Two Books in One - Ominous Love and Paradox - The Angels Are Here (9 page)

Chapter Fourteen

I stir in my sleep and feel around for my pillow. My bed feels hard and I’m cold. Shivering, I run my hand along the mattress in search of my blankets, but all I can feel is cold hard stone. I bolt upright and look around. Holy crap! I'm not in my bed—I'm on an altar—a cold stone altar in a church. Then I remember I'm being held captive in some weird castle on top of a snow-capped mountain. My stomach twists into knots. No wonder I'm shivering.

Staring up at the stained glass windows and high ceiling, my heart sinks. I was hoping it was all a dream, but instead it's a living nightmare, and to make things worse, there's some creepy organ music coming from somewhere on the mezzanine floor above the entrance.

As I look down at my body, my jaw drops. What the hell? I'm wearing a long white gown and it's showing my cleavage. My heart drums against my ribs. Where are my jeans and jumper? I run my hands across my hips, caressing the soft silk of the gown to feel if I'm still wearing underwear. Thank goodness I am, but the thought of Devlin taking my clothes off and dressing me like a Barbie Doll gives me the creeps. And I doubt he put me on this altar for any good intentions. Jeez, is he going to sacrifice me? I shudder. Will he stab me with a dagger as I lie helpless on this slab, or will he take my virginity? Shit I've got to get out of here, now.

I glance
around to make sure nobody's watching me, then I leap off the altar and hurry down the steps. Holding the dress up, I run bare foot down the aisle towards the exit, not that I know where to go, but anywhere is better than here. The music suddenly stops and I peek up at the mezzanine floor to see who was playing it. I can't see anyone. Great, they must have seen me and are on their way down the stairs. Sprinting faster, I reach the open doors and run outside into the cold fresh air. My feet and arms are freezing, but before I make it down the first step, I'm grabbed by the waist from behind. “Whoa!”

“Eloise, what happened to your promise?” Devlin turns me to face him.

Gasping for breath, I look up at him. “I … I haven't broken my promise. I was just going out for some fresh air.”

“Really?” He squints at me, a glint of mistrust in his striking, but ominous eyes. Then abruptly, he scoops me into his arms and carries me towards the lookout.

Oh my god. Is he going to throw me off the edge? Clinging to his powerful shoulders, I stare at his face and try to read his expression.

His kisses my cheek. “Don't worry, honey. I'm not going to hurt you.”

Gulping, I stare at his profile. Dark brows, long lashes, and perfectly chiselled bones. Then I notice the wound on his soft full lip where I bit him. Shuddering, I remember the blood-feather on his back. What the hell was that?

He notices me gaping at his mouth and his dark eyes glint with a look of victory. I scowl. There’s no way he’ll ever win my heart. I lower my gaze to his chest, but I sense he’s still watching me. As we get closer to the cliff edge, I grip on tight to his bare arms. They feel like steel and I’m uncomfortable being so close to him. All he’s wearing is a singlet and shorts as if he’s been working out, and
the smell of his sweat mixed with his hypnotic cologne is making me dizzy. No wonder Francesca thought he was hot—he is, but I can't afford to let my guard down and be enticed by his beauty or his charm. I have to remind myself how dangerous he is.

Standing at the lookout, he hitches me up, his bicep flexing against my bare arm. I shiver in the early morning mist and gaze in awe at the sun as it rises above the magnificent snow-capped mountains. Then with a feeling of pure helplessness, I lay my head wearily on Devlin's shoulder and wonder if I'll get out of this alive.

“It's exquisite, isn't it, Eloise?”

Though I hate that he's kidnapped me, this view is beyond words. “Yes, it's spectacular.”

“You're shivering,” he says, putting me on the ground facing the hills. “Let me warm you.” Standing behind me, he buries his face in my hair as he rubs my bare arms. When I glance down at the steep drop, I gasp and squeeze my eyes shut.

He wraps his arms around my shoulders and across my chest. “You really are cold, Eloise. I'd better get you back inside.”

No way am I letting him know I'm terrified of heights. He'll use it to torture me, and I don't want to go inside. I just want to escape, but how? I'd need a plane to get me out of this desolate place.

He turns me to face him and looks me up and down.
“You look adorable in that silk dress, Eloise.” Then hugging me to his chest, he kisses me gently on the lips. “One day, you'll love me like I love you,” he says huskily.

What does he mean he loves me? He only just met me. Then again, that's how I feel about Seal. My brain is swimming, and though I'm not enjoying Devlin's affection, a little voice at the back of my mind tells me to go along with him if I want to live. Then a horrible thought pops into my mind. Why did he put me on an altar, and how does he intend to make me love him? Is he delusional? My heart thunders against my ribs and I hope he thinks it's because I fancy him, not because I'm terrified.

He groans into my hair, then picks me up and carries me towards the castle. Oh, shit. Please don't let him put me back on that cold slab. I don't want to be sacrificed. My eyes wide, I look at him pleadingly.

Crap
.
He's smiling as if he's elated, which terrifies me more.

“Where are you taking me?”

He grins. “To marry you, my darling.”

My blood freezes. “What? I'm only sixteen … and … and you don't even know me.”

His eyes crinkle at the corners. “Oh, I know you, Eloise, and you're the only girl for me.”

I frown. “How can you know me? You only just met me.”

“I know everything about you, my dear. I've been watching you for a long time.”

I cannot help my gasp of horror. “Have you been stalking me?”

He smiles. “You could say that, but it's not that cut and dried.”

My blood boils. “Who the devil are you?”

Throwing his head back, he roars with laughter.

“What's so darn funny?”

“You are, Eloise, which is another reason I adore you.”

“Well, if you want to marry me, you'll have to take me home. I'm only sixteen, so you'll need my parent's consent.”

“Eloise, I'm going to marry you with or without your parent's consent. Then I shall make passionate love to you.”

I blink. “But … but who will marry us without permission? It won't be legal.”

He grins wickedly. “It will be legal in my church, Eloise. The priest is the highest of all.”

“Why, who is he?”

He walks up the steps to the front doors. “You'll find out soon enough.”

My chest tightens. Who the hell could it be? Is Devlin in some crazy cult or something?

“Firstly, I'm taking you to your dressing room so you can get ready. Don't let me down, or else. Just walk out with your flowers when you're ready.” He walks into a small room near the entrance and sits me on a velvet chair in front of a mirror.

Fighting back my fear, I look up at him. “What do you mean, or else?”

His eyes flash with speckles of gold. “Eloise, please don't start our marriage by disappointing me, not unless you want to be punished, though I may enjoy that.”

I frown. “What sort of punishment?”

He looks at me for a long moment. “Disobey me and you'll find out.”

I'm speechless and I can't think straight. As he bends over to kiss my hand, I’m tempted to sock him in the jaw, but I don't dare, not yet anyway.

He draws the curtains, then strides out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Punishment? What the hell does that mean? I cover my face with my hands and try to clear my head. But there's no place to go, and even if I managed to escape, how would I get home? I'll need a plane to get me off this godforsaken mountain. Staring at myself in the mirror, I realise I have to resign myself to a life with a handsome monster, or die a horrible death. I pout. I must have done something really bad to deserve this misery, but I can't think of what. Was falling for Seal and wanting to keep him to myself that bad?

Closing my eyes, I wonder if I should just fight Devlin to the death, after all, dying would be better than living with him. But how can I stand up to a brute like him? I'm just a small teenage girl and he's a huge and powerful guy.

A knock at the door drags me from my thoughts. “Yes?”

“Are you ready?”

“Nearly,” I lie. I'll never be ready for him, not ever.

When I pick up a brush from the dressing table, I notice my shiny silver comb on a tray. If Devlin’s kept this, maybe my clothes are here too. After brushing my hair, I pile it on top of my head and hold it in place with my comb. Then I get up and look around for my jeans and jumper. I can’t see them anywhere, but I gasp when I spot the wedding veil. It’s hanging on a hat stand, but the lace isn't white, it's black. Holy cow.

Devlin taps on the door again. “Eloise!”

“I'm coming,” I say impatiently. “You want me to look nice, don't you?”

“Okay,” he says. “But please hurry.”

I search for a pair of shoes, but can't find any. That'd be right. Devlin obviously wants me bare-foot and helpless. Oh shit, and probably pregnant. No! I can’t bare thinking about it, so I shove it from my mind.

With no other option, I place the black veil on my head and look in the mirror. It falls in swirls
around my shoulders and down my back. Great, I look like I'm going to a funeral instead of my own wedding. Well, maybe I am, but hopefully Devlin's, not mine.

As I pick up the bouquet of red roses from the table, I prick my thumb. “Ouch.” I quickly shove it in my mouth and suck hard so I don't have to see the blood. I can't afford to pass out again. Jeez. Who knows what he'd do to me.

My wedding day should be a happy day, but instead I'm forced to marry a boy I don't love—a boy I don’t even know—a boy who threatens to punish me if I don't obey him, or worse. Holding the flowers for comfort, I inhale their sweet perfume, then I close my eyes and imagine myself in a pretty white gown and veil, and though I'm only sixteen, I'm marrying Seal, the boy I really love. I picture myself walking down the aisle with my father. Brooke and Ruby are my bridesmaids and my mother is crying tears of joy as she sits in the front pew.

I drop the bouquet on the floor and rip the veil off. I can't marry Devlin, I just can't. I'm not marrying a cruel weirdo with blood feathers for back hairs. He needs a good wax. I've always wanted someone to love me, but not someone evil like Devlin. It’s a fate worse than death. Maybe I should just sit here and let him kill me because there's no way he's having his wicked way with me. I march over to the door and lock it, then I sit in the chair and cross my arms.

Chapter Fifteen

I cover my face with my hands. How can this be happening to me? Why didn't Devlin kidnap Francesca? She would have loved him, and she's much prettier than me. Then I remember he admitted to stalking me. How creepy. I knew someone was sneaking around our garden, and he would’ve seen Seal kissing me. Eww, the thought of Devlin spying on me and eavesdropping at my window sends shivers down my spine.

I start pacing the floor as I nervously wring my hands. Devlin will be furious with me, and as good-looking as he is, there's no way I'm marrying him.

Suddenly he bangs on the door, startling the life out of me. I gulp. What am I going to do?

He rattles the knob. “Come on, Eloise, what's taking you so long?”

My pulse racing, I back up against the wall and wait for his outburst.

“Eloise?”

The fury in his voice sends adrenalin through my blood and I run to the window, but as I suspected, it's locked and barred from the outside.

Knocking again, he hollers through the crack. “If you don't open this door, I'll break it down. And believe me; you don't want to make me angry. I've already warned you, Eloise.”

Crap. What's he going to do, kill me?

There's an almighty crash and the door flies open. Holy smoke. He sure looks mad.

“Eloise,” he snaps, standing with his hands on his hips.

I look him up and down. He may look cool in his black designer label suit and crimson silk shirt, but his brow is covered in sweat and his face is practically purple. Weaving around him, I scoot to the other side of the room.

He strides towards me and seizes my arm. “Now, you're
really
starting to piss me off.” Glaring at me, he points at the open doorway. “I'll give you one last chance to get your butt down that aisle.”

I jerk away from him. “Why, what will happen if I don't?”

He arches a brow. “You want to find out?”

I cross my arms. “No, but I don't want to marry you either. I don't love …”

“Shut up, Eloise!” He grabs my wrist and hauls me out the door.

“You’re hurting me,” I scream. “Let me go.” I try to wrench his hand away, but he grips me even harder and drags me into the church.

Holly Crap. I dig my fingernails into the flesh on his hand and press down hard.

“Okay, you asked for it.” He spins me to face him, lifts me up by the waist and throws me over his left shoulder.

“Whoa.” I frantically grab onto his back so I don’t fall on my head. “Please, Devlin. Put me down. I'm scared of heights and I feel sick.”

Holding my legs, he strides up the aisle towards the altar. “You should have thought about that before you disobeyed me.”

“I beg of you, please let me go home. If you really love me, you would.”

“This is your home, Eloise, so quit moaning.”

I shake the back of his jacket. “It’s not my home, it’s my prison.”

He gives my backside three sharp smacks with his open right hand.

“Awww!” Flinching, I grip onto the waistband of his trousers. That freaking hurt, especially through thin silk. What the hell will he do next?

He sits me on the altar and o
ur eyes meet. “That shut you up for once, didn't it?”

My butt still smarting, I squint at him. “How
dare you spank me like a child.”

He lifts my chin with a finger. “Don’t act like one, then.”

“Devlin, please take me home,” I beg. “What's the point in marrying someone who doesn't even love …?”

He presses his hand over my mouth. “Be quiet for once, Eloise, and just think about it, we can be so happy here if only you'd resign yourself to it. Now, be a good girl and do as I say. And don't embarrass me in front of Father Luke, or the next time I spank you, you won't be able to sit down for a week.”

Heat rises from my neck to my face and I glare at him. “You're just a bully and I’ll never be happy with you. I'd rather die.”

Though he smiles with his mouth, his eyes give his hurt away. “You're forgetting what I threatened, Eloise.”

I frown. “What? That you'll beat me? Go ahead.”

“I never said I’d beat you, so don't exaggerate. And that's not what I'm talking about.”

The door behind the altar bursts open and a middle-aged man walks out. Shoot
.
He must be the priest, but I bet he's bad if he's connected to Devlin.

Picking his teeth with a toothpick, the priest leans against the wall and leers at me with menacing black eyes. “So this is you
r bride.” He grins sleazily, a gold molar glinting in his mouth. “You selected wisely, my son.”

His son? Is he Devlin’s father, or is that just priest talk? Gulping, I stare at him. He’s wearing a designer suit, not a robe, and though he’s white-haired and wrinkled, he could’ve been good-looking once. But I don’t like him and I don’t believe he’s a priest.

Giving me a once-over, he oils his way across the floor towards me, his dark eyes flashing with a spark of red. He smiles and strokes my cheek. “You're even more beautiful close up, my dear, but haven't you forgotten something?”

A chill runs down my whole body and I shiver with a horrible feeling of impending doom. This man i
s even creepier than Devlin and a lot more sinister.

He pulls the black veil from his
pocket and places it on my head. Then he positions the lace over my face. “Good, now let's get this ceremony going.”

Devlin lifts me from the altar and puts me on the floor next to him. As the priest lights the black candles, I turn and glance at the open door, hoping I can somehow escape.

Grabbing my elbow, Devlin leans over me. “You didn't listen to my threat, did you?” he whispers.

Scowling at him, I try to pull my arm away.

He grins. “I've already kidnapped Seal and if you don't marry me today, I'll kill him.”

My body freezes. No! No! Not Seal. Adrenalin pumps into my veins. Could he have managed to kidnap Seal? I guess he could because he kidnapped me, and I know he's been stalking us. Though Devlin might be lying just to get me to marry him, I can't take the chance with Seal's life. My heart skips a beat knowing Seal might be somewhere in the castle. It gives me hope of escaping, and if Father Luke isn’t really a priest,
the marriage won't be legal. I can get it annulled.

Taking a deep breath, I stand on my tiptoes and whisper in Devlin's ear, “Okay, I'll marry you, but
please
don't hurt Seal.”

He kisses me and smiles. “You won't regret it, Eloise. I’ll make you happy, you’ll see.”

The priest taps on the altar. “Are you two ready, then? We're running late.”

Devlin takes the rings out of his pocket and holds my hand. “We're ready.”

“Good.” As the priest looks at Devlin, I swallow a big lump in my throat and try not to cry. This is just too awful and not what I envisioned for my wedding day. And Devlin didn't even pick up my flowers. He just left them to rot on the floor. He'll probably do the same with me when he's bored.

Father Luke clears his throat. “Do you, Devlin Sulphurous, take Eloise O’Connor to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish for all of eternity?”

Devlin beams, his eyes sparkling. “I do.”

What? What's he mean, all of eternity? I swallow hard. That can't be right.

“Your pledge?” says the priest.

“My beautiful Eloise, I hereto pledge you my faithfulness and my love until the end of time.”

Father Luke turns to me. “Do you, Eloise O'Connor, take Devlin Sulphurous to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love honour and obey for all of eternity?”

I frown. Not only
has he changed the words from ‘death do us part’ to ‘eternity’, but now I have to vow I'll ‘honour and obey’. I don't want to obey Devlin and I don't want to make a pledge. My lip quivers. If I don't say those horrible words, these two monsters will kill Seal, and probably me.

As if urging me to hurry up, Devlin places the ring on the tip of my finger and squeezes my hand. I open my mouth to say the vows, but before I get a word out, a blaze of lightning flashes in t
he sky outside of the window. I jump with fright.

Devlin nudges me. “It's just a storm. Keep going,” he demands.

I don't get a chance before a loud thunderbolt cracks above the church. The walls vibrate noisily, shattering the plate glass windows. I scream as fragments of tinted crystal explode all over us. Devlin wraps his arms around me and drags me away from the window.

Lightning strikes again, flashing in the sky and zigzagging through the dark, ominous clouds. Trembling, I cover my head with my hands.

Devlin shakes me. “Eloise, say your vows, now!”

I try to speak, but thunder pounds again, roaring like a freight train as hail blows through the broken windows and wind howls through the open doors. Shivering with cold and fear, my knees buckle and I drop to the floor, breaking away from Devlin's hold. As I look around for somewhere to hide, I scream as a gigantic silver bird zooms in through the open doors and scoops me up with its talons.

“Father, do something!” yells Devlin. “I can't lose her, not now.”

As I kick and scream, the bird circles
the altar, then turns and flies towards the entrance. Devlin runs below me, his arms stretched out as he reaches for my legs. “Eloise!”

As I glide with the bird under the mezzanine floor, lightning strikes a window. A blazing fire billows out, sending flames and sparks in every direction. To escape the heat, I cover my face with my hands and hold my breath, and though I'm terrified of burning to death or inhaling the smoke, I don't want to be caught by Devlin either. Resigning myself to my fate, I close my eyes and pray.

Ice-cold winds blow on my face, taking my breath away. I'm in the claws of a gigantic bird and its flying away with me, I open my eyes. Holy Crap. We're soaring through the clouds and heading right into a thunderstorm. I figure I'll either be eaten by the bird, or struck by lightning, and though either fate is better than being married to Devlin, I don't want to die. But there's no way out—no way to escape. No wonder I've been having ominous feelings of impending doom. I'm a goner—and now, I won't be able to help Seal. Tears of sorrow cloud my eyes, then freeze on my cheeks. The thought of never seeing Seal again terrifies me, and as we ascend into the black clouds, all the blood drains from my head. Holy Heaven. I'm about to black out.