Fallen: Dominic

by Tiffany Aaron

  “Is there someone there you’re dating?”

  Danielle laughed. “No more serious discussion, huh? There’ve been a few guys I’ve dated, but none seriously.”

  “But you are interested in the archaeologist you mentioned.”

  “Sure. Who wouldn’t be? He’s tall, rugged and quite intelligent. Of course, he thinks I’m a pain in the ass. I tend to be called in by the Field when they want some of his artifacts authenticated. That really annoys him. He’s not happy when they choose not to believe him about a date.”

  “He doesn’t know you’re a fallen angel.”

  “Hell no. Do you really think a scientist would believe in something he can’t prove? There’s no proof that we existed except in legends. All legends have a touch of truth in them, but angels rebelling against God? That’s a little far-fetched even for fiction writers.”

  “Would you have to tell him if you were involved?”

  She shook her head. “I haven’t told any of the men I’ve known over the centuries. It wasn’t important for them to see me as I really am. I’ve outlived them all.”

  “Do you think if you could convince him, you might be tempted to tell this scientist of yours?”

  Danielle felt her face heat up. Who would have thought she could blush after all these years? “I could very well be tempted to tell him, but it wouldn’t work out. He’d never believe me and I won’t risk him thinking I’m crazy.” She looked at Teresa. “Why were you so quick to believe Dominic? He said you accepted his story right away without any doubt.”

  Teresa smiled. “I’ve always believed in angels. It’s not hard for me to believe in the ones who fell either. Something about Dominic has always made me think he was different. I’m not worried he’s crazy or anything like that. He’s been my best friend for years and has never shown me anything other than kindness and love. Maybe I’m selfish, but I’m glad he fell. If he hadn’t, I would have never had the chance to meet him and love him.” She yawned. “I’m sorry. I’ve just been so tired lately.”

  “That’s okay. Why don’t you go take a nap? I think your clerk and I can take care of things for a while.”

  She went upstairs and took a nap. When she got up, it was several hours later. She rushed downstairs to find Danielle and her clerk doing just fine without her. Danielle grabbed her purse.

  “I have to go. Dominic will be here to pick you up in a few minutes. Be careful tonight.”

  Teresa wondered what she meant, but the other woman had left before she could ask her. Dominic came in a few minutes after Danielle left. He smiled at her and helped her close the store.

  “We’re going to my house for a little while. There’s some place we need to go later on tonight.”

  She didn’t argue, even though she didn’t feel like doing anything except going back to bed. They locked up the store and drove to his townhouse. They curled up on the couch to watch the late night news. She dozed while he waited for the call. At eleven, his phone rang. He listened for a minute.

  “Grab your jacket.” Dominic shut his phone.

  “Why?”

  “We’ve been invited to a Vodou ceremony.”

  “You’re kidding. Why would they want us there?”

  “I’m checking to see if Delacourte shows up.”

  “If the spirit has possessed him, isn’t it a risk for it to come to a ceremony?” She followed him out of the house.

  “Tonight is an important night in the Vodou religion. No one misses this ceremony. It’s our best chance to observe him.”

  Dominic’s car was parked at the curb. He helped her in. Making his way around to the driver’s side, he wondered if taking her was a good idea. If the spirit possessing Delacourte was fixated on her, it might see this as an opportunity to take her. He shrugged. There was no one he could leave her with. Danielle was busy and there weren’t any other Enforcers in the city at the moment. He would take his chances and hope he could protect her.

  She reached over and took his hand after he pulled away from the curb.

  “It’ll be fine.”

  He wanted to believe her with everything in him, but something told him things were about to get worse.

  Randy was standing outside waiting for them when they pulled up. He helped Teresa out of the car and shook Dominic’s hand.

  “Don’t say anything. Just watch and if anyone looks at you, bow slightly and say bonsoir. Just be respectful and see if you find Delacourte here. No one’s seen him around lately, but that doesn’t mean anything.”

  “Thank your oungan for us. I really appreciate it.” Dominic held on to Teresa as they moved into the Vodou temple.

  There were already over a hundred people there. The ceremony had started. The drums kept the rhythm for the chants. People began to move as the spirits entered the room. Dominic didn’t pay attention to the ceremony. He had seen the slaves practice their form of Vodou centuries ago. He kept his eyes on the worshippers. The power of the priest was strong and he could feel the spirits moving among the living.

  An hour later, he decided to leave. It looked like Delacourte had decided against coming to the service. He could tell Teresa was getting tired. She had begun to cling to him. He nodded at Randy and they made their way out of the exit and toward the car.

  Chapter Eight

  Teresa was quiet until they got out of the car. As they were making their way into the house, she couldn’t hide her outrage anymore.

  “How barbaric.”

  Dominic glanced down at her with an intrigued gaze. “In what way?”

  “All those drums and chants. I thought they were going to start sacrificing something. It was so uncivilized.”

  “You do know that ancient pagans believed Christians to be cannibals, don’t you?”

  “You’re joking. Why would they believe that?”

  Dominic held open the door and ushered her in. “Communion. ‘This is my body, broken for you, eat of it so you may have eternal life. This is my blood poured out for you, drink.’ Why wouldn’t the pagans take those rituals literally?”

  “Those are just symbols. Rituals we do to help bring us closer to God.”

  “So are all those chants and drums. The black coffin and the blood. It’s all their way of getting closer to their ancestors who they believe will help them in this world. Those who practice Vodou believe in God, but they see Him as distant. He doesn’t join in the every day moments of their world, but their ancestors do and can affect things that happen in the world. I learned long ago, it doesn’t matter what religion a person professes to follow, ultimately they’re all worshipping Him, just with a different name and customs.”

  “Do you really believe that?”

  “Yes. Christians call Him God and the Jews call Him Yahweh. What’s in a name if the meaning is the same?”

  “I don’t understand how you can be so accepting of this religion. It’s hard for me to see God in what they do.” She threw herself down on his couch.

  His eyes caressed the creamy thigh revealed by her skirt. Smiling, he went into the kitchen where a bottle of wine was open and breathing on the counter. He thanked Mika’il silently. He grabbed two glasses and the bottle.

  Heading back to the living room, he said, “There are some who would say as a fallen angel, I should be happy to turn my back on the Father and accept every depravity in the world.” He poured her a glass of wine.

  “Why haven’t you?”

  “I admit I went a little overboard for a few centuries after the Fall.” He stared into his glass. “I didn’t kill anyone, but I used people. I hurt them in ways I’m not proud of. I’m not sure what would have happened if Mika’il hadn’t found me. He came and offered me a chance.”

  “A chance at what?”

  “At making my time on earth mean something. He didn’t want my entire purpose to be thrown away because of one moment of madness. He said that he needed help hunting down the fallen that were driven into insanity. Those fallen that had started killing
and destroying mortals wherever they found them. Mika’il looked into my heart and soul. He didn’t find any madness there, just sorrow and pain. He said I had a choice to make. I could stay the way I was, broken and bitter, using mortals until one day I killed one or I could help him and maybe find a way to earn God’s forgiveness.”

  “Did you jump at the chance?”

  He laughed. “I probably should have, but I told him I needed time to think about his offer. Why should I help a God that turned His back on me?”

  “What did you do?”

  “I turned into a thief. I stole priceless works of art before anyone knew they were going to be worth millions. I took jewels and paintings. Anything and everything I could get my hands on, I took. There wasn’t any way anyone could stop me. How could they when I could appear and disappear at will? I could turn myself invisible and they would never know I was near. I came to America and built my plantation. I used it to store my ill-gotten gains.”

  “What happened?”

  “Mika’il happened. Like always, he came to destroy my fun. He does tend to put a damper on things at times. He made me return everything I stole and he made me make a choice. I chose to help him. I guess I thought it would be interesting and entertain me throughout the centuries. I didn’t stop to think about how heartbreaking it would be each time I had to capture one of my brethren. Each time I do, I stop and say a prayer because somehow there but for the grace of God, go I. Each one of the unrepentant could have been me if Mika’il hadn’t been so insistent that I join him.”

  “Mika’il means a lot to you.”

  “As the warrior angel, he is busy fighting demons and other troubles, but he also has the utterly thankless job of keeping track of us. He deals with the unrepentant and Enforcers alike. I would never be able to do what he has done for centuries.” He drank a silent toast to his friend and leader.

  “He sounds like a nice guy.” She was silent for a moment. “Have you ever been in love?”

  He smiled sadly. “For every century I’ve lived, there’s been a woman I’ve loved. Eventually, they die.”

  She laid her head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

  “Maybe it’s foolish to open my heart each time, but I could never convince myself not to fall in love.”

  “It shows courage.”

  “In what way?”

  “A mark of courage is to keep falling in love even though you know you’ll always be the one left alone.”

  “It might be a mark of insanity.”

  “If it is, I’m glad you’re insane.” She kissed him.

  He let her take the lead for once. There was a certain weariness in his soul that night. He let her unbutton and take off his shirt. He lifted his hips when she stripped his pants off him. When she told him to lie down on the floor in front of the French doors, he didn’t argue. She opened the doors to let the warm breeze caress their skin.

  She ran a finger over the cross on his chest. “What’s this for?”

  “Each Enforcer wears the brand of the cross on his chest to remind him who he’s working for.”

  “That must have hurt.”

  He shrugged. “It wasn’t nearly as bad as when our wings were taken.”

  She leaned down and traced the brand with her lips. “Roll over.”

  He did and groaned when she traced the scars on his shoulders with her tongue.

  “My mother always gave me a kiss to take the pain away.”

  “It works,” he rasped out through a choked up throat. Tears were welling in his eyes. No one had ever taken the time to kiss away his pain.

  With each caress and kiss, she showed him how much she cherished him. By the touch of her fingers and stroke of her tongue, she told him of her love. She told him how thankful she was that she spilled coffee all over him that fateful day five years ago. She learned every inch of his body. The spots that made him groan and the places that made him cry out with pleasure.

  She suckled his nipples like he had done to her. They both enjoyed it. Her hands explored his shaft and his balls with feather light touches and firm grips. He couldn’t help but call out her name as she stroked him firmly and swiftly. His climax was building with each touch, but he tried to hold out. He didn’t want to come until she went with him.

  Straddling his hips, she poised herself above him. As she slid his cock into her moist warmth, she smiled at him and said, “I love you.”

  He surged up into her and spoke of his love for her in every language he could remember ever speaking. Together they rode each other and sought the highest reaches of pleasure. When they both peaked, they found Heaven together and knew that as long as they were together, Heaven would only be a moment away.

  She collapsed on him and sighed. “I feel like I could sleep for a week.”

  He rolled over and climbed to his feet taking her with him. “Then let’s go and see if we can.”

  He didn’t notice how she felt lighter in his arms. She didn’t notice how she was weakening.

  * * * *

  While the lovers slept, a killer hunted the night for his next victim. The lust for blood and power raced through him, but hidden deep within his heart was the hope that this time the Enforcer would hear his cry for help and answer it. He didn’t care how many he had to kill to satisfy the thirst for the overwhelming power flooding him when their life left their mortal bodies. Mortals weren’t important or even worth his worrying about them. He had never understood why the Enforcers had such an empathy with them. Mortals were weaker and cynical. Their ability to believe in faith or God had diminished so much over the years, the fallen was surprised He allowed them to live.

  From the beginning of the Fall, he had known he wouldn’t be able to survive not being in Heaven. He was surprised he had made it this long, but the time had come for him to die. He couldn’t take it any longer. The scars on his back burned more and more every day. There were more pains in his head with each sunrise. All he wanted was to rest and the only way he was going to get that was if the Enforcer killed him.

  He grinned as he spotted a single woman walking alone on the Moon Walk beside the Mississippi River. How stupid could mortals be? There were warnings about the serial killer and here one woman walked in the dark. He wondered if she was looking for someone to kill her. Maybe she decided her life should end, but didn’t have the nerve to do it herself. He chuckled. Hadn’t he decided the exact same thing? He had come to New Orleans for that specific reason. Stalking her in the shadows, he waited for the right moment to grab her. It would be his fifth kill and he hoped the Enforcer would finally come to get him.

  * * * *

  Vincent stared into the dark night. He had followed Dominic and Teresa around all day. He smiled to himself. LaFontaine knew something was happening, but it was already too late to save the woman. He had seen how pale she looked and he knew the spell was working. Soon they would realize how much power he had.

  Who would have thought that spells and curses would really work in this day and age? He had always thought the person needed to know they were cursed. The effectiveness of the spell relied directly on the ability of the person to believe in the curse. If they believed, they would get sick. Yet it looked like the spell didn’t need belief for it to work because Teresa didn’t know the curse had been cast and she was starting to waste away.

  He laughed softly. Ever since the other spirit had shown up to help him, his every wish had come true. He made money by the fistfuls and women were falling over themselves to sleep with him. All women except for Teresa Ryder. Growling, he couldn’t believe she had chosen someone else over him, even if that someone else was the most powerful man in New Orleans. LaFontaine didn’t have anything more than he had. Who knew what she saw in the man, but Vincent knew their relationship wouldn’t last much longer.

  He went inside to his study where he had a set of blueprints spread out. They were prints of the hotel he planned on building on the site of Teresa’s bookstore. Once she was dead, LaFonta
ine wouldn’t want to keep the building and Vincent would buy it. One more chance to make money.

  Chapter Nine

  Teresa awoke with a wracking cough. Dominic was worried, but she managed to convince him it was just the flu. She really did think it was just a cold. They had breakfast together and he dropped her off at the store. She worked for only a short time before she found herself falling asleep where she stood. She headed upstairs to take a nap. Several hours later, Dominic woke her up with a kiss.

  “Honey, have you been asleep all day?”

  “What time is it?” she murmured.

  “It’s almost eight at night.”

  “Really? I was tired when I got here this morning so I thought I would take a nap. I didn’t think I’d sleep this long.”

  “It’s all right, sweetheart. Do you want to have dinner here?”

  “Please. I don’t think I have the energy to go anywhere tonight.”

  “Fine.”

  He went out into the living room. Before he could turn on the TV, Danielle appeared beside him. She glared at him.

  “It’s time, Dominic. You can’t wait any longer.”

  He didn’t pretend to misunderstand her. “She’s not feeling well.”

  “I can watch her. It doesn’t break any vow I made to protect a mortal from one of her kind.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You have to do it. He killed two people last night. That makes six so far and he shows no signs of stopping. I can’t believe you’re thinking about not honoring your vows.” She paced from one end of the room to the other. “Mika’il will only take so much of this insubordination before he comes looking for you, Dominic, and you don’t want him to find you.”

  “I can handle Mika’il.”

  “No, you can’t. Why are you even thinking like that? No one can handle him unless it’s Christian and you know how Christian feels about him. Don’t risk his anger. Go and take care of the unrepentant before any more die.”

  He stopped her and stared into her eyes. “You promise me you’ll take care of Teresa and not let anything happen to her.”

  “Nothing will harm her while I’m here. I promise and I don’t make promises lightly.”