Hell's Gate: Amelia (8 page)
She swallowed back her hurt and tried to remember this was still Barrett. “Honey was kind enough to enchant a ring for me so I could interact with the people at this club. I’m touching you because I wanted to wish you good journey and tell you that I loved you.” She stood on tiptoe and touched his cheek. He grasped her hand, but not in a painful grip, stopping her.
“Everyone loves an angel,” he replied.
“Yes, but before you were an angel you were human. And we loved one another. I just wanted to say goodbye.” She brushed her lips across his.
Barrett released her hand and then touched his mouth. He gazed at her. For a moment, she thought she saw some recognition in his eyes, but it faded away. She stepped back and before she could say anything else, the light disappeared and he was gone. The energy of the circle collapsed. The illuminated symbols disintegrated to the floor and they were all left alone in the office.
“Wow. That isn’t something you see every day,”
Tig
murmured.
“No shit. Honey, thanks for everything, but I have to go.
Amelia, sorry about losing your boyfriend.”
Leah dashed out of the office and
Tig
followed.
“I’m sorry, Amelia. It was what he wanted.” Honey tried to draw her into a hug.
Amelia shook her head. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. You have to do what you needed to do.” She looked at the ring on her finger and then pulled it off, feeling the world dissolve around her. She placed it on the desk. “I won’t need this anymore. Thank you for the chance. Tell Leah I don’t need the room either.”
“You might want it in the future.”
The silver circlet was a temptation she didn’t need. If she put it on again, it would only bring back the harshness of the emotions that already tumbled through her. Being flesh, her feelings were sharper than they were being incorporeal. It was easier to deal this way. Soon she would fade away and it wouldn’t matter either way. “No. I don’t want it anymore.”
Before Honey could respond, she let herself drop through the floor. Amelia wound up back in her room. On the floor was one of her garters. She thought about how Barrett was so enthusiastic about sucking on her toes. It was a mind blowing experience she would never forget. Instead of thinking about it, she sat on the bed and pulled her knees up to her chest. Even as a spirit, the tears wouldn’t stop. She cried and wailed until she thought her heart would heal, but it was never going to. No matter how much time passed. She would stay there until the club crumbled away and some soul harvester took her. Anything that would make the pain
go
away.
The world melted around her. At times she caught glimpses of Leah or
Tig
trying to talk to her, but she retreated further into her world where the colors were less bright and everything was gray. It was easier to float than deal with the heartache. She had another chance at love and it was ripped away from her. She understood why Barrett ascended, but she wished she could see him again.
“Amelia.”
She heard her name said with a commanding voice. After wiping the tears from her cheeks, she glanced up. Barrett stood before her, bare-chested and wearing white leather pants instead of black. His red hair hung loose around his shoulders. It appeared he had worked out because he was buffer than usual.
I’m only seeing things. I’ve finally been driven mad from my grief.
“You’re not imagining this. Take my hand. Please,” he implored and reached out to her.
For a moment, she thought it was a hallucination, but decided why not give it a try? Amelia took his hand and felt its solidity. He drew her up from the bed and against his firm chest. She could hardly believe that he was there. When he looked at her it was with recognition.
“Barrett? Is that really you?” The small bit of hope that warmed her heart gave her enough strength to focus her energy on moving back into the real world. The room came back into view. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed.
“It’s really me. Honey summoned me to come here.”
“So you didn’t come here on your own. You didn’t want me?”
He sighed and shook his head. “No. That’s not how it was. I remember everything. It just came back when I was talking with Honey.”
“Why did she send for you?”
He wiped the tears from her cheeks, and she turned her face into his palm. This was what felt right. This was where she belonged. With him being an angel, then she would lose him once more. “She called me because it seems Leah has been getting complaints about some woman wailing and it’s really starting to mess with the customers.”
She sniffled. “Guess that might be me. I’m sorry. I haven’t gotten over you. How long have I been wailing?”
“The conjurer, Honey, sorry.
I’m still trying to work through everything. The world feels heavier. She said it’s been about six months. It seems like a blink and I was in Heaven.” Regret washed over his face. “I’m so sorry. When I said yes, I didn’t know what would happen. I didn’t want to be stuck the way I was before. I only thought it would bring me closer to you, but it sent me further away. God, what did I do?”
“It’s okay. You were doing what you thought was best. It was just a big shock that you left and…”
“You have every right to be mad. Before Honey summoned me, I didn’t realize anything had gone amiss. I remembered you, not as a lover, but as someone who cared. I didn’t know. I’m so sorry I put you through this. Forgive me.”
“You can’t just come back in here tell me you’re sorry and then leave again. You should’ve stayed away.” She tried to pull back from him, but he held her to him.
“No. I was remembering my humanity slowly. I would’ve come back. I’m not going anywhere. Upon my coming here and my memory returning, I knew I couldn’t go back.
How could I leave you again and your beautiful feet?”
“But you’re an angel. You have bigger things than me to worry about.”
He ran his fingers down her cheek. A sigh of satisfaction rolled off her lips. “The only thing I have to worry about
is
you. I’ve already given my superiors a notice of hiatus.”
“For how long?”
He slipped his fingers into his pocket and pulled out her ring. “You might need this.”
“Why? I can’t leave the building.”
“I made a few adjustments to the spell. You can come out with me. I can’t bring you back to life, but I can make you flesh. You can draw off the energy of the club during the day when you’re with me. I don’t want to leave you ever again. Please, trust me.”
He held out the ring to her. Amelia reached for it and then pulled her hand away. He took her wrist and then slid the ring onto her finger. The heaviness wasn’t something she was used to. Once again she could feel her bones and her heartbeat. The warmth that flooded through her was something she welcomed.
“I love you, Amelia. Be with me for as long as we’re allowed. Even then, I’ll follow you into the afterlife. I can be with you.
Only if you want me.”
“Of course, I want you. You leaving
is
the hardest thing I had to deal with ever since dying.”
Barrett smiled and when he did, his wings unfurled in the room. They wrapped around her and protected her. She felt safe in his arms. The amount of love that emanated from him touched her soul. It blanketed her in warmth she hadn’t felt since she was human. At that moment, she knew he was telling her the truth. He was never going to let her go.
“I love you, Amelia. I never did forget that. It was always in my soul. I will be with you always and protect you. Do you want me?”
She leaned up on tiptoe and claimed his lips. “I want you, Barrett.
Only if you promise me one thing.”
“Name it.”
She stepped away and slipped her shoes off. From there she undid her garters and took off her fishnets. She bit her lip and then glanced at him. His eyes lit up from watching her. “You never did suck the toes of my right foot. Think you can do that for me?”
He slipped to his knees before her and lifted her foot. He kissed the top of it and then flicked his tongue across her toes. “I thought you’d never ask.”
“Everyone loves an angel,” he replied.
“Yes, but before you were an angel you were human. And we loved one another. I just wanted to say goodbye.” She brushed her lips across his.
Barrett released her hand and then touched his mouth. He gazed at her. For a moment, she thought she saw some recognition in his eyes, but it faded away. She stepped back and before she could say anything else, the light disappeared and he was gone. The energy of the circle collapsed. The illuminated symbols disintegrated to the floor and they were all left alone in the office.
“Wow. That isn’t something you see every day,”
Tig
murmured.
“No shit. Honey, thanks for everything, but I have to go.
Amelia, sorry about losing your boyfriend.”
Leah dashed out of the office and
Tig
followed.
“I’m sorry, Amelia. It was what he wanted.” Honey tried to draw her into a hug.
Amelia shook her head. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. You have to do what you needed to do.” She looked at the ring on her finger and then pulled it off, feeling the world dissolve around her. She placed it on the desk. “I won’t need this anymore. Thank you for the chance. Tell Leah I don’t need the room either.”
“You might want it in the future.”
The silver circlet was a temptation she didn’t need. If she put it on again, it would only bring back the harshness of the emotions that already tumbled through her. Being flesh, her feelings were sharper than they were being incorporeal. It was easier to deal this way. Soon she would fade away and it wouldn’t matter either way. “No. I don’t want it anymore.”
Before Honey could respond, she let herself drop through the floor. Amelia wound up back in her room. On the floor was one of her garters. She thought about how Barrett was so enthusiastic about sucking on her toes. It was a mind blowing experience she would never forget. Instead of thinking about it, she sat on the bed and pulled her knees up to her chest. Even as a spirit, the tears wouldn’t stop. She cried and wailed until she thought her heart would heal, but it was never going to. No matter how much time passed. She would stay there until the club crumbled away and some soul harvester took her. Anything that would make the pain
go
away.
The world melted around her. At times she caught glimpses of Leah or
Tig
trying to talk to her, but she retreated further into her world where the colors were less bright and everything was gray. It was easier to float than deal with the heartache. She had another chance at love and it was ripped away from her. She understood why Barrett ascended, but she wished she could see him again.
“Amelia.”
She heard her name said with a commanding voice. After wiping the tears from her cheeks, she glanced up. Barrett stood before her, bare-chested and wearing white leather pants instead of black. His red hair hung loose around his shoulders. It appeared he had worked out because he was buffer than usual.
I’m only seeing things. I’ve finally been driven mad from my grief.
“You’re not imagining this. Take my hand. Please,” he implored and reached out to her.
For a moment, she thought it was a hallucination, but decided why not give it a try? Amelia took his hand and felt its solidity. He drew her up from the bed and against his firm chest. She could hardly believe that he was there. When he looked at her it was with recognition.
“Barrett? Is that really you?” The small bit of hope that warmed her heart gave her enough strength to focus her energy on moving back into the real world. The room came back into view. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed.
“It’s really me. Honey summoned me to come here.”
“So you didn’t come here on your own. You didn’t want me?”
He sighed and shook his head. “No. That’s not how it was. I remember everything. It just came back when I was talking with Honey.”
“Why did she send for you?”
He wiped the tears from her cheeks, and she turned her face into his palm. This was what felt right. This was where she belonged. With him being an angel, then she would lose him once more. “She called me because it seems Leah has been getting complaints about some woman wailing and it’s really starting to mess with the customers.”
She sniffled. “Guess that might be me. I’m sorry. I haven’t gotten over you. How long have I been wailing?”
“The conjurer, Honey, sorry.
I’m still trying to work through everything. The world feels heavier. She said it’s been about six months. It seems like a blink and I was in Heaven.” Regret washed over his face. “I’m so sorry. When I said yes, I didn’t know what would happen. I didn’t want to be stuck the way I was before. I only thought it would bring me closer to you, but it sent me further away. God, what did I do?”
“It’s okay. You were doing what you thought was best. It was just a big shock that you left and…”
“You have every right to be mad. Before Honey summoned me, I didn’t realize anything had gone amiss. I remembered you, not as a lover, but as someone who cared. I didn’t know. I’m so sorry I put you through this. Forgive me.”
“You can’t just come back in here tell me you’re sorry and then leave again. You should’ve stayed away.” She tried to pull back from him, but he held her to him.
“No. I was remembering my humanity slowly. I would’ve come back. I’m not going anywhere. Upon my coming here and my memory returning, I knew I couldn’t go back.
How could I leave you again and your beautiful feet?”
“But you’re an angel. You have bigger things than me to worry about.”
He ran his fingers down her cheek. A sigh of satisfaction rolled off her lips. “The only thing I have to worry about
is
you. I’ve already given my superiors a notice of hiatus.”
“For how long?”
He slipped his fingers into his pocket and pulled out her ring. “You might need this.”
“Why? I can’t leave the building.”
“I made a few adjustments to the spell. You can come out with me. I can’t bring you back to life, but I can make you flesh. You can draw off the energy of the club during the day when you’re with me. I don’t want to leave you ever again. Please, trust me.”
He held out the ring to her. Amelia reached for it and then pulled her hand away. He took her wrist and then slid the ring onto her finger. The heaviness wasn’t something she was used to. Once again she could feel her bones and her heartbeat. The warmth that flooded through her was something she welcomed.
“I love you, Amelia. Be with me for as long as we’re allowed. Even then, I’ll follow you into the afterlife. I can be with you.
Only if you want me.”
“Of course, I want you. You leaving
is
the hardest thing I had to deal with ever since dying.”
Barrett smiled and when he did, his wings unfurled in the room. They wrapped around her and protected her. She felt safe in his arms. The amount of love that emanated from him touched her soul. It blanketed her in warmth she hadn’t felt since she was human. At that moment, she knew he was telling her the truth. He was never going to let her go.
“I love you, Amelia. I never did forget that. It was always in my soul. I will be with you always and protect you. Do you want me?”
She leaned up on tiptoe and claimed his lips. “I want you, Barrett.
Only if you promise me one thing.”
“Name it.”
She stepped away and slipped her shoes off. From there she undid her garters and took off her fishnets. She bit her lip and then glanced at him. His eyes lit up from watching her. “You never did suck the toes of my right foot. Think you can do that for me?”
He slipped to his knees before her and lifted her foot. He kissed the top of it and then flicked his tongue across her toes. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Crymsyn
Hart is a bestselling author of Erotic Romance. Her worlds are filled with luscious vampires, gorgeous gods, quirky witches, and everything else that goes bump in the night.
Crymsyn
worked as a psychic for many years in Boston while attending Emerson College. She graduated with a BFA in Writing, Literature, & Publishing. When she gets bored, she sneaks away to local cemeteries and coffee shops to find peace and quiet.
Crymsyn
shares her life with a small zoo, two playful puppies and her hubby Mark. If you come after dark, you’re more than likely to find her snuggled up with a gory horror movie, or a bloody vampire movie.
Crymsyn
has a collection of Living Dead Dolls and five bookshelves overflowing with books.
Visit her on the web at:
www.RavynHart.com
PURPLE SWORD PUBLICATIONS
Romantic Speculative Fiction
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