Chapter 11

Being who he was, she had to rein in her temper a lot in the next few days. His arrogance combined with his cockiness, was unbelievable. She got mad at him, but had to temper it, because in most cases he was always right.

And, maybe, because he gave awesome sex.

Being rewarded with the latter was the undoing of her. She, who had always been proud of her independence, was proving to be needy and easily manipulated by her need for him.

And he used that to his advantage.

She was open to him in so many ways. Like an exposed nerve.

Her thoughts, where she was, who she was with, were all open to him.

“Can’t you just tune me out for a minute?”

Nina complained a few evenings later. She was trying to read a book, he kept interrupting, asking her to reread sentences.

“Nope. It’s nicer this way. I don’t have to waste time reading. I can just tune into what you’re into.”

He was a tease.

“I wish I could block you out again.”

She paused.

She eyed him for a second. He looked wary when he saw her watching him.

“What?” He barked.

“Maybe I would have thought twice about sleeping with you, if I had known what would happen.”

His face changed expression as he stared at her.

Then his eyes darkened, turned slumberous. A menacing glitter lurked at the back of them.

She jumped up to back away from him.

He stood to stalk towards her.

She was a little fearful what that glitter meant, but the excitement of anticipating what was going to happen next, overrode that. She shivered. In order to whet his appetite, she moved to put the kitchen island between them.

There was a blur where he had been standing, then his arms caught her from behind.

She squealed in surprise.

‘Oh hell, I forgot about his angelic powers.’ She thought in consternation.

“Yep, you certainly did.”

He laughed with glee.

Pinning her arms behind her, he lifted her. She squealed all the way to the bedroom. Squeals of excitement, rather than fear. Her squeals cut off abruptly as his mouth slammed down on hers. In the dimness of the room, she heard herself give an occasional involuntary moan interspersed with groans from him until they accelerated to a crescendo.

Then there was quiet.

Her body slick with sweat, stayed glued to his. Contentment and satisfaction transcended everything else.

She sighed into his mouth as he caressed her lips with his. Then he lifted his head to look down into her eyes, his own questioning.

“What was that for?”

His voice was soft with satisfaction.

“What?” She lifted a languid hand to his face to lay it against his cheek.

“That sigh.”

“I’m just happy.”

Astonished at that, she realized with some surprise it was actually true. For this fleeting moment, she was actually happy. There had been rare occasions in the past when she had been this happy. The last time she could recall feeling this way had been before her cousin was taken from them. But this emotion was more than that. It was him.

Brett made her happy. He brought joy to her very existence. This feeling of joy came from being with him in the truest sense of the word. He was the very essence of her.

Spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical, it all gelled.

These emotions came from knowing she was loved, even if it was for this fleeting time only. But she felt loved. This was love between a man and a woman. Love in all its purest form. Even if he was an angel.

In her heart he was her man.

Deep in her soul she knew he loved her. Even if he hadn’t told her, she felt it.

She just knew!

She loved him with a fierce passion. Her love for him transcended fear. Her greatest enemy had been fear. But now it paled in comparison to this love she bore for him. She could transcend the gates of hell for him.

‘Whoa…where did that thought come from?’

Nonplussed, she fervently hoped he had fallen asleep.

“So, you could go to hell for me? Hmm…’

His drawling voice entered her thoughts, just when she had relaxed. He rolled, pulling her on top of him. Abashed, she closed her eyes, hiding her face against his chest. She couldn’t bear to see what expression he may have on his face.

Waiting for teasing remarks, she was surprised when he merely grunted, then raised her chin to drop a kiss on her temple.

“Sleep, babe. We have a big day tomorrow, flier duty calls.”

His voice rumbled in her ear, then he subsided.

She lay in stunned silence as she waited for him to fall asleep. She had a lot to think about. She didn’t need him to blurt into her thoughts.

“You know I can hear the engines of your brain working overtime, right?” He said aloud, startling her.

“Oh. go to sleep and let me think my thoughts in peace.” She snapped.

He chuckled softly.

“So much for the walking through hell part for me.” He joked, not at all fazed.

“Sometimes you can be annoying.” Nina grumbled.

“I know right.” He soothed her. “But you love me anyways, right?”

It was a question she was not ready to answer at this stage, so she remained quiet.

He sighed.

“Alright.” He sounded resigned when he spoke next.

“Let’s just sleep. Okay?”

There was a hint of sadness in his voice.

Waking up next morning to find him gone, was disappointing. She pretended it didn’t matter. She kept her thoughts positive so that he wouldn’t sense the despair in her heart. She went about her shower automatically, not thinking, then dressed.

She had been so happy a few hours ago. Now she was in the depths of despair.

Her emotions were like a yoyo. One minute up, the next, down. But she pushed it aside. She chanted in her mind what she was going to do next. The chant worked at keeping despairing thoughts at bay.

‘Hey. You up?’

Brett’s cheerful voice sounded in her mind.

‘Yep. Where art thou?’

Pretending nonchalance was actually pretty easy. Pretending to have no emotions was harder. Too damn hard. But she did it.

She forgot about their connection.

‘What’s too damn hard?’

“Oh boy…” She said aloud.

There was a pause as she made her way to the kitchen. He was standing there with his head cocked.

Listening to her thoughts?

“I didn’t catch that. Why didn’t I hear your first thoughts?” He asked.

Holding herself still, she asked in a careful voice.

“What first thoughts?”

“You thought something before I caught the ‘so damn hard part’.” He elaborated.

“Hmm.” She pretended to think. “I can’t remember.”

He eyed her suspiciously.

He was trying to catch her out on her subterfuge.

She felt a tug on her mind. Her head hurt.

“What are you doing?”

Oh no, he wasn’t, was he?

Going on the offense, she rounded on him. Glaring at him was all she could do. She didn’t want to risk slapping him. Discretion won because of what form his retaliation would take. Plus, the fear of hurting her hand.

“I’m trying to see what you’re hiding from me.”

He admitted, unashamed.

“And you’re hurting my brain to get at it?”

She grew more incensed.

“You’re invading my privacy. You know that’s considered illegal in the human world, right?”

He didn’t even look sorry.

“Oh, and what do you call what you were doing when you listened into the angel channel without us detecting you?”

She squirmed.

He’d got her there.

He looked intensely interested in what she was doing. She tried not to give him the satisfaction of delving into her mind. The effort it took to keep him out drained her energy.

“Give in, babe. You’re only going to tire yourself out.”

Coming over, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush into his embrace. She stood tense in them.

He looked confused.

“What’s wrong? What did I do now?”

A brooding entered his eyes as he tried to delve into her mind. He was probably wondering what changed between last night and now.

She couldn’t understand, nor explain this.

‘Was he really unaware of why I’m feeling this way?

What am I testing him for, anyway?’

She had promised herself not to crave more. Not to want more than he was willing to give. She had gone into this with her eyes wide open. She had been so sure last night that he loved her back.

What had changed?

Why was she unhappy?

Because he wasn’t giving her back an iota of what she felt for him? What more did she want? Why was she doubting now?

So, the question was, was she strong enough to be able to love without being loved in return? If it was all one sided.

Was that enough?

Maybe she should just shelve it for the moment. She was only confusing and hurting herself thinking too much.

Nina now believed she was strong enough to get her aunt and cousin out. And even help others there if she could.

“It doesn’t matter right now. What I want to ask is this. Will you help me get my aunt and cousin out of Cagilaba’s clutches?”

Hopeful, she waited for his answer.

“Seriously?” He looked incredulous. “You’re just going to ignore what’s going on here?”

She stared at him, nonplussed. She thought he would have been happy that this was being shelved. That she was willing to let it go.

‘Why was he so mad?

“I am mad because you’re pushing it as only sex between us. When I know there is far more happening on another level.” He answered her thoughts out loud.

‘Oh shit’.

In her agitation, she had allowed her thoughts to seep out. She had to keep him out at all costs.

But how?

“You have to understand one thing. You can’t keep me out because we have mated.” He explained.

“Oh yeah. Watch me try.”

She brought up a mental blockade in her mind, concentrating hard as she willed it to be a permanent fixture, to block him from her thoughts.

He was staring down at her, smiling at her efforts.

Struggling and straining, against the mental ousting of his permanent residency in her mind, a final thought prevailed as her body weakened from the mental struggle.

‘I divorce you from this pseudo mate-ship, and from my thoughts’

His face changed slowly from smiling to puzzled, then anger.

“What did you do?”

His eyes glittered with irritation.

But there was another look besides anger in his eyes.

Pained?

‘My fanciful thoughts will be the death of me.’

Bitter thoughts persisted.

It was a bitter pill to swallow. He didn’t love her. Nor ever would. Despite her trying to delude herself into thinking she wanted only sex from him, she had to admit she wanted more. More than he could ever give her.

‘So, the question remains. Can I take it, or leave it?’

He was still staring at her, his eyes incredulous.

There was a tugging on her mind.

More like a jerk.

She knew he was trying to decipher her thoughts. It didn’t hurt like the last time though. That was one thing she was glad of. Maybe it had more to do with the fact, her mind was closed off.

“How could you do that?”

Still incredulous, anger reverberating from him, the volume of his voice rose.

“This has never been known to happen before.”

“Duh.” Sarcasm won over discretion. “Maybe it’s because I’m human?”

Filled with glee, she couldn’t help but deride his disbelief that a mere human woman could do that. His look changed subtly as he started towards her. As he did, his eyes underwent a subtle change. Glittering green sparks flashed in them as he stalked her.

“Hmm…Let’s see what will happen when I have you naked under me.”

The challenge was gritted out between his teeth.

Nina moved backwards to get away from him but was prevented from doing that when she backed into the kitchen island.

‘Oh shit…’

“Did you think you could get away from me?” She could only stare at him, silent, trapped, helpless, under his spell.

“Yes, baby.” His voice was a sexy growl, as he breathed into her mouth.

“If I can’t read your mind, I can still read your body.”

His big hands came up her sides. They were branding her, hot as fire wherever he touched. Her body trembled; the delicious decadent feelings made her head swim.

Her last thought as his lips conquered hers was, ‘Oh, god, I’m lost in him…’

Lost in his spell.

Held in thrall to his every touch, every murmur.

He ravaged her mind and body, without any resistance from her.

Minutes or hours later, she was able to think. She opened slumberous eyes to find him looming over her. Her stomach quivered, then clenched where his finger was tracing circles. Fire radiated outward. He seemed to be fascinated with that. Satisfied momentarily with its craving for him, her body lay splayed out beneath his, open to him. Possessively, he twisted her hair into his fist to hold her head immobile as his face loomed closer. Looking deeply into her eyes, his lazy voice queried her resistance.

“So. Where were we?” He demanded. His voice was filled with triumph and satisfaction.

She had no energy to answer him.

Yes, he was gloating.

She didn’t rise to the bait. She let him gloat.

With the satisfaction he gave her body, he was entitled to his victory.

She admitted he was an addiction she couldn’t give up. She would die if she couldn’t have his lovemaking skills.

She was not going to tell him that.

He could go figure that out himself.

If he hadn’t already.

‘Yes, he had. Who am I kidding?’

Humor had always saved her in the past. It did now, as well.

“Oh, I think we were just getting started…”

She purred, challenging him as she pushed him off, then climbed atop him. His eyes opened in stunned surprise. She noted that with satisfaction.

Insatiable. Yes, she was insatiable.

For him only.

“And this is just getting interesting.” She moaned as she took him in.

‘Oh yes, this was soo gooood.’

Then he took over from her when she faltered.

Groaning, he splayed his fingers beneath her bottom to help her move.

Panting in what seemed like hours later, she collapsed onto his chest, as he reached his climax in tandem with her.

Exhausted, she felt like she couldn’t move. She didn’t feel she wanted to move any time soon.

His voice in her ear made her stir a bit, but not enough to move.

“Wow…” He breathed. “I did not see that coming.”

There was amazement in his voice.

“Well, you ain’t seen nothing yet, buster.”

She joked in a voice that didn’t sound like her own. She felt his chest move under her cheek as he chuckled quietly.

“No, I don’t doubt I have. If there’s more of that, then, bring it on.”

She smiled, her cheek sticking to his sweaty chest, which was rapidly drying in the coolness of the bedroom.

“I won’t be moving anytime soon. Although I could kill for a shower right now.”

Nina complained, the clamminess on her skin making her uncomfortable, although she was too drained to move just yet.

“Your wish is my command.”

He raised a hand. Before she knew it, she was cradled in his arms under the cool flowing shower in her bathroom.

‘Wow!’

It was her turn to marvel.