Heavenly Lover (25 page)

Chapter 34

Claire was reading
Marked by Passion
as she lay on Daniel’s bed. She glanced at the bedside clock. Sunlight no longer came through the bedroom window—it was late. She needed to tell Daniel about Angela’s turning, but he hadn’t yet arrived home. It was not like him to come home so much later than he’d promised. Claire hoped it meant his meeting with the new gallery owner in Sausalito today went well.

Claire slipped off her white eyelet gown and entered the shower. The feeling of warm water on her skin was heightened due to her human form, which she took almost all the time now. It felt natural to her, and she loved living as if she was human.

Daniel’s strong hand suddenly pulled back the shower curtain, which startled her at first. Lust flared in his eyes, and her nerves settled. She smiled. He didn’t say anything, just stared at her body, like he’d never seen it before, his boldness making her blush.

“You want some help with the soap?” he asked, grinning.

“Please.” She turned her back to him and flashed a smile over her shoulder. “Or, you could join me.”

She didn’t have to ask him again. He left his clothes on the floor, then stepped in behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. Tonight he gave her a delicate touch, almost tentative, though she could feel the passion underneath. She shivered.

Every time she was alone with Daniel in the flesh it felt like the first time all over again. He kissed the back of her neck and then continued down her spine. She could not imagine getting completely used to the sensuality of his touch.

“Your skin is so soft,” Daniel whispered to her through the steam.

Claire felt the little bud between her legs swell, awakening the rest of her body. Daniel feathered his fingers over her back with strokes that preceded his lips and tongue. He moved closer, his body fully against hers, his erection rubbing in the groove between her buttocks. He massaged water down her flesh and touched her sex from behind, which caused her to gasp. She had missed him even though they’d been apart only a few hours.

He pulled her to him roughly, hands on her breasts, caressing them with a new urgency. The water coursed down their bodies in ribbons as he pressed one large hand on her lower belly.

“Tell me you love me. You will be mine forever.” He pleaded, his voice husky.

“Yes, I do love you. And I will love you forever.” She enjoyed the urgency of his demeanor.

“Tell me you belong to me and no other. Tell me you worship my body. You want my hands on your body.”

“Daniel?” Claire turned and faced him, searching his dark eyes so filled with need. “You’ve had quite a day, haven’t you?” She chuckled, smiling wide.

She didn’t like that he did not smile in return.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“I’m overcome with your beauty. I could think of nothing else today. I’ve wanted to feel your body all day. I need to be inside you more than I ever have.”

Claire studied him carefully. His expression was filled with pain, though she could still see the lust in his eyes. She put her palms on either side of his face. “I am here, love; you don’t need to trouble yourself. I am here.” She leaned forward and softly kissed his lips. She coaxed his mouth open and he moaned as her tongue entered and sought its mate. Their lips and tongues entwined, then she pulled back to gaze at him again. “You don’t have to take what I freely give, Daniel,” she whispered.

“Tell me again. Let me hear you say it again.”

“I love you, Daniel. I love you above any other. You are my angel. My Guardian lover.”

He flinched at this.

“Daniel? What’s wrong? Please tell me.”

Claire could see he was aroused, but he was hesitant, not as familiar. She didn’t feel as connected to him.

“Sorry. There’s a lot on my mind. Please forgive me, Claire.” He searched her face, hands gripping her, causing pain to the small of her back as she arched up to look at him. “Come, let’s forget about all the worries of the world. Let’s lose ourselves in each other’s flesh.”

Now it was Claire’s turn to flinch. She stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. Daniel opened the curtain and stood with the water at his back, watching her. His erection wilted.

“You’re hiding something from me, Daniel. I want you to tell me right now. Have you been drinking? You’re different, somehow.”

He turned off the water and stepped out. “Different? Look at me, do I look different? I am your Daniel.”

She caught a sudden red glint in his eyes and gasped. And that’s when it hit her.

This beautiful man before her was not Daniel.

“Joshua!”

Daniel walked down the concrete floor of the new gallery space. The front door was open when he arrived. The light would be perfect. The building was an old warehouse, made of brick, restored and reinforced. It was located just at the end of the trendy row of other galleries and gift shops with stunning views of the bay and San Francisco’s skyline. The outside of the building was covered with vines in various shades of green and hints of magenta, which softened the straight angles of the brick box
. It is beyond ideal.

He could imagine his large jungle scenes hanging against the red brick background. Old metal-veined skylights would let in natural light. Some track fixtures would have to be installed, which would draw attention to his individual paintings. It felt like hallowed space.

The new owner said he would use Daniel’s paintings as the featured artist for the gallery’s grand opening celebration. He said the celebration would draw art lovers he knew from New York. Daniel could picture the crowd and took pleasure at the image in his mind. Months had passed since he’d last indulged in such a pleasant daydream. Finally he would get the respect and recognition he always wanted. He now realized how much he needed the acknowledgement of his talent.

The front door creaked open and Daniel turned. There stood Audray.

“Hello, Daniel.”

“You!” He took a step back as his hands balled into fists. His fingernails dug into his palms.

“Oh, come on, sweetheart. Let’s bury the hatchet, shall we?” Her smile was sickening and syrupy sweet.

“Only place I’d bury the hatchet is in your chest.”

“Ah, but you see now, that won’t do any good.” She walked closer to Daniel, her arms outstretched. His natural instinct was to get away from her, and he took three steps back. She moved under an overhead shop light and he saw her eyes. At first he thought it was a trick of the light, but then he saw her eyes looked black, no longer emerald green.

“You’ve turned dark. Stay away from me.”

“Love.” She frowned in mock disappointment, “You needn’t fear me. You know I would never do anything to hurt you. Remember how it was that first time?” She walked toward him. “Remember how afraid you were? But no, we enjoyed each other that night.” She looked at his face, searching his eyes.

Her scent was exotic and intoxicating. He was getting aroused, despite his loathing for her.

“Daniel.” She traced her forefinger across his lower lip. “You do remember that night? How many times did you come? What, three? four?” She blew gently into his face and Daniel felt his eyelids flutter. He fought the urge to fall into the veil of sensuality she’d thrown over him.

She walked around behind him. Daniel inhaled as she touched his ass and squeezed him with one hand. He jumped to the side but felt unable to run. She raised herself up to his ear and whispered from behind, “I have not had such a lover since. It was difficult to leave your bed, Daniel. Was it as painful for you?”

“No.” He tried not to have emotion in his voice, but the words wobbled in his chest, sounding uncertain. “It was never love. You have no power over me now.” As his strength regained, he turned and pushed her away. Daniel began to walk out of the space, backward.

Audray followed, stalking, smiling.

“Stay away. I am done with this.”He raised his palms towards her, increasing the volume of his voice.

She stopped, shaking her head from side to side. He saw something in her eyes that looked like pity as she whispered, “No, Daniel. We are only beginning with you. With you both.”

“You keep your hands off Claire.”

“I’ve no interest in Claire. But I believe even now, while we speak, she becomes the plaything of someone else. Claire has a destiny to become an even greater angel than she is right now. And, Daniel, you could be her willing slave. Never, ever to be separated from her again. Just imagine, an eternity together!”

Daniel was horrified.
I’ve left Claire alone! How could I have been so careless?
He would never forgive himself if she was harmed, or worse still, if Josh turned her, like he had clearly done to Audray.

Oh my God, Claire. I’ve let you down.
He was afraid to even think of it. The full danger and folly of their situation fell upon him like the brick walls of the gallery.

What was I thinking?

He raced through the front door, hopped in his car, and tore down the rain-soaked street. He sped up the freeway, cursing his decision for such a late meeting so far away. It would take him over forty minutes to get home.
Oh God, I will never be able to forgive myself? What have I done? How could I have been so selfish?
Would she be dark when he got there? Would she have lost her place in Heaven, her angel essence?

All the way home he clutched the smooth wooden steering wheel. His stomach was knotted and he felt nauseated as he pulled into his driveway. Josh’s Hummer was parked there.

Damn. I’m too late.

He ran to the front door and stopped just inside, staring at the sight of the two of them sitting by the fireplace. He suddenly felt he was going to be sick.

Claire knew the sound of Daniel’s car. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she was ashamed she had almost risked all because of her desire for Daniel. She wished he would never know about the close call with Joshua. Resigned, she knew the dark angel and his accomplice would never allow that opportunity to slip by unreported.

It was with a heavy heart Claire stood and turned to face the one man in the entire universe she wanted to love. That very love was now putting them both in peril. She shuddered to think she had almost allowed Josh to have her. She cast a quick glance to Josh, who smiled that dark and evil smile, a witness to their torment, like a sentry at the castle gates.

She ran to Daniel and buried her head in his chest.

“Claire, are you all right? Is everything all right?” he asked, nestling his lips against the top of her head.

She tilted her face and looked up at him. He grabbed her waist, squeezing her so tight she felt she might faint. “Oh, thank God, your eyes are still blue,” he whispered. She melted in his arms. How she wished she could spend the rest of eternity there.

Daniel glared at Josh, who got up and casually walked over to the two lovers, who flinched when he put one hand on each of their shoulders.

“Give me just five minutes of your time. Hear me out before you judge me too harshly. Please.” Josh sighed and blew his breath over both of them. Claire felt the familiar erotic trance beginning to course through her veins as Daniel’s grip on her lightened. She squeezed his hand with all the strength she could muster, bringing him back to attention.

Josh motioned to the two chairs by the fireplace and sighed again, but they turned their heads to avoid his power.

Daniel took Claire’s hand, sat on one of the chairs and pulled Claire down to his lap so she rested on his thigh. He encircled her waist with one arm.

Josh made a production out of walking over to lean into the fireplace mantle, then crossed his black boots at the ankles and cocked his head to the side. He wore a white silk shirt buttoned two buttons too low. Claire noticed a gold medallion, like the one Angie wore, hanging from his neck. No doubt he brought it to put over her neck at the point he took her body. That thought left her cold, as she leaned into Daniel’s immoveable chest.

“I’m going to make you both an offer, and then I will let you think about it for a day or two.”

“Forget it, Josh. The answer is no.” Daniel’s voice was so strong it made Claire start.

“But you don’t even know what I’m proposing,” Josh insisted, his arms outstretched.

“We don’t need to hear it. You can leave now, with our answer—it’s no.” Daniel looked at Claire, who nodded in agreement. She knew what the offer was. She knew what the answer was. What the answer would always be.

“It doesn’t have to be this way. I can give you all your dreams. You can be together forever.” Josh looked between the both of them.

Claire stood up, released herself from Daniel, walked over to Josh and slapped him across the face. “How dare you. Get out of this house right now. Leave us alone.”

Josh rubbed his cheek, but Claire got the feeling he didn’t mind the pain. She raised her arm to slap him again in response to the sickly sweet smile he presented her. He grabbed her by the wrist before she could strike again.

“This is unwise, Claire,” Josh said coolly. You have no idea who you are messing with.”

Claire jerked her arm free. “And you have no idea who you’re dealing with, Josh.”

“Daniel.” Josh leaned around Claire, pleading with his former friend. “You need to reel in your woman. She is making this more dangerous than it needs to be.” Josh’s face crimped with anger and all his handsomeness disappeared. “I’m not known for being patient.”

Daniel’s arms pulled her back as he encircled her tiny frame from behind. She wanted to cry, but desperately held her emotions in check. She did not want to give Josh the satisfaction of feeling her fear. But, the emotions of the evening were catching up to her.

“Daniel, I appeal to you. Think about this carefully. You two believe you can win? Beat me? I have been at this for centuries. Centuries. You need to face reality.”

Daniel’s answer was to release Claire, grab Josh by the shirt collar and pull him to the front door. “I want you out of this house. Go find someone else to terrorize. Leave us alone.”