by J. E. Taylor
Chapter Nineteen - Naomi
I could feel Valerie’s stare as I ended the call.
“Why aren’t you back there with him?” she asked when I handed her the phone.
“I’m no longer a vampire,” I said and the truck swerved slightly before Valerie got her shock under control.
“Is that why you went away?”
I met her gaze and shook my head. “No, we were on the run and still are.”
“From...” Valerie started and closed her mouth. Michael must have schooled her in the fact that saying an archangel’s name can bring them to you. Especially a fallen archangel.
I met her gaze and she inhaled.
“He did this to me,” I said with enough venom in my voice for her to know exactly who I was referring to. “And it comes with a hell of a price.”
Valerie slowed as she pulled up to the gate and pressed the button on the remote attached to her visor. The gate slowly opened and she rolled the truck through, engaging the remote again once we cleared the space. She waited until the gate latched and studied me for the first time, her gaze scanning me and falling on my left hand.
“You’re married?”
I smiled and glanced at the elaborate engagement ring and wedding band adorning my finger. “Yes. We got married as soon as he recovered...” I whispered. My mind drifted back to his fumbling proposal in the thicket near where we built our mountainside cottage. He wasn’t sure whether to get down on one knee or not, and his fidgety posturing had me laughing so hard that he almost didn’t continue.
I can still hear his exasperation when he told me to please stop, he had something important to say and he couldn’t while I was laughing at him. When I wound down, he dropped to his knee and took a deep breath before uttering the most perfect proposal, sending packing the last piece of my heart that still had doubts. I couldn’t help but love him even more and the certainty that we were meant to be together brought forth the only logical answer. Yes.
His expression morphed from the unsure and sincerely timid one he delivered when he asked me to marry him to the brightest, most dazzling smile I had ever seen. The fond memories of his proposal and the wild love making that followed brought forth a wave of fresh tears that I blinked away.
I already missed that all-consuming passion.
“Were you cured then?” she asked.
I shook my head. “I’ve only been cured for a week,” I said. God, it’s only been a week? Seven days since we last made love, since we last touched without him wincing. How am I going to survive without his touch for the rest of my life? The thought gripped me as the garage doors opened and we drove into the darkness.
“You know, we could prop the mattress against the back door,” Valerie said and I glanced at the doorway and the ambient light filtering through the window panes, glad for something else to focus on.
“That would work,” I said and we got out of the cab, crossing to the tailgate. After Valerie lowered the gate, we pulled the mattress out and maneuvered it between the truck and her little Fusion, leaning it on the wall so that it covered the entire back doorway and part of the back wall.
I returned to the truck and unhooked the utility straps around the tool chest. Within seconds of release, the top popped open and Damian sat up blowing air out of his lungs like he was attempting to control an all out anxiety attack.
“So, I hear you got married,” Valerie said as she leaned on the edge of the tailgate.
Damian sent a smile her way and then met my gaze. “Yes, I did.”
“So, what’s going to happen now that she’s back to normal?”
His gaze never left mine. “Honestly, I have no idea,” he said in all sincerity and my throat constricted, the lump getting bigger by the second.
Silence filled the space and Damian broke eye contact, glancing around the garage.
“Where’s your Uncle Ted?”
“He went with Michael,” I said and Damian pressed his lips together before he climbed out of the box. That was a look I was accustomed to receiving and I gave him my signature eyebrow raise in response.
“He shouldn’t have gone with Michael; that was a big risk.”
“Showing up here was a big risk,” I countered. “If I had known Valerie was living here, I never would have suggested we come home.”
“Hey,” Valerie interrupted and we both turned our gaze toward her.
“No offense, it’s just wherever we go, trouble seems to follow,” Damian said, diffusing the flash of irritation in our host’s face.
“Well, I am offended. I’ve missed your company. Uncle Ted means well, but he’s never played a game of chess in his life and he certainly isn’t as well read as you are.” Valerie’s glanced moved from Damian to me. “And I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” she added bringing her gaze back to Damian.
He stared at Valerie and then turned toward me. “I have never met two more stubborn and pigheaded women as the two of you.”
“Well, I’ve never met anyone so moody who didn’t have PMS,” I said and sent him a saccharine smile before hopping down to the ground next to Valerie. “Maybe we should leave him alone for a bit,” I said and glanced over my shoulder, meeting his exasperated gaze.
“Naomi, you know the dangers, but she doesn’t fully understand.”
Valerie turned on him. “I took quite a few advanced courses in theology for my undergrad degree, Damian, and I’ve had endless conversations with Michael about vampires and angels, so I know much more than you give me credit for. I know where you came from,” she said. “I know what kills vampires and demons. I know incantations to bring Michael here if we ever need him and I’m far enough along in my medical degree to understand genetics too, so don’t treat me like a child.”
All I could think was, Damian just got served, and I had to hide the smile that surfaced. Once I was sure I could keep my face neutral, I chanced a glance in Damian’s direction. He had taken a seat on the tool chest and ran a hand through his hair. I could tell he was measuring his response because his gaze was locked on the truck bed and not Valerie.
“I’m sorry,” he finally said and met her glare. “You’ve accomplished a lot in five years.”
Valerie softened. “I had to grow up real fast,” she said, reminding both of us of the hardship she had survived.
“I know,” he whispered, his gaze dropping and that all too familiar expression of blame crossing his handsome features.
“It wasn’t your fault,” both Valerie and I said in unison and we traded a glance. I guess she knew his expressions as well as I did, after all, she had known him all her life until I entered the equation.
He allowed a brief twist of a smile and he sighed. “Wireless?” he asked, pulling the computer out of the backpack.
“Yes. The passphrase is Angels with a capital A,” Valerie answered.
“Thanks. Why don’t you two go visit,” he said and tossed me my duffel bag. “I’ve got some work to do.”
I nodded and hauled the bag over my shoulder. “I’ll check on you in a little while,” I said.
He rolled his eyes and settled down on the truck bed, flipping the laptop open and started hammering on the keys.
Valerie gave us a strange look and then headed into the house, holding the door and waving me inside. She gave me a tour of the house, which was larger than the front indicated. The ranch sprawled out in a horseshoe with the living area covering most of the side where the garage attached and the sleeping quarters covered the opposite side. The family room opened to a u-shaped courtyard with a beautiful patio which surrounded a covered in-ground pool.
She led me to the guest suite and I sighed at the more than modest accommodations.
“This is the guest room and I don’t think Michael will mind letting you have it now that you’re back to being human,” she said and waved at the king size bed decorated with soft blues. “The bathroom reminds me of Damian’s in the old house.” Valerie swung the bathroom door op
en, showcasing a marble bathroom that could have been a replica of the one we used to have.
“Oh, Valerie, this is beautiful,” I whispered and the tears sprouted again, but this time I wasn’t able to stop them with a flurry of blinks. I dropped the bag on the floor and covered my face.
Her warm arms wrapped around me and I melted into her, letting myself succumb to the soul-strangling sobs.
Chapter Twenty - Naomi
I don’t know how long I cried, but when my tears dried up, I hardly had the strength to stand. Valerie led me to the bed and sat me down before disappearing into the bathroom. She came back with a damp wash cloth and handed it to me before taking the spot next to me.
“What happened to you two?”
I wiped my face and balled up the cloth, tossing it into an empty laundry basket that sat by the bureau. “The cure. Damian’s allergic to me now.” I detested the whiny quality of my nasally voice and sniffled, meeting Valerie’s gaze. “And if he ever bites me, it will kill him.”
“Jesus,” she said. “How did you ever drive together in the truck?”
“It’s not like hay-fever.” I gave her a smile. “Being around me isn’t the problem. We just can’t touch; otherwise he breaks out in blisters wherever our skin comes into contact. It has to hurt like hell, but it does nothing to me,” I said and the tears threatened again.
“Oh, Naomi,” Valerie said and took my hands.
“We had five extremely passionate and affectionate years and now...” I clenched my jaw as the anger flare. “Now I want to hurt that bastard as much as he’s hurt us,” I said and met Valerie’s gaze.
“I heard you hurt him pretty bad,” she said.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t succeed in killing him,” I countered. If I had killed Lucifer, we would still be playing in the snow in Denver or wherever our hearts led us, but now, we were forever separated by sun and blisters.
“Michael said you saved Damian.”
“Yeah. Damian tried to ditch me, to keep me safe. He fully expected to die for me.”
“I think he would have,” she said and I cocked my head. “I could see how deeply he loved you just by the way he looked at you. That’s why it surprised the hell out of me that you had only known each other for a couple of days. The way he looked at you was the way my father always looked at my mother.”
“And now?”
Valerie stared at me and sighed. “It’s still there, under a layer of soul-wrenching pain.”
Soul-wrenching pain. How damned accurate and it made me crack a smile.
“It’s the same way you look at him.”
My chin quivered and I nodded. “I can’t go for the rest of my life without touching him, Valerie. What the hell am I going to do?”
“Can he turn you again?”
I shook my head. “I’m immune to the virus and I’ve seen what happens when a vampire bites me. It’s a horrific death...” I closed my eyes and hung my head, unable to relay the details despite Valerie’s questioning stare.
She took my hand and squeezed. “Somehow, I’m sure it will all work out in the end.”
I met her gaze but kept my mouth shut. There was no fairytale ending to our story and I didn’t want to burst Valerie’s bubble, so I just offered a smile and a nod.
“I think I’ll take a shower if you don’t mind. I’m sure I’m a bit ripe after being in a truck for a little over thirty hours.”
Valerie grinned. “I’m in med-school, so I’ve smelled worse.”
“I’m sure,” I said and took my leave, scooping up my duffel bag on the way.
The heat of the shower lulled me into an exhausted trance, so much so that the ritual of showering went by without my knowledge and when I looked down at my hands, the shrivel lines of being in water too long creased my fingertips. I turned the water off and wrapped myself in an oversized towel.
Valerie had left the bedroom and I was grateful. I needed sleep, the down comforter and fluffy pillows were more than inviting. I crawled under the warm blankets and was out before my head hit the soft cotton.
Chapter Twenty-One - Damian
The garage wasn’t exactly warm, but it was miles beyond the frigid slap the box of the moving van contained.
I pulled the blanket tighter around my shoulders before resuming the web design I was already late delivering. My client wasn’t happy with the delay, but when I explained we’d moved across country and had run into complications that I hadn’t foreseen, they graciously gave me a couple of days more.
My fingers flew over the keyboard and I concentrated on the code string I was creating instead of the flurry of information I had obtained over the last two days. It was easier to drown in work instead of dwell on the possible scenarios for the future. All of them bleak and lonely.
My hands curled into fists and I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath and shifting my weight, forcing the thought brigade back.
“If you want this thing done by sunset,” I muttered, reminding myself again of the self-imposed deadline I set.
I opened my eyes and the creak of a door caught my attention.
“Hey,” Valerie said when she stepped out of the house.
“Hey,” I replied and looked behind her at the empty space. “Where’s Naomi?”
“Crashed,” she said and crossed the distance, hopping up onto the tailgate before settling down on the end of the truck bed. “Are you okay?”
This conversation was going to take longer than normal and I sighed, glancing down at my screen. I saved my work and put the computer aside, still trying to figure out what to say to Valerie’s question.
“Not entirely,” I said, opting not to bullshit her. She always could read through it anyway and I could see from the pity written in her expression that Naomi must have done some talking before sleep tackled her.
She just stared at me, waiting for me to continue.
“What do you want me to say?” I asked after a few minutes of silence.
“I don’t know.” She shifted so her back was against the tire-well. “Maybe you should start at the beginning?”
I narrowed my eyes and bit the inside of my lip against a snide remark. Valerie wasn’t the enemy and I couldn’t aim my anger in her direction. “What exactly do you know about me?”
Her smile accompanied a challenge in her eyes. “Everything.” She crossed her arms to punctuate her meaning.
“Bullshit,” I called her bluff. It had been ages since I’d had a mental spar with Valerie and I believe the last time she had just turned sixteen and we had a debate about cars. And the girl won.
“Son of Gabriel. Protector to my bloodline. The only vampire who can shape shift and the only one who looks like a normal human, even though you’re older than dirt.”
I felt the snort of laughter burn my nose. “Sweetie, knowing my history and knowing me are worlds apart,” I returned. “And dirt was around before I was born.”
All humor faded from her features. “I know you love Naomi and not being able to touch her is slowly killing you.”
I started to speak and paused, closing my mouth because she was right.
“I’ve seen this recklessness in you before,” she said and I cocked my head. Before I could ask, she continued, “A couple of nights before all hell broke loose here. I saw you stalk out of the house and the expression on your face is the same one you have now.”
“Excuse me?”
“You have the expression of someone who has nothing to live for.” She put her hand up to stop my argument. “There’s anger, just like you had back then, but underneath it, you’ve already given up.”
I pressed my lips together and stared at my feet stretched out in front of me.
“What the fuck is that all about?”
My gaze snapped to hers and whatever sympathy she displayed earlier was replaced with a harsh anger.
“I...”
“Don’t give me a fucking excuse. If you really love her, you’ll find a way to make this work.�
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“I love her,” I snapped, my defenses going into overdrive. “I love her so much it feels like a blade’s been shoved in my chest every time I go to reach for her. And it’s only been a fucking week. What kind of a basket case am I going to be after a year? Besides, how fair is this to her?” I pointed at the door, my voice rising with the fury filling me.
“And you don’t think it’s driving her just as crazy as it is you?”
“She’d be happier without me,” I growled.
“Oh, that’s bullshit and you know it. True love is much more than a good fuck,” she said, shocking the hell out of me. The Valerie I left didn’t talk so bluntly or crudely.
“I know that,” I muttered. “But I can’t even hold her hand.”
“It’s winter, wear driving gloves and hold her hand. Jesus, Damian, it’s like you were born yesterday. You’ve got a creative mind, why the hell aren’t you using it?”
“Because I’m angry right now. At every fucking little thing. It took twenty-five hundred years to find my soul mate and that bastard has succeeded in tearing us apart.”
“You need a good swift kick in the ass,” she glared at me.
“Why?”
“Because he isn’t the one tearing you two apart. You are,” she said and stood, hopping off the tailgate. “For such a smart man, you can be a fucking dumbass,” she added when her shoes slapped the garage floor.
“What the hell do you mean by that?”
She stopped halfway to the door and turned taking a deep breath. “Look at it as a challenge for you to overcome instead of a loss. It’s up to you to decide whether you will overcome it or not. If you don’t, Lucifer wins.”
My eyes widened at the drop of his name.
“Chill, the place is angel-proof, remember,” Valerie said before she turned, leaving me alone with the hum of my computer.
Valerie was always smarter than a human had a right to be and as soon as the shock wore off, her words bit at my nerves because she was absolutely right. It wasn’t what was thrown at us that mattered; it was how we chose to handle it.
