Broken Butterflies (16 page)

“It won’t take her long to figure out what I am.”

“You-are-so-hot.” Ilisha ran her tongue along his bottom lip and he closed his eyes. His arms were tight around her. She giggled, unlocked his hands, and ran out the front door.

Ilisha looked over her shoulder as she ran down the sidewalk, to the car. Bram looked stunned for a second, but took off after her. She jumped in and closed the door, driving off smiling. She looked in the rearview mirror. He was there one second and gone the next. She came to a skidding halt in front of her house and dashed out of the car, hoping she had beaten him there.

Ilisha threw open the front door and turned toward the stairs. Bram appeared right in front of her, grabbing her around the waist. He had her shirt over her head before she could react.

Bram took her to the floor at the stair landing. He rolled her onto her stomach. She felt the tip of his tongue down her spine. His fingers traced down her arms, crossing over to her lower back. His touch felt like a feather running down her skin.

Ilisha rolled over. She wanted to look at him, to see the love in his eyes. Bram said nothing, but smiled mischievously before placing his lips on her shin. He slid her pants off and light as air his tongue traced up her leg, past her inner thigh, and stopped. Ilisha white knuckled the rug beneath her and flexed her back.

Her body left the floor. A soft touch graced her lower leg and she assumed it was Bram’s hands. Opening her eyes she realized that his wings were fully extended. The very tips brushed across her skin. The rug was still bunched in her hands, but now she felt the weight of it, and it fell to the floor.

With a sudden movement of his tongue she screamed and grabbed his shoulders. Tingling sensations shot up her entire body.

Ilisha’s back hit the floor softly, as Bram’s body weight came down on her. He slid to the side of her and turned her head toward him, running his finger down her cheek.

“Holy crap,” she said wrapping her hair tight in her fingers.

Bram curled up beside her, laying his head on her chest. Ilisha stroked his black hair. A few minutes passed and he said nothing.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

Still nothing.

“Bram, talk to me.”

He propped himself up on his arm. “Do you believe in soul mates?”

“I’ve never really thought about it.”

“I guess that means that you don’t believe I’m your soul mate.”

Ilisha pondered his response. The way he made her feel; like she was special and important and his familiarity when she first met him popped in her head. Her body, mind and soul reacted to Bram in a very intense way. She could feel his spirit.
What would happen if I lost him?
Thinking of it made her swallow hard. With everything she felt for Bram she could definitively say he was her soul mate.

“Bram, I know we’re meant to be together. I just never stopped to think about it.”

His finger traced down her arm. “I want you to marry me.”

Ilisha sucked in a shocked breath. Her eyes grew wide as she looked into his. “Are you serious?”

“I would never joke about something like that.”

His sapphire eyes burned into hers. A chill filled her body.

“Why do you want marriage?” she asked.

“Do you really need to ask that?”

“I want to hear you say it.”

“You’re the only person I want to be with, so why put it off. There has only been you. You have held my soul for longer than I can remember.” Bram cleared his throat. “When I heard of Damon’s plans for you I knew I had to fall. There just was no question to it; I knew I would not be able to handle watching you from afar any longer. I needed to be with you and to do that I needed to fall. Add on the fact that I’m not exactly doing this right.”

“What does that mean; you’re not doing this right?”

“I know you don’t throw much credence into religion, but sex is for marriage.”

She let out a choking sound, and tried not to burst out in a fit of laughter. When his face stared back at her all she saw was dead seriousness.

“I don’t know what to say,” she softly replied.

“Say yes.”

“But, this is just so sudden.”

Ilisha put her hands on the side of his face and ran her tongue over Bram’s lips. His lips parted and she wrapped her fingers in his hair, and kissed him. Her hand slid down his abdomen and past his belt. Bram caught her hand and stopped its downward motion.

Ilisha leaned away from him. “You mean that we’re not going to make love until we’re married?” she asked shocked.

His hesitation and deep sign was all the answer she needed. Her mouth fell open, rejection filling her. Ilisha’s eyes drifted from his face and she looked sideways toward the floor.

“Don’t be upset,” he whispered next to her ear.

A tear ran down the side of her face and landed on the rug.

Bram turned her face toward him. “You don’t have to wait. If you don’t mind skipping a wedding ceremony I can marry you right now.”

She blinked back her tears. “What are you talking about?” she questioned.

“Marrying an angel isn’t like a human marriage. We’re bound by spirits, forever.”

She wiped the tears from her face. “I can’t wait for you to touch me again.”

“Are you sure.”

“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. This just knocked me for a loop because you’ve never brought it up before. I’ve never been more sure about who I should be with.”

Bram shifted uneasy.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. I’m just glad you feel the same way.” Bram stood and held his hand out to her and reached behind to unhook her bra, letting it fall to the floor.

Ilisha smiled and cocked her head sideways. “I thought you weren’t going to do this until we were married?”

“The best part of angel bonding is we need to be naked.” He smiled crooked and looked her up and down. “My gosh, you’re beautiful.”

“Thanks,” she responded smiling.

“I’m serious, you’re breathtaking.”

He slid his clothes off, and carried her to the living room. Bram extended his hand into the air, and all the blinds and curtains closed, causing the living room to go dark. Ilisha felt tense, but if she were going to marry anyone it would be Bram. A feeling of uncertainly filled her gut and she chose to shove it aside.

Taking her head in his hands he kissed her.

“This is going to feel a little weird to you,” he warned.

Ilisha didn’t know what to expect, but trusted him. Nodding her head she indicated she was ready.

Bram wrapped his arms tight around her back. There wasn’t a centimeter of skin that wasn’t touching. Bram’s wings burst from his back and enveloped them both. A soft, brilliant, white light grew from his chest. Though the light was brighter than the sun, Ilisha didn’t need to shield her eyes. It pulsed and grew until it too surrounded them.

Bram closed his eyes in concentration. Ilisha felt a tingling in her chest. Soon a slightly dimmer white light emerged from her own body. She compared it to a piece of yarn being pulled from deep inside her; the soft fibers caressing her skin.

“Is that my soul?” she asked eyes wide.

“Yes, it is,” Bram replied.

A warm chill filled her body and the two souls extended above them, never fully leaving their bodies. Their souls began to intertwine with each other, merging Ilisha’s dim with Bram’s bright light. Their souls became one and a single ball of light slammed through their bodies. Ilisha’s hair blew back as a cool breeze hit them. The sensation of circular motion traveled from her chest up to her head and down to her toes, leaving a cool trail.

She looked into Bram’s eyes and it was as though she were watching a movie of his entire life play out in a matter of seconds.

Bram’s body was not that of a human, instead he was a glowing aura of light; watching her, protecting her, until his fall.

Behind him she could see another angel, blond, and tall. He was saying something to Bram, but Ilisha couldn’t hear it. The angel looked angry, and she could tell he wasn’t someone to be messed with. Quickly, the image changed and Bram pushed himself from the spirit world, and tumbled naked into this one. He landed on one knee, his opposite hand, in a fist, as his arm supported his weight. His wings spread out behind him in the darkness.

He forced himself up and stumbled on his legs like a new born deer. He walked through the forest to the old church. Father John was waiting for him. He wrapped Bram in blankets and escorted him inside. Bram laid cold and shaking for days in the basement of the church, which looked nothing like the main level. The lower level was refurbished and had all the amenities of a modern home.

Bram fought for his strength for four days. The next image was his presence on the train.

Tears sprang to Ilisha’s eyes in an overflow of emotion. Her soul burned with his. She was a part of him now. Deep inside an ache filled her. She thought she might burst apart if she didn’t have him in every way.

“I agree,” Bram said bringing her out of her own trance.

She sucked in a long, hard breath as their bodies combined. They hung suspended in the darkness of the living room. As he moved inside her a cool burning filled her. She grabbed his hair and pressed her lips to his. Her hands slid from his head, down his back, landing on his wings.

Any past lovemaking couldn’t have prepared her for this. It wasn’t a need or longing for release, it was a burning deep inside her for Bram. She needed him, all of him, mind, body, and soul, like she needed water. Ilisha’s feet hit the rug. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, desperately needing more.

Bram’s wings retracted, sliding through her hands, leaving no trace, into his back. He carried her to the oversized chair in the corner and sat down with her on his lap.

She looked into his eyes and stroked his face, but that only made her longing stronger. Slipping her tongue back into his mouth she kissed him. After several minutes Bram took her face and gently pushed her back, giving a huge smile.

“I’m yours forever,” he whispered, nose touching hers.

“I’ve never felt like this. My body actually aches for you,” she replied.

“Now you know what I’ve gone through for years.” He chuckled.

“How did you stand it,” Ilisha question.

“It wasn’t easy.”

“But you said you didn’t have sexual desires until you fell?” she asked.

“That was a little white lie. I loved you and my soul ached just the same. After I fell it got worse.”

Ilisha turned to face him, placing her legs on either side of his. She began kissing him and he was ready again instantly.

They fell asleep on the living room rug, curled up in each other’s arms. Both were so content that they didn’t move all night until the morning sun shone through a small gap in the curtains. It rested directly on Ilisha eyes. She blinked and moved her hand up over her forehead, pushing her unruly hair from her face.

“What’s your mom going to say when you tell her you’re married?” he asked kissing her chin.

“I think its best not to tell her and have an actual ceremony.”

“You’re not serious,” Bram stuttered believing she was being factious.

“I am serious,” she responded.

“But, you said you didn’t want a huge ceremony.”

She rolled on top of him, moving her hair to one shoulder. “I don’t, but I don’t want to be killed by my mom either.”

Bram laughed. “Scared of her reaction?”

“Damn straight.”

“I’ll do whatever you want,” he replied still laughing.

“Right now, I just want you,” she said as she kissed him.”

Bram was always watching Ilisha’s immediate future. Until Damon was destroyed she would always be in danger. The morning started off normal and calm. She left to see how Dena was doing. Bram told her he would watch her from the house, saying he could be at her side in an instant should anything happen.

Ilisha was walking out Dena’s front door and didn’t see Damon waiting. She twirled her keys, happily walking to her car. Damon grabbed her arm, with force. Yanking her to his chest, Ilisha didn’t have time to scream or react. In a blur, her body was spun around against him.