Mortal Desire (22 page)

‘Very well Mr. O’Connell,’ Mr. Milani said, after he considered me for a short while.

He looked at my chest searching for my immortal scar. ‘Where is your scar of immortality that we were told you had by a reliable source?’

‘Mistaken identity I believe Mr. Milani. As you see, I bear no scars on my body, except bruising inflicted by the blows of Evan,’ I explained.

‘Very well then, can I get you a tea or coffee Mr. O’Connell?’ he asked me as if I had just delivered an ordinary individual to him on an ordinary day.

‘Thank-you but no Mr. Milani, I must get back to work. But I will take up your offer of tea or coffee at another time,’ I replied, as was the standard answer to his question.

I nodded my head to him like I had always done, then grabbed Sarah’s hand and left the office with her in haste, dragging her back to Elevator Thirteen. I closed the doors before anyone else could enter the elevator with us.

On our descent to the ground floor, I stopped the elevator and pulled out my cell phone. I called the police via the direct link number that I had for emergencies as an Elevator Operator.

While I was talking, Sarah fell against my body, and began sobbing. I wrapped my arm around her and held her to my bare chest. When I finished speaking to the police, I slid down the wall of the elevator with her until we were sitting on the floor together.

I wrapped both of my arms around her and held her tightly.

‘I am sorry that you had to witness that bizarre event … I’m so sorry. But we are safe now, together, and that is all that matters. I have handed the matter to the police. It is done. It is finished,’ I whispered in her ear.

‘I was so scared Liam … I thought that you were going to die. I thought that Mr. Bellini was going to slash you and you would bleed to death, and then he would turn on me,’ Sarah said between sobs.

‘Ssssshh … it is all over. I would never let anything or anyone hurt you Sarah. I will protect you with my life, always. I love you,’ I said, and kissed her head.

‘What was that … thing … that you did to Mr. Bellini?’ she asked, looking up into my eyes.

I frowned and then grimaced.

‘It’s something that Albert taught me to protect myself,’ I tried to explain, and then kissed her forehead, resting my lips against her skin while I breathed in her scent. ‘Let’s get out of here Sarah. I am done. I want to push this whole fiasco out of my mind and move on. I do have something special happening tomorrow after all.’

Sarah looked up at me and offered a weak smile. I lifted my hand above me, and pressed the button to re-engage the elevator to the ground floor. I stood and helped Sarah up as we descended the shaft of Elevator Thirteen for the very last time.

When the doors opened, people stood around and watched as police stormed the building. I took Sarah in my arms to protect her from the sight of Mr. Milani while he was escorted off the building premises handcuffed, as was an unsteady and dazed Mr. Bellini.

They were followed by a number of police, carrying boxes of evidence and strange canisters.

I turned Sarah to see Mr. Milani and Mr. Bellini being bundled into the police cars and driven away, so that psychologically, she would feel safer.

Then I took her hand in mine and led her to the staff change rooms where I changed out of my damaged Elevator Operator uniform and into my ordinary clothes.

In silence, we walked the marble floors, and out the revolving doors for the very last time.

The sunlight was brilliant and very welcome. I lifted my face to the sun, thankful for my continuing chance at life as a mortal. Sarah rested her head on my shoulder, and placed her hands on my arm.

I kissed her head. ‘Let’s go to Café Ooh Laa Laaa! and order a pot of tea,’ I said in a calm voice.

Sarah took a deep breath, looked down and nodded her head.

I put my arm around her whilst we walked, worried about her state of mind. ‘According to Albert, there is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea,’ I said to Sarah as she sat staring into silence at the cafe.

No response.

‘And, there is a Japanese proverb that says … as a bath refreshes the body, a cup of tea refreshes the mind,’ I continued, trying to get some sort of response from her.

But she remained silent.

I placed my finger under her chin. ‘A cup of tea solves everything,’ I whispered to her and kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘Speak to me Sarah.’

She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

‘What is this talk of immortal, and why do they keep looking at your chest for an immortal scar? Who are you Liam?’ she asked. She looked directly into my eyes. Her face was sombre, and tears threatened to overflow.

I looked to the table and took her hand in mine, thinking of the right words to tell her. ‘There are things that I cannot tell you Sarah, because it is not my story. I do not have the immortal symbol on my chest because I am mortal, but I am able to detect if there is an immortal nearby. In this world, if there is someone that you need to feel safe with … it is me, because of my knowledge of things seen and unseen, mortal and immortal. Please know that I will protect you always … your body, your mind, your spirit, your soul. You are my destined kindred spirit. You and I were created to be together. I felt it the very first time that we touched. But you do have a choice about us. After the circumstances today, I will understand if you choose to part from me. And I will let you go if that is what you wish,’ I said. I gazed into her eyes before I looked down at the table.

My heart was beating at a frantic pace against my chest. I knew very well that she could choose to walk away from me.

She pulled her hand away from mine and looked at her cup of tea. She picked it up and sipped it, and looked up at me through her long eyelashes. A tear ran down her face. She wiped it away with the back of her hand and placed her tea cup back onto the table, then stood.

I clenched my jaws together. She was going to walk away from me. I placed my hand over my heart and closed my eyes to calm the pounding. Only love can hurt like this.

I felt Sarah stop in front of me. ‘Hold me Liam,’ she whispered.

I opened my eyes and looked up at her. She stood before me with her hand outstretched towards me. I stood, took her hand in mine and pulled her close to me, then wrapped my arms around her.

My heart thumped rapidly against my chest wall as I feared that we were about to part, and I would never see the love of my immortal and mortal life again. ‘I will love you for eternity, no matter what you choose Sarah,’ I whispered into her ear.

She started to cry into my shoulder, and I held her tighter in my arms, closing my eyes and burying my face against her warm soft neck. She became quiet, and my heart dropped. This was it. This was the end of us. And for the first time in my four hundred years upon the Earth, I would be alone. Truly alone. I clenched my jaw, not wanting to hear her parting words.

‘Come shopping with me Liam, I have some things to buy for tomorrow. I will feel safer if you are with me today. I need you to protect me,’ she whispered, and then kissed my neck with a tender softness. ‘I can feel you smiling against my skin Mr. O’Connell, I hope that is a good thing?’ she said, and ran her fingers through my hair at the back of my head.

‘Mmmmmmm,’ I muttered in an incoherent state, desperately trying to contain my tears that threatened to spill. She had just chosen to become my wife tomorrow. I stepped back from her a little, and looked into her eyes. I saw it there. Love. Deep love.

In a slow movement, I moved my lips to hers and kissed her, lingering as my body became engulfed in passion. She moaned and I pulled away from her.

‘Let’s do some shopping therapy Miss Flynn. I am eager for the arrival of tomorrow,’ I whispered to her, and inhaled the apple scent of her hair.

‘I am more than eager Mr. O’Connell,’ she said in a low voice as I took her hand in mine to leave the café for a shopping date, my very first one.

That night when I prepared for sleep, I reflected on the three attempts to take my life in as many days.

Three had to be a significant number didn’t it?

It was all finished, and I could relax and enjoy my mortality for a while now. I would take Sarah as my wife, and make a new life for us in a different location.

I placed my hands over my heart, and recited the mantra that I had said every night for the last four hundred years, perhaps for the last time.

‘Il coraggio, la temperanza, la saggezza, la giustizia, la pazienza—courage, temperance, wisdom, justice, patience ... and love, the greatest of these is love,’ I whispered to myself, finding comfort and solace.

I drifted off into a much needed sleep, filled with visions of a conversation with my mother before I left the spiritual realm such a long time ago …

‘Mamma, what shall I do when I find a woman that I fall in

love with—you know—the red thread that you speak of?’

‘Liam, my dear child, you will feel a deep passion for

her so
strong that you will hardly be able to believe that a

love like that
exists. Treat her with kindness and tenderness.

Tell her that you
love her every day that you are together.

Marry her and treat her
like she is your princess. You will be

her Protector, her Lover, her
Best Friend. You will be her

world … never betray her trust, or
destroy her dreams.

Serve her with dedication, with the deep love
that you will

feel for her, as she will do for you. Respect her, and
she will

respect you. Love her passionately, and she will love you

passionately. Adore her, and she will adore you. Pure, deep

love
never ends ... it is a gift that must be treasured for

eternity…’

‘Yes mamma …’

CHAPTER ONE

I woke to a floral scent lingering in my room—frangipani, rose, lilac and lavender I think. The sun rays squeezed through the shutters and touched my skin with warmth that radiated to my heart. I blinked in contentedness and smiled. Today was the day that I would marry my Sarah.

I took a long shower and enjoyed the warmth of the water while it ran over my body. I dressed in ripped denim jeans and a white shirt before packing my suitcase.

In my hand I flipped over the 18k gold wedding band decorated in a full circle of round brilliant diamonds that were embedded into it. It was for my beautiful wife. I kissed it, closed the box and placed it into my pocket for safe keeping.

I walked around the apartment and found the box that Albert had showed me in the dream, and placed it on the dining table for when we returned from our honeymoon. I looked down at it and smiled, kissed my finger and placed the kiss on top of the box. Before I closed the front door, I looked back inside at the apartment, and thought of its history, Albert, and the future that would come.

I descended the steps to the horse and cart that I had organized to whisk Sarah away to start our fairytale. The air was crisp and the sky a perfect cloudless blue. I resisted the urge to pull my collar up around my neck. After four hundred years of adjusting my collar daily, it had been ingrained into my being, and it felt odd not to go through the motions of adjustment. I was a mortal being now, and had the scent of a human being. I blew a breath between my lips, and focused on the high of the anticipation of greeting Sarah this morning.

I saw her before the horse and cart pulled to a stop. She waited on the garden seat in the sculptured gardens of her apartment building. She looked up at the sound of the whinny of the horse. A slow but magnificent smile spread over her face when she saw me climb out of the carriage to walk towards her.

She ran at me, lighting up my world with her smile. Happiness permeated the air around her. She kissed me as I wrapped my arms around her.

‘Ma belle Sarah, ma femme d’être, êtes-vous prêt? My beautiful Sarah, my wife to be, are you ready?’ I whispered against her lips.

‘I am more than ready husband to be, my beautiful Liam,’ she whispered back, smiling.

I kissed her again, but pulled away when her mother walked towards us.

I stepped forward and hugged Mrs. Flynn. ‘Thank-you for  Sarah,’ I said, and kissed her cheek.

‘Look after my girl Liam. She has given you her heart. Please don’t break it.’

Before I could answer her, she had stepped away from me and toward Sarah. She gave her a long and affectionate embrace.

‘I love you momma. Will you help me plan another wedding when we get back?’

‘Absolutely,’ Mrs Flynn whispered, then wiped a tear away.

Sarah looked up at me and smiled with her eyes. I picked up her suitcase, pulled her hand into mine and walked her to the carriage. I tucked a curl of hair behind her ear before I helped her up into the seat like a gentleman should.

I slid along beside her and threaded my fingers through hers before I kissed the back of her hand. She looked up at me and gave me a shy smile.

‘I love you Sarah,’ I whispered against her lips before I kissed her gently.

‘And I love you Liam Henry O’Connell,’ she whispered.

I smiled at her choice of words. I couldn’t wait for her to be my forever.

She was mine … my eternal love.

*~*~*~*~*

The sun was low in the horizon when I stood under the bamboo wedding canopy. The white organza material flowed about in the gentle breeze.

I watched Sarah as she walked towards me along the beach. The smile on her beautiful face conveyed the pure happiness that danced around her.

She wore a halo of fine white flowers around her scarlet hair that flowed over one shoulder. Her off the shoulder long white wedding gown was very chic, glamorous. In her hands she carried a bouquet of white and pink roses. She came to stop in front of me and our eyes met, blue eyes to green, connecting in eye love.

I took her hands in mine. ‘So beautiful,’ I whispered to her, and
smelled the perfume of frangipani, roses, lilac and lavender I think.

The minister commenced our marriage ceremony as the sun sank into the horizon throwing hues of pinks and blues and purples over us.

And while the gentle waves washed up onto the shore, we made our wedding vows with words that can never be unsaid. We exchanged rings and sealed our promises to each other with the tender kiss of husband and wife.

Once the darkness had settled over the island like a soft blanket, I held my wife’s hand and led her to our dinner table to share our first meal as one.

I stood behind her before we were seated, and kissed the softness of her neck, then ran my lips along her shoulder ending with another kiss. My body awakened in desire. ‘Delicious,’ I whispered into her ear before I pulled her chair out for her to be seated.

I took my own seat opposite her and picked up my glass of champagne.

‘To my beautiful wife, thank-you for making me the happiest man in the world … I love you,’ I said in a low voice while connected to her eyes in a depth that I had trouble climbing out from.

‘And to my beautiful husband, thank-you for choosing me to spend your life with … I love you,’ Sarah replied. Her voice was soft, and sung to my soul.

We shared one entrée, and one main meal, feeding each other as a symbol of devotion to each other.

‘Liam, I love that vest ensemble that you are wearing,’ Sarah said. She ran her fingers along the buttons of my vest. Her touch made me shiver, even though I wasn’t cold.

I looked down at my black vest, white shirt and black pants. My suit jacket hung over the back of my chair. ‘Well,’ I said, and ran my hand down my chest and stomach, ‘I do like to please my wife.’

‘Your wife, Mr. O’Connell, is very pleased,’ she replied in a low voice with seductive eyes.

‘Good ... Mrs. O’Connell, will you dance with me?’ I asked. I reached out for her hand. The moment our fingers touched fire spread through me. I rose from my chair and walked around to her without breaking our eye contact.

‘Yes,’ she whispered, as if entranced by some sort of magic.

I led her to the dance floor, and turned to face her. I gazed over my beautiful wife from head to toe, and took a deep breath before I pulled her close to me.

The music swirled around us as we danced in each other’s arms. I became lost in her. I felt like we were the only two people that existed on the Earth. I lowered my lips to her bare shoulder and feathered kisses along to her neck. ‘Mmmm … wife, we must leave very soon,’ I whispered into her ear.

‘Why is that husband? I am enjoying dancing with you,’ she whispered back.

‘I need to be alone with you Mrs. O’Connell,’ I whispered, and kissed her lips.

‘What about dessert?’ she whispered breathlessly.

‘You are dessert Bella,’ I whispered against her skin on her neck, before I kissed her there.

‘Liam …’ she breathed.

I took her from the dance floor and walked her the short distance to our private suite. I stopped at the front door and faced her. I kissed her forehead and her lips before I picked her up and carried her through the door, then placed her gently onto the wooden floor inside.

Our eyes locked together as desire ignited around us.

Her hands were soft and warm on either side of my face as she kissed me in a light and slow sensation, lighting my body on fire.

Her hands left my face, and her fingers trailed down the front of my neck and over my chest before she found the buttons on my vest and unfastened them.

I stepped away from her trying to gain control of my strong desire, but she grabbed onto my tie and pulled me back to her and kissed me. She removed my tie then, and worked on the buttons of my shirt, running her fingers over my skin. She spread a raging impossible fire everywhere she touched.

‘Oh mio Sarah, si è alla guida mi fa impazzire,’ I said, ‘You are driving me crazy!’

I pulled her against me and held her tightly. I breathed in deeply to slow things down. She moved her hands over my naked back and shoulders sending a heat wave through my body.

I kissed her neck, and then gently sucked her ear lobe before I trailed light kisses down to her shoulder. I slipped the strap of her wedding gown off her shoulders. I traced the edge of her dress with my fingertips, and down her back to where her wedding dress was buttoned together. I unfastening the buttons until her wedding dress slipped from her body and fell to the floor.

I stilled and breathed in deeply with desire. Sarah stood before me, naked. Her body was full, beautiful and unblemished.

A guttural sound of pleasure escaped me as I gazed at her sensuality, then moved towards her and devoured her mouth with mine, soul kissing her, taking her breath away.

She fumbled as she released me of my trousers, then pressed her warm naked body into mine, caressing my skin with her fingernails.

I could no longer contain my yearning for her. I carried her to the bed, and placed her down in a gentle tender moment.

I looked deeply into her eyes before our lips connected, and caressed her perfect womanly form until my desire for her became uncontrollable.

In the height of our passion for each other, we became one.

Our love was sealed in the most intimate way a man and woman could, my mortal seed spilling inside her, connecting our hearts and souls as one.

Never, had I thought it to be possible to be so high on love.

Never, had I thought it to be possible to be intoxicated by love.

Never, had I thought it to be possible to love someone so deeply, so purely, so truly …

While Sarah lay beside me I watched her sleep.

I adored her.

I cherished her and loved her more than I thought was ever possible …’til death do us part.

Death … I had been sent to the Earth as an immortal unable to die, spending my time wishing to become a mortal so that I could die to return to the spiritual realm.

But now that I was mortal, and was able to die, I did not want to die. I wanted to spend my life loving my beautiful wife.

Ironic … now I had to put my energy into
not
dying. Human life was far more fragile than it appeared.