Broken Butterflies (21 page)

“Was the mach ten dive really necessary?” she asked.

“Yes, I didn’t want any angels to see us.”

“Okay, I’ll try to believe you when I feel like I’m not going to puke.”

He chuckled. “I need you to stay here.”

“What? No.”

“Yes. You, stay.” He pointed to the ground where she sat.

He took off, speeding through the forest, before she could protest.

“Great. What am I going to do now? Oh I know, sit and talk to myself,” she said sarcastically.

Ilisha stood up and brushed the dirt and leaf litter from her pants. Behind her a twig snapped. “Hello.” she asked meekly.

“Hello, Ilisha,” Azriel said as he came from behind a tree.

She backed away, her eyes wide. “What do you want with me?”

“I want your blood of course, you stupid girl.” He lunged. She dug her feet in the damp earth and ran, but he landed on her back. Large claws extended from his fingers and gouged deep in her skin. She screamed out, and it echoed through the canyon.

As Azriel’s hand shot up for another torturous gouge, Damon swept down from above, knocking him off her with his legs.

Azriel rolled and scrambled to his feet. Damon almost had him when he disappeared.

Ilisha’s body began to tremble with pain and fear. She took in short, quick breaths, and grunted with each one.

Damon knelt and ripped the shirt and bra from her body and placed his hands over her wounds. She clutched the ground and screamed. Though the healing lasted for only a few minutes, it felt like years. Damon helped her to sit up. She swallowed hard and looked down at her bare chest and quickly she wrapped her arms across herself.

“Here.” Damon quickly slid off his shirt and wrapped it around her.

“I think it’s time someone was honest with me.” Ilisha said, eyes wide with worry.

“Let’s get you back to the house.”

He scooped her off the ground and cradled her in his arms as he took off. The force of gravity pushed against her as they traveled at high speed.

Ilisha ran upstairs to get another shirt. When she came back down Damon was sitting on her couch. He had lit a fire and the glowing light danced across him.

She cleared her throat and handed him his shirt. “Here. Thanks for letting me borrow it.”

He smiled and slipped the shirt on. Buttoning it most of the way, he left the last few buttons at the top undone, exposing his chest. Damon leaned back and allowed his hands to drape casually down between his legs.

“You want the truth?” he asked.

“Of course I want the truth. This crap is getting old.”

“You know the part about Azriel being pissed he didn’t get to fulfill his contract?” Ilisha nodded her head. “He also knows you have angel blood running through you and he is in the market, so to speak.”

“Market?”

“Drug dealers like to lace their products with our blood.”

“How do they know you exist?”

“They don’t, but they do know if they buy from the right place the product will be good.”

“So how do they get it?”

“Angels drain other angels. That’s where your dear Bram is at the moment.”

“What?” She stood up shocked.

“Don’t worry. They have him in a holding cell for now.”

She sat back down, but felt sick.

“How do I have angel blood in me?”

Damon looked down and licked his lips and furrowed his brow. “You’re an angel and you drank mine, which would make yours very powerful.”

Her face contorted into a crude, disgusted face.

“Oh, don’t give me that. You wanted to.”

“I doubt that,” she rolled her eyes.

He chuckled through his nose. “Before you came to this life, you wanted me to be able to feel you and protect you so I cut my wrist and you drank.”

“That’s how we’re bound?”

“Part of it, yes.”

“What’s the other part?”

“You’re my wife.”

The smile immediately fell from Ilisha’s face. She stared at Damon from under her lashes. Shaking her head once, she blinked in disbelief. “Great. On top of everything else I’m a bigamist.”

Damon barrel laughed. “Hardly—unfaithful, yes, bigamist, no.”

“I can’t be unfaithful to someone I don’t even know exists!” She shouted.

“Calm down.”

“No, this just gets better and better. Not only did Bram know I was apparently married to you, he lied to me and tricked me.”

“You can’t blame him.”

She whirled on him. “What?”

He stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders. With his stature he looked down at her. “Sit.”

She glared at him, but her butt hit the couch.

“He was always in love with you. Bram wanted to have you while he could.”

“What would have happened if I died on the train?”

“You would have had the veil lifted from your memories and came back to me. The contract Azriel had was from me.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

Damon didn’t respond, so she waited.

He scratched his ear and grinned. “The only reason Bram got you was through deceit. If the contract was filled you would never have had a problem with Azriel. Now he knows I’ll kill him.”

“You’re a cocky bastard aren’t you?”

“You said you wanted the truth.”

“Let’s get back to this blood thing. Why would my blood benefit Azriel?”

“Ilisha, you’re an angel in human form. You’ve just never put it together.”

“What’s this horse shit your trying to feed me? Either the guy wants me dead, or he wants to drain my blood, which is it?”

“You’re death day came and Azriel lost you, which pisses me off to no end. He tried to contact me, but I was already on my way here to put an end to this and bring you home. With the contract broken he can think of nothing more than killing you for putting his life in danger. I have to assume he would rather make a profit off you before he takes your life.” He paused. “The only way you’ll believe is for me to unlock your mind again. Think about it. You’re married to a prince, he’s very aware of your power.”

Ilisha put her fingers to her temples and rubbed, closing her eyes. Damon’s fingers replaced hers and her eyes flew open. The tips were ice cold, but soothing against the migraine she felt coming on. The problem was his face was inches from hers.

“Close your eyes,” he whispered.

Her eyes closed and her shoulders relaxed. The magic from his fingers ran though her. It was soothing and felt hypnotic. His fingers left her temples and she opened her eyes. His face was still an inch from hers. His breath smelled like berries. She had never seen him chew gum and knew he didn’t have a mint in his mouth.

“Yes, that is how my breath smells naturally.”

“I’ll never get used to that.”

“Then stop projecting thoughts to me.”

“You said it only happened when I’m stressed. I feel totally relaxed right now.”

“Yes, but you still want me.”

She nibbled the inside of her lip. “No.”

“Yes,” he replied.

Her lips barely parted and her eyes stared into his brilliant blue eyes. Damon ran his index finger over her mouth. A soft pulsating chill resonated through her body and Ilisha knew she was closing the gap on that last inch.

“I can’t do this.” She meant the words, but didn’t back them up. Her lips skimmed his as she spoke. Damon’s hands were resting on her thighs and his teeth nibbled at her bottom lip.

Pushing her legs open, Damon came closer and pushed her back into the couch. He sucked the lip-gloss off her lips and slid his tongue in. Her breath caught and she laced her fingers in his hair. Ilisha had felt this kiss so many times it was a part of her.

His fingers traced down her jaw line and followed the lines of her neck down her shoulders, gripping them firmly. Sliding his hands under the straps of her tank top he started to move them.

She got a hold of herself and pushed him off. “I can’t do this,” she repeated more forcefully.

He smiled and slid the straps back up. Damon leaned back combed his hair into place with his fingers. Then he ran his hand over his mouth, licking his lips at the same time. His face looked like he had just licked icing off a spoon. Ilisha watched him get utter enjoyment from savoring the last taste of her lip-gloss, and swallowed hard.

Despite her inner protests she wanted him. None of this was logical. Technically she had just met him, yet being around him felt like home to her.

Panicked she stood up, almost knocking him over. “We need to turn some lights on.” She rushed over and flipped the switch.

“We can do it with the lights on,” he said smiling.

“Stop it, we’re not doing anything.” She swept her hand through the air for emphasis.

Damon straightened his shirt and sat back on the couch. “Have it your way.”

“We need to get Bram the hell out of that place.”

“We will, but not tonight. I need help. There are too many angels and demons for me to take on by myself.”

“What will you do with him when you get him out?”

“If you mean will I kill him; that’s up to him.”

“And, what does that mean?”

“If he pledges his allegiance to me and forgets about you, he’ll live.”

Ilisha felt herself sway and she immediately pressed her back against the wall. “Are you serious?”

“There are laws, Ilisha, whether you like them or not. He betrayed me and he betrayed you, my wife.”

“You can’t kill him.” It was almost a plea.

“It may not come to that.”

“I’m going with you.”

“Um-no.”

“Yes, I am,” she vehemently protested.

“Ilisha, what will you do besides get yourself killed?”

“I—”

“That’s what I thought.”

“You said I’m an angel in human form.”

“Yes, one who has no idea what you can and can’t do as far as powers.”

“So break into my mind and show me.”

Damon placed his hands in a triangle, fingers touching, in front of his face. “You’re willing to risk your life for him?” A twinge of anger filled his voice.

“Yes, I’m not going to let him die.”

“Even though he deceived you?”

“Yes.”

“It’s up to you what you learn,” he reminded her.

“I understand.”

He motioned to her with his finger and she swallowed. As she sat down she pointed at him. “No kissing.”

He ran a circle around his head with his finger. “Angel’s honor,” he said.

Once again she felt the curtain being pulled from her eyes. She kept thinking of the word ‘fight’ to make sure she didn’t see any more sex scenes.

A vision opened up. It looked like she was sparing with Bram. She had black cargo pants on and a black tank top. Ilisha chuckled out loud.

“What so funny about your apparel?” Damon asked.

“I look like Sarah Connor from Terminator.”

“Okay, whatever that is.”

“Never mind.”

She continued to watch. Bram was teaching her martial arts. They punched, kicked and swiped at each other. Although Bram was twice her size she seemed formidable. He pushed her and she rolled, stopping on her knees, and propelled herself up. As he came in for another hit she kicked her legs out and planted both feet in the center of his chest. He slammed into a beam behind him breaking it. Dust flew from his shirt and he stood smiling. “Good.”