

Chelsea stood, cupped Grayce’s hands and continued her pep talk. “You’re an amazing, charismatic woman. You have love inside you. I can feel it. You’ve buried it so deep, it seems impossible to get back. You had to protect yourself. I know that. You’ve trapped yourself behind an impenetrable field.” Tears flowed heavy between them. “It’s going to take a long time, but you’ll find a way to trust again. That needs to come first. Love will follow.” She chuckled. “Zander’s an exceptionally patient man. He’ll wait forever.”

Grayce choked on the lump in her throat. “Zander. This is unfair to him. How can he want to be with me? I’m damaged. I’m broken. I’ll never love him, not like he deserves.” Sun peaked through the tops of the pines. Grayce imagined herself light as a feather, floating upwards until the heat burned away the anger and pain.

“And Chelsea, he’s gorgeous. I mean out of this world, knock-you-on-your-ass perfect. Like he’s not real. And look at me.” She raised her shirt, exposed the evidence of her abuse. “I’m hideous.”

“Let me tell you something about Zander.” Chelsea’s angry voice boomed. Fists to hips. A mother scolding a child. “That man has loved you since the day he laid eyes on you. He loved you the moment he knew you existed. He came home after seeing you the first time and I’d never seen him so happy. So alive. He told me you were the most beautiful creature he’d ever laid eyes on. And this was before he knew for sure that you were the one. He wanted it to be you. It was all he talked about.”

She pointed an angry finger at Grayce. “It took all his will power not to grab you that day and drag you here. And believe me, that man had his choice of women. They swoon over him. You know what? He’s turned every one of them away. You know why?” Chelsea didn’t let Grayce answer. “Because he knew you were out there. He saved himself for you. You’re the only woman worthy of that man’s love. You’re the only woman he’s ever loved.”

“Chelsea.” Grayce kept her tone low.

“Wait a minute, I’m not finished.” Chelsea held up her palm to stop Grayce from continuing.

“For fuck’s sake, don’t move.” Grayce gripped Chelsea’s forearms and squeezed hard to get her full attention. “Shut up.”

Holy Fuck was the first thought that came to mind. Get Chelsea out of the way was the second. Without a moment’s hesitation, Grayce shoved herself in between Chelsea and the imminent threat.

“Get behind the stump,” she ordered.

The grizzly stood no more than twenty-five feet away. Shit. Now what? Don’t panic.

Act like prey, they’ll treat you like prey.

She remembered hearing that once. Probably on a reality series where no one was ever in any real danger.

Chelsea spoke slow and calm. “Don’t move Grayce.”

The stare-down lasted mere seconds, but seemed an eternity. Her bones rattled so hard it was likely a few of them had fractured.

Where was the damned fire when she needed it?

She closed her eyes and concentrated on the painful rhythm pounding against her breast. The heat swelled. From gut to heart, then through her arms. Her fingers tingled with the need to release. Arms trembling, she threw her fire toward the majestic creature.

It grazed the grizzly’s head. The bear shook ferociously, stood on hind legs and exposed large, terrifying fangs and claws.

Fear tightened her bosom and squeezed the air from her lungs. Blood pounded through her ears louder than a college drum line. Pulling another blast of heat from deep within, she aimed at the roundest spot on his exposed belly.

The shot would’ve hit dead center. It should’ve sent the creature on a dead run to the next county. Talk about bad timing. Zander appeared out of nowhere, caught the blast and flew straight into the creature. Man and beast tumbled in a ball of dirt, fur and flesh.

The earth stopped spinning. Air fell silent. Grayce stood horrified as Zander rose from the chaos. Unsteady. Shaken. Bloody.

Holy shit.

The grizzly scrambled to its feet and swiped a deadly paw.

Zander stumbled backwards, regained his balance, and assumed the stance of a warrior ready to strike the final blow.

God he was a sight to behold.

Fangs bared, the bear charged.

Zander shifted his weight, leaned forward and caught the animal at his chest. It was thrown, flailing, into a small pine. The tree bent and snapped as the grizzly fell to the earth with a thud. A flock of birds soared to the sky and screamed in protest. A mound of dusty, matted fur shook wildly and retreated into the thick of trees.

* * * *

His knees hit the dirt. His legs no longer able to bear weight. Warm liquid spurted over his thighs forming a dark, glistening puddle around him. Three open lacerations stretched from his left shoulder to his navel. “Grayce.”

“Chelsea, help!” Grayce peeled off her shirt as she ran. The cotton tank she applied to his bloodied torso might have been a square of tissue for all the good it did. “Zander, you have to get yourself to the house. Can you get up?”

“Are you hurt?” He whispered. She looked unscathed. It was hard to be sure through the dark shadows crossing his line of sight.

“No. Oh my God. No.” Her hands trembled as she pressed the useless rag tighter to his wounds. Her breath came in hitches, like it did when they made love. “Zander, you need to get back to the house. Can you do that?”

He examined the damage.

So much blood. She shouldn’t have to see him weak and vulnerable.

“Zander, please. We can’t carry you. You have to get up.” Her fingers were ice against his raw flesh. The flow of crimson refused to slow.

Zander thanked the heavens it was him bleeding out, not her. Grayce was strong. A fighter if he’d ever seen one. She would survive the grieving process.

Chelsea’s voice was faint behind him. “Nikolas and Marcus are coming as fast as they can.” She grunted then applied pressure to his stomach. “Please, please get up,” Chelsea cried.

He wanted to move. God did he want the strength to will his body up and out of the pool of blood. Into Grayce’s arms.

Looking into the eyes of his love, Zander for the first time in his crazy long existence on earth, felt mortal. Shit, she was beautiful. Even with her face contorted in anger. She cried. For him. Made his heart swoon.

Grizzly? Well, first time for everything, right?

The spinning nauseated him. Fuck, he needed to wrap his arms around her and hold on for dear life. Grayce screamed at him. He couldn’t register her words, but didn’t doubt most of them started with the letter F. Rage burned in her eyes. He needed to kiss the fury away. If only he could reach her. If only he could move.

A dark fog clouded his brain, narrowed his vision.

Oh fuck, this was bad.

“Grayce.” He swallowed hard, choked on the taste of blood. “My Grayce...” He searched for her face through the darkness. “I love you.” Raising his hand, he found her tear soaked eyes. “Don’t cry, baby. Don’t cry,” Zander whispered, cursing himself for letting her down again.

Fragile.

Broken.

Tempestuous.

His Firecracker, who hid behind the facade of anger and aloofness, just needed unconditional love. Someone stronger, to help her heal, to guide her out of the private hell she’d been living. It was his job. His fucking duty. His privilege.

Grayce’s lips found his, and damn she tasted sweet. He cupped the back of her head and crushed her to his mouth. He kissed her. Deep. Desperate. All of his being, his love, his emotion were poured into that one kiss. If this was the end, he’d make damned sure she would feel him on her lips for the rest of eternity. He held tight. Drank her. Bruised her. Loved her until the darkness stole her away.

Zander watched from above the tree tops. Lighter than a feather, he ascended toward a brilliant white light when a scream bellowed dark and fierce from below. “You’re not leaving me you son of a bitch.”

Deadly eyes flashed to Chelsea, hazel retinas had been replaced with flaming red. A guttural warning escaped her lips. “Chelsea. Run.”

Zander hovered.

“Grayce, he’s not gone, I can still feel him. Please try not to lose control.” Chelsea made a feeble attempt to calm her friend.

With a heated flash, Chelsea was thrown back onto her rear.

“Please run, Chelsea. Run!” Grayce cried.

Chelsea jumped to her feet and sprinted toward the open path that led back to the mansion.

Zander ached with need to calm her. His ghostly form wouldn’t allow it. “Firecracker. Be strong, you’ll get through this,” he whispered.

Fear and sadness didn’t exist in the realm he entered. Heart and soul, he was saturated with light, peace and pure joy.

A deep boom echoed through the sky above him. A voice, familiar and strong. “It’s not your time, son. Love her well.”

* * * *

With bare hands splayed across the open wounds, Grayce squeezed her eyes closed and prayed for control. Begged. Pleaded to a God she’d never before acknowledged.

Chelsea needed time to get away.

Grayce prayed for Chelsea, prayed for Zander. Prayed they wouldn’t die because of her.

Her wits slipped away. Raw emotion drove her actions now. Blood covered her arms. Her lips throbbed with the remnants of his kiss. A kiss that felt like goodbye. He couldn’t die. The primal need to protect him overwhelmed her senses.

“Take me,” she implored. “Take me instead.”

Hell’s own fire coursed through her veins. Savage. Brutal. Pissed off.

She would’ve sold her soul at that moment to keep him alive. Zander didn’t deserve this. She did.

Earth and grass swirled and gyrated, turned to ash around her. Her small fingers stretched across his bloodied and shredded skin. Her insides boiled. Her skin bubbled and vibrated with indignant protest.

He said her loved her, now he was dying. What the fuck? What kind of cruel fucking joke was this, anyway? Violent trembles overtook her as an earthquake made its way through her body from the inside out.

“I will not let you die. This isn’t right.”

She forced the trembles into her arms. Excruciating pain ripped through her muscles.

“I’m not ready to let you go.” Eyes screwed shut, she directed the tremors down through her hands. It hurt so fucking bad. Her fire had never been this unbearable. Every cell in her body exploded with nuclear wrath.

She was going to die.

Another scream tore from her soul. White fire blasted from her fingertips. Spasms forced her back to arch and her head to fall back against her spine. A blinding white light enveloped their bodies and lifted them off the ground.

Time stood still.

Then nothing. No sound. No air.

Only light.

* * * *

Stephen woke with a throbbing pain at the base of his skull. Ouch. He rubbed the back of his neck. Super ouch.

“Hey, little man.” Marcus burst through the door with a plate full of donuts and a glass of milk. “Time to get up.” He planted his butt next to Stephen. The chair wiggled and made a funny squeak.

Stephen wiped goo from his eyes and looked around the room. Grayce and Zander hadn’t woken up yet, but at least they’d been moving in their sleep.

He hadn’t left their side since Nikolas gave him the okay to go in. Man, they’d been asleep for a long time. Nikolas said they were going to be just fine but they needed to rest and recharge their batteries. Stephen insisted he needed to be next to them and he wasn’t going to leave until they woke up. Thank goodness the doctor didn’t argue. He was a little old for temper tantrums, but if that’s what it took to stay with Grayce, he would’ve done it.