Rise (Camille Bishop Book 3)

by Ravin Tija Maurice

  As he picked up his pace a sudden urge washed over me, and I pushed him onto his back and straddled him. He looked up at me surprised, but with a deep passion in his eyes. Grabbing him again, I adjusted myself and put him inside me, moaning as I slid down until he was buried deep. The tips of his fingers dug into my butt cheeks and he moaned loudly.

  Taking his left hand I intertwined our fingers as I moved my hips back and forth. With his right hand he began massaging my clit as I rode him. My moans grew louder and he squeezed my hand before sitting up, so he sat on the edge of the bed with me still on him.

  We kissed, and he released my hand so he could help guide my hips as I rode him. The other still massaged my tender spot, and my toes curled and fingers tensed and I knew I was getting close.

  “I want to hear you.” His hot breath on my neck made me shiver.

  “What?” My thoughts were swimming as I was on the brink.

  “I want to hear you. I want to feel you. I want to know exactly what this does for you.” He put both his hands on my shoulders; criss crossed over my back, and began to push down as he thrust up. He also picked up speed, maybe he was close.

  I felt my insides squeeze around him, and we both cried out. The speed pushed me closer and closer, my moans getting so loud I thought I might scream. He did the same, and with one last hard thrust we climaxed together. Clinging tightly to each other, he lay back down and I went with him, his manhood still inside me.

  “Are you ok? “ He stroked the back of my head as he spoke.

  “Yeah. Are you? “I gently kissed his neck.

  “It’s ok we didn’t...”

  “Yeah. I trust you. You’re not sleeping with anyone else, right?”

  He hugged me. “No, of course not.”

  “And I'm on birth control. Also not sleeping with anyone else btw.”

  Rolling me onto my side, I lay my head on his arm as he kissed me. I closed my eyes, a blissful smile spreading across my face.

  Is this what love is really like?

  When I went to move my head pain stabbed into my neck and I cringed. Eric felt my movement; he adjusted me so he could look in my eyes.

  He kissed me softly, putting his hand on my neck and his warmth spread into me. That same energy still radiated from his gaze.

  “I have to tell you something, and I think you might be mad. But I still have to tell you anyways. I don’t want any secrets, especially if things get fucky tonight with Maritza.” Knowing what this confession could do, I seriously considered not doing it. “I know where the demon is.”

  “Are you responsible for it being in Bliss or did that just happen?”

  I pulled back at his statement. “How long have you known?”

  “Since the night we got Lemme back. There was a moment when I saw something happen, I wasn’t sure what it was at first. I’d never seen a demon possession before, but it was the only thing that made sense. That’s why Maritza is around isn’t it? Bliss’s coven knows something is up but they can’t figure out what.”

  My eyes lowered. “She claims to actually like Cuddy.”

  “How could she not?”

  “Are you mad?”

  He was quiet for a minute, and then said, “No. I wish you would have told me sooner, but no I’m not mad.”

  “Does Millie know? Or suspect something?”

  “Not that I’m aware of.” I put my palm over his heart. “For the record, I didn‘t put it in Bliss. I didn‘t stop it, but I didn‘t put it in.”

  “I figured as much.” He tilted my chin again towards him, putting his forehead against mine. “If Bliss‘s coven becomes an issue we‘ll deal with it. You just have to tell me. Ok? Whatever it is, we face it together. “

  I smiled, kissing the tip of his nose. “Together.”

  19.

  We stayed like that for a long time.

  I didn‘t even want to grab a blanket when I felt a little cold, instead I just moved closer to him. Every part of my being wanted to stay like this with him forever, but I knew how disappointed Cuddy and Ted would be if we didn't show up for this dinner.

  We went at it once more, this time slower, and with a level of passion I‘d never experienced before. It seemed odd to me that I‘d been with my previous partner for more than 10 years and it never felt like this.

  “What are we telling the boss man we were doing all day?” I asked as we got dressed.

  “You didn’t text him?” Eric said with a grin.

  “No! Jesus fuck, I thought you were taking care of it. Goddammit Eric!” I stopped when I saw him laughing. “What? That’s not funny.”

  “I told him before we left that we were going out on my assignment for Lewis. We’re good.”

  “The one you fell asleep at the other night?”

  “One in the same.”

  “So then you better tell me what the assignment is, just to keep our stories straight.”

  He laughed. “We'll discuss it while we’re driving.”

  Sticking out my bottom lip, I whimpered a little as I walked over to him. “I don’t want to go. I want to stay here.”

  “I think Ted would be more upset if we missed dinner with the happy couple than us missing work.” He tapped my outstretched lip with his finger, laughing at my expression. “And the weekend is coming up. We could do this all weekend, if you’d like.”

  My pout turned into a grin. “Oh, I very much like. Do you think you’d be up for it?”

  “Absolutely.” He took my face in his hands, kissing my lips. “We’ll just have to stock up on supplies.”

  “Supplies?”

  “Like food, Gatorade, you know.” He laughed as he pulled me into a hug. “Now let’s go before I change my mind.”

  Chris Lewis assigned Eric the job I wasn’t able to complete. Only now there were names and faces he kept an eye on, which meant Eric spent more time at Ren than I would like.

  Eric shrugged me off when I mentioned it. “Ninety percent of the time I am sitting outside in my car. And I told you, you can trust me.”

  “It‘s not you I don‘t trust.” I said flatly. “Maybe we should go see Moira and get you protection from Meg‘s powers. And Shae made those comments about Lewis.”

  “You’re not worried about angry drug dealers?”

  I chuckled. “From what I saw of them? No. Not at all. But October Daniels has some connection to Bliss. October helped dispose of Lucia Kinkaid's body.”

  “Noted.” He smiled and nodded as we turned on to my street. “Are you ready for this?”

  I spotted Maritza's little black sports car parked beside Ted's and I cringed.

  “Maybe Poppy will be home. That would make it much more interesting.” “Hello!” I called out when we came inside. Some thumping, then Cuddy stuck his head out from the kitchen.

  “Oh good! You’re here!” his face lit up like a kid on Christmas. A female giggled from somewhere in the house, Eric and I briefly made eye contact.

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Cuddy.” I kissed him on the cheek, passing by him towards the living room. “Is Poppy here?”

  “Fuck no. Dad gave her fifty bucks and told her to go away.” He shifted awkwardly as he spoke. “Sorry. Gotta go.”

  “Cas! You got my favorite nephew in law with you!” Ted yelled out from the living room. “Get some beer and come in here. Bring me one too.”

  I turned back to Cuddy to ask him to pass me a few out of the fridge but before I could Ted yelled, “My son is concerned we will get drunk and embarrass him!”

  “It wouldn’t be a Bishop family gathering if we didn’t.” Grabbing three beers, I handed one to Eric as we headed for the living room.

  Ted sat in his chair, and Maritza sat cross legged on the floor a few feet away from him. My uncle looked happier than I’d seen him in a long time; his big sil
ly grin made me wonder if Cuddy’s nervousness was warranted.

  Maritza took one look at us and her eyes widened, the glyph on her wrist flashed white for an instant. I smiled big. We left being naked for this, it better be amusing at the very least.

  “Whoa! Camille! When did you get the tattoo?” Ted exclaimed, pointing at my arm.

  “Oh.” Looking down at my arm, I’d forgotten to cover it. “Right. I did that recently.”

  “It’s very cool.” Ted yanked my arm over to him so he could get a closer look. “Why the sword?”

  “It’s Excalibur.”

  He paused, taking a minute to process. “Your Mom would have dug that.”

  “I hope so.” Kissing the top of his head, I handed him a beer before sitting on the couch next to Eric.

  “Maritza was just asking why we call him Cuddy.” Ted said.

  “You know, it’s been so long I don’t even remember.” I took a swig of my beer.

  “I know his mother hated it.”

  I chuckled. “I'm sure that was one of the reasons we kept doing it.”

  Ted laughed and didn’t say anything.

  “He was really little. I think it was around the same time he called me Cas for the first time. He had trouble speaking at first, and he probably said something like Cuddy when he talked about himself and we just went with it.”

  “He's not said much about his Mom….” Maritza began.

  I shrugged. “And he won’t unless you have to meet her. She's a grade A piece of work.”

  “Cas.” Ted warned.

  “What? I didn’t say the C word.” I raised my hands in defeat. “So is Cuddy actually cooking or what’s happening?”

  “Hey now. My son can cook! Just you wait and see.” Ted proclaimed.

  “So we're eating a lavish meal of pizza pockets and popcorn?”

  “Have a little faith Camille.”

  “We're actually doing cooking and nutrition as part of our phys Ed curriculum.” Maritza chimed in. “He's learned a few things.”

  Ted stood slowly, not quite swaying, mumbling he needed to take a leak and promptly left the room. Eric put his hand on my back protectively as I turned towards Maritza.

  “I'm happy to inform you that your info checked out, and mi reina does not feel she needs to speak with you on the matter.”

  I laughed. “So why are you still here?”

  She kept her gaze locked with mine. “Because I actually care for Christian.”

  “Before I begin, Eric meet Maritza, one of them bruja coven bitches. Maritza, the Merlin.” I pointed back and forth between the two of them. “You seem genuine. So, we're cool for now. But you have to give me your word that if something happens and I am not here, you will protect them. Can you do that?”

  She smiled. “Absolutely.”

  “They know nothing about any of this and I would like to keep it that way.”

  “Understood. And for the record I'm sorry about what Bliss did.”

  “Thanks. Me too.”

  But am I sorry for what I did to Bliss?

  Sorry, not sorry.

  Cuddy made one of the best chicken with mixed vegetables and rice dishes I’d ever eaten. Ted looked so proud I couldn’t stop smiling.

  Once everything finished and cleaned up, we said goodbye to Maritza and the boys went off to do other things while I said bye to Eric.

  “You could stay you know.” I told him as I played with the collar of his jacket. We stood on the porch; the air started getting a bit cold.

  He kissed me, pulling me into his arms. It felt like a quick kiss but with so much feeling. When I looked into his eyes that same hunger still shone out.

  “I'll see you tomorrow.” He kissed me one last time then walked to his car.

  “Let me know you got home ok!” I called out before he got in. He nodded in agreement, waving as he drove away.

  When I got back inside, Ted and Cuddy were both asleep in the living room; Ted in his chair and Cuddy on the couch. I covered them both with throw blankets we kept on one end of the couch.

  Once in my room, I put my phone on my bed so I could see when Eric called and I summoned the sword.

  My phone beeped with a text from Millie, asking if I found Eric. I let her know I did and he'd been working late, and that I would call her tomorrow. It felt weird not telling her about the sword, but it would involve more questions than I cared to answer at the moment.

  Standing on my area rug, I practiced holding and slashing with the sword. I'd dealt with some weapons in my life; coming from a family of law enforcement, we were taught to have a healthy respect and fear of the power a weapon can hold. But those were generally guns. My Uncle Don and Cousin Benny carried boot knives, but they were narcotics officers so it came with the territory.

  It felt like something I needed to attune myself to, something that should become an extension of my physical form. If it truly was my sword.

  After doing this for a little while, I sat crossed legged on the carpet with the sword laid across my knees. Closing my eyes and taking a breath, I tried to meditate for the first time.

  The benefits of meditating were pushed on me for ages. In the years after my parents died a laundry list of therapists attempted to teach me as a way to help alleviate my anxiety but I could not quiet my mind long enough for it to ever work.

  But something happened when I sat down. Maybe the energy from the sword played into it, I'm not sure, but my mind just opened.

  A wave of calm washed over me as if the world around stopped. It felt different than the whole out in the woods alone scenario, it seemed closer to floating in space. Part of me liked the nothing. Too much shit went on in my fucked up little world for me not to love a little silence.

  Another beep from my phone brought me out of my trance. Opening my eyes, I flicked my wrist and the sword disappeared. Something inside me felt more in sync. Like I could take on challenges on my own and keep standing.

  Not surprising Eric finally arrived home; he said he was exhausted and going to bed. Quickly acknowledging, I did the same, telling him I would see him at work tomorrow. After a happy morning with the boys, we arrived at work all smiles. And I continued to smile, watching the clock for when I heard Eric come in. We were one step closer to the weekend, one step closer to the alone time I so craved.

  While I waited I used a secret code Q got us to access Shae Rielle's personnel file. Ted said she'd been a cop a long time; surely there would be something I could learn about her.

  Listed as her emergency contact was the name Otrera Firefly. The file referred to her as her domestic partner. Given the date that Shae started, they'd been together it least 20 years.

  Shae came up around the same time as my Dad and Uncle Ted. Surely that meant she would be well acquainted with my father's former partner Dorien Reid. Funny that she said Chris Lewis wasn’t good but not a word about Reid.

  Her arrest record was high. Well respected and intelligent, on paper she would make a good mentor for Kiera.

  She operated in a world that I knew quite well, which meant it could be a way we relate to each other.

  When I looked at the clock again it was almost noon. And no Eric.

  Grabbing my phone, I skipped the text and called him. The phone rang and rang until his machine picked up; I hung up rather than leaving a message.

  A quick hop over my desk and I went to talk to Ramona.

  “Hey, is Eric here yet?” I asked Ramona.

  “No hunny. Maybe you should call him.” Ramona replied without looking up. Quickly thanking her, I dashed to the end of the hall to Chris Lewis's office.

  Knocking and immediately opening the door, Chris looked shocked to see me. He sat in his big desk chair, hunched over some papers.

  “Got any ideas where Eric is?” I asked him.

 
“Lost track of your boyfriend already?” He chuckled to himself. Mashing my hands into my pockets, I bit the inside of my lip to stop myself from lashing out.

  “I figured since he’s been sitting in a car outside your strip club you might know why he hasn’t shown up for work yet.”

  “He wasn’t there at my direction. I don’t know what he told you.” Chris looked briefly at me than returned to his papers. “And reign in that moxy at the office.”

  Bowing, I closed the door behind me.

  “What's up Cas?” Ted called out to me as I tried to bolt past his doorway.

  “I can’t find Eric.” I stood by his doorframe but didn’t look at him.

  “Maybe he’s still asleep.” Ted stopped typing. “Don’t do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “He's not Jesse, Camille. Don’t treat him like he is. I am sure it’s innocent.”

  I smiled, but I knew the expression looked weak. “I am sure it is.”

  Going back to my office, I tried to sit and do some work. Do something other than compulsively worry about where he was and what he was doing. I could hear Ted and Chris walking around and talking, my paranoid mind began to twist and turn. I became convinced they talked about me, about how stupid I was, how childish. That I could never do anything ‘normal’. More hours went by as I stewed in my own shit.

  I opened the tracking software on my laptop and typed in his phone number. Staring at the start button, thoughts ran through my mind a million miles a minute. In my very core I knew Eric wasn’t like Jesse. But something itched at the back of my mind.

  Why would he lie about Chris when he knew I could just ask him? Or Chris lied?

  Fuck it.

  Going through this kind of behaviour for so long made it part of who I am. It would take time to learn something else. I couldn’t erase so many years of bullshit in a few months.

  Pushing the button didn’t make me feel guilty one bit. Eric lied to me. And now he’s missing in action. I needed to know what was going on.