Redemption (15 page)

I walk around her and up the stairs.

She lets me.

***

After realizing I’m not going to class, I
shower to try to calm myself. Keegan and McKenna’s words keep
swirling in my mind. Every emotion from the last few months begins
to climb into my throat as I blow-dry my hair. I can feel my
resolve slip away.

Throwing down my brush and the dryer on the
counter, I close my eyes, giving myself a moment to absorb
everything. I’m so tired. Weary from everyone telling me what to do
all the time and making decisions for me, instead of with me, under
the guise of protection. It’s too hard. I don’t want to fight what
Asher and I have, or don’t have. I don’t even know anymore. There
are so many other things I’m fighting.

I take one last look at myself in the
mirror, pushing my shoulders back in defiance, before I storm
downstairs and head into the library. Asher is sitting in a large
leather chair with a book in hand, looking delicious and relaxed.
As if the conversation with Keegan never happened.

Standing in the doorway, I’m completely
still. Asher cocks his head to the side and smiles at me. My eyes
roam the empty room before landing on his face. I hold his
questioning gaze for a moment before I start toward him, playing
with the bottom of his shirt that I’m wearing.

“I can’t do this anymore,” I whisper.

Asher closes the book and places it on the
table next to him. His eyes never leave mine.

“Can’t do what, siren?” His voice is laced
with a seriousness that unnerves me.

“Any of it. All of it. It’s too hard.” My
voice trails off.

Asher doesn’t say anything. His eyes travel
over me intimately. That’s when I realize that I forgot to throw
pants on
. Wonderful.
He stands and purposely walks over to
the library doors, pulling them shut and locking them before
turning back to face me.

He leans back against them, arms folded.
Both of our breathing has picked up. The heat from his look
radiates onto me, igniting me as desire spreads throughout my
veins.

Pushing off the door, he stalks toward me
while lifting his hand behind his neck and removing his t-shirt. My
thoughts disappear. I’m frozen in place at the raw emotion and
passion in his eyes. All I can do is stare into them, unmoving.

Once Asher is in front of me, he takes both
of his hands and cups my cheeks. I close my eyes and lean into his
touch. After a moment, his hands slide through my hair, pushing it
off my shoulders on both sides before he brings them down my back.
As soon as they reach the back of my upper thighs, he grips each
one.

With ease, he lifts me, forcing my legs to
wrap around his waist as he walks us backwards. In seconds, he’s
got me pressed against the wall. The feeling of my body pushed
against his and the intensity of our breathing snaps me out of my
previous thought process.

Slowly, he thrusts further into me. Pinning
my body tighter with his hips. I have no choice but to clutch on to
his naked shoulders. After releasing a deep, raw rumble from his
chest, Asher sucks in a breath as my hands wander over him, tracing
every line and crease with an unhealthy fixation.

My body responds by pushing closer to his.
Asher’s left hand finds its way under my shirt, setting off longing
sensations. Impatiently, I take my hands away from him and yank my
shirt off, throwing it on the floor. He releases an appreciative
noise when he realizes I’m not wearing a bra, only my cotton
panties now.

“You’re trying to kill me,” he releases on a
ragged pant.

“Take your wings out,” I demand in a soft
tone.

“What?” He pulls his face back and
uncertainty falls crosses his expression.

“I want to feel all of you,” I explain,
while leaving kisses along his jawline.

Asher stops breathing. I gather my courage
and lift my eyes to his. He’s pulled his brows together in
hesitation. I take his cheeks in my palms, pulling him closer.

“I want all of you, gargoyle,” I repeat
across his soft lips.

He exhales roughly and discharges his
midnight black wings. The sight causes me to shudder. I swallow and
allow one of my hands to run along the feathers. A deep noise
releases from his throat and his entire body trembles.

“You’re so striking,” I murmur as he
swallows.

Asher responds by running his warm palm down
my neck, over my chest, stopping over one of my breasts to tease
me. My breath comes out in short pants at the circular motion of
his thumb over the sensitive area. I grip tighter onto his
shoulders.

Each of his touches forces me to arch deeper
into him. I release a primal cry when his lips and tongue pay
meticulous attention to the other breast.

“Holy shit,” I exhale.

Asher’s lips pull into a smile before his
mouth and tongue continue their assault. Fingertips push into my
skin as he drags his other hand slowly over my chest and stomach
before landing inside my panties.

Long skillful fingers make their way inside
me and I have to lightly bite Asher’s shoulder to keep from
screaming out in ecstasy as he pleasures me without mercy.

All of the sensations at once become too
overwhelming and just as quickly as it all started, I fall, giving
into the need for release. When the last shudder of my orgasm
passes through me, I eagerly push Asher’s hips away from me,
forcing him to place me on my feet.

I coerce him to turn then shove his chest so
he’s pressed against the wall. Asher groans with need as I hold his
gaze and slowly descend to my knees, taking his pants with me.

Stopping for a moment, I take him in. A
thrill of power runs through me as I become conscious that I have
him trapped against the wall. Wings out, exposed to me, only for
me. The knowledge heightens the need I have to own Asher, to make
him mine, completely.

Watching him through my eyelashes, I run my
fingers down his length with the lightest of touches. Asher’s head
falls back against the wall in bliss.

“Fuck, siren.”

Smiling, I run the top of my tongue in
circles over the tip of his arousal. He entangles his hands in my
hair, holding my head still. His roughness only fuels my desire to
do it again, to make him fall to his knees for me. So I do, and he
grunts.

Asher pushes his hips toward my mouth. I
jerk back in a tease, causing him to growl like an animal. I lick
my lips and let my tongue travel down the length of him. I do this
a few times while he releases short breaths. He tightens his hold
on my hair.

Unhurriedly, I play with the apadravya
piercing, letting the cool balls caress my tongue until I hear
Asher whimper. At the sound, I moan on him and take him fully into
my mouth.

“Fuck,” he draws out.

My gaze lifts and locks onto his. His mouth
falls open and a crease forms between his eyebrows from deep
concentration as he watches me pleasure him.

Indigo eyes follow every move I make. His
violent hold on my hair keeps me still as he plunges deeper and
deeper with gentle, yet forceful, movements. I eagerly meet him
thrust for thrust. Taking him all in, my only want is to please him
and satisfy the ache building in him.

I’m not sure how long this goes on for. It
doesn’t matter. I don’t want it to stop. I continue my assault
until I think he can’t hold on any longer. When that time comes, I
run my hands gently over the bottom portion of his wings, caressing
them.

“Holy shit, siren. Take your mouth off me,”
Asher grounds out, trying to move me.

I know why he demands this but I’m in
control tonight. So I don’t. Instead, I challenge him with my eyes
to stop me and continue sucking so he can find his release.

With a deep, raw grunt, he does and I
swallow every ounce of him without thought. When he’s finished, he
pulls me up by my hair then twists and shoves me against the wall
before dropping his nose to my neck.

“What are you doing,” I whimper at the
intensity of it all.

“Breathing you in,” he whispers,
inhaling.

11
Sorceress Lunette

Blackness. It’s all I see
and feel. My fight and flight instincts kick in as the vast
darkness has set in motion an overwhelming panic in me. It begins
to inch up my throat and my heart slams against my ribcage in a
violent beat.

My eyes can’t adjust. It’s as if someone has
turned off the lights and I’ve been thrust into pitch black. I
blink several times, trying to adapt. A deep heaviness settles into
my skin. The unnatural feeling of barrenness and frigid air soaks
into my bones.

I startle when a balmy, bulky hand enfolds
mine into it, gripping it tightly as warmth pushes into me,
penetrating the layers of my body.

My focus moves to the right, where the
physical connection is, and I’m bathed in a soft blue glow coming
from Asher’s eyes. Behind him, the radiant eyes of both Keegan and
McKenna and to my left, the light green smolder from Gage’s pull me
out of the dimness.

I’m unsuccessful at getting my rapid
breathing under control though. I squeeze my eyes shut so I don’t
pass out or have a panic attack.

“You’re safe, siren.” Asher’s low voice
vibrates through my fear.

“Where are we?” My voice is shaky as I cling
to Asher.

“The magic dimension,” Keegan answers
pointedly.

“Why is it completely black? Where is the
actual land?” I ask, dumbfounded.

“The dimension’s entrance is a void. A black
hole, if you will. Unless the Sorceresses of the Black Circle
embrace your presence, it will stay pitch black, love,” Gage
responds.

“How do we know when they accept our being
here?” I inquire with a shiver.

At the release of my question, a large ring
of violet fire appears. The blaze roars to life in the middle of
the nothingness. The flames are short, maybe three feet in height,
and sway in a perfectly round formation. I swallow, waiting. Unsure
of what I should do.

The five of us stand motionless, entranced
while the flames move in a choreographed dance. I’ve never seen
fire so controlled or such an odd color. I blink rapidly for a
moment, thinking I’m hallucinating as a black spotted jaguar
suddenly appears in the center of the ring. Its amber eyes are
fierce as it watches us, pacing back and forth like a calm, caged
animal amongst the flames.

“Everyone else sees the large wild cat,
right?” I whisper.

“Yes, blood of Eden.” McKenna sighs in
aggravation.

“Just confirming that I haven’t lost my
mind,” I answer.

My voice causes the jaguar to stop and face
me. Oddly, it lifts its head to me, stretching its neck in an
elegant motion. With grace, the animal drops its head and lowers
the front half of its body onto the ground in a submissive stance,
almost like it’s bowing to me.
Crap. Maybe I have lost my
mind.

At the feline’s shift, the flames grow
taller before a loud gush of wind occurs. I watch in fascination as
the blaze morphs into thousands of lavender monarch butterflies and
the blackness peels away, revealing an enchanted cottage,
surrounded by fields of lilacs and wildflowers. The dimension warms
with the presence of the sun, sky and land.

“I guess we’ve been accepted, love.” Gage
moves toward the stationary cat.

At his progression, the jaguar roars,
bearing its teeth at him and forcing Gage’s retreat.

“Eve, since the animal has chosen to submit
to you, perhaps you should be the one to lead,” Keegan says in an
even, quiet tone.

“The fuck she will,” Asher snips and
tightens his grip on my hand, stepping in front of me before
turning his focus to Gage. “Stop calling her, love.”

Once again, the jaguar growls at his
movement.
Good lord.
I yank Asher back by his hand and cut
him a side-glance.

“Settle down, protector. I don’t think it’s
going to hurt me and leave Gage alone,” I warn.

“Eve,” Asher bites out as I pry free of his
hand after several attempts.

“I’ve got this. Keegan might be right.” I
slowly approach the animal.

The feline doesn’t move or make a sound. It
just sits patiently until I get close enough to know Asher is
having a mild heart attack behind me. Once I’m directly in front of
the massive cat, it purrs. Honest to God. The freaking thing purrs
like a damn house cat and rolls onto its back, showing me its black
and brown spotted stomach.

I look back at the stunned and speechless
gargoyles.
Crap
. My eyes scan the beautiful meadow of
wildflowers then return to the purring feline. It’s not going
anywhere so I bend down and begrudgingly rub its belly. Apparently
happy at my show of affection, the jaguar licks me.
Gross. Good
God.

Once it’s had enough, it smoothly stands and
turns toward the cottage, waiting for us to follow. Swinging its
tail, the beautiful creature takes the lead and escorts us through
the field.

“Guess this one isn’t a relative of Fiona.”
Asher smirks. “The woman would kill us on the spot if we tried
massaging her tummy.”

Keegan and he break out into a laughing fit.
McKenna rolls her eyes, walking past them, irritated at their
child-like antics.

“We’re following it then?” I ask.

“I believe so, love,” Gage answers,
fidgeting with an unlit cigarette and shooting a fuck-off look
toward Asher after my nickname as we begin our journey, following
the cat down a cobblestone pathway, through the flowers.

Aside from the completely weird entry, this
dimension is visually stunning. My eyes take in the sight of
thousands, upon thousands, of monarch butterflies. They encircle
us, and land among the fields of lavender that run as far as the
eyes can see. The smell is intoxicating.

The soaring jewels of nature are in constant
motion, emanating the sound of millions of flapping wings in steady
movement. The hum of their continuous flight echoes like a breeze,
but there is no air moving. It’s magical.