She’s going to be so embarrassed!
“Just hurry, Eden. I’m not scoping her out or anything. Let’s just get this done and her transformed,” Kyle says as he quickly unbuttons her shorts, which I pull off her.
I look up at him. My wife is lying on the ground, bare chested. Nothing is left on her but a small pair of lacy black panties. “I beg you not to look below her waist once I remove these,” I say to him.
His hand clasps my shoulder. “You have my word.”
I pull them off and stand up. Kyle holds her head up, cradling it in his lap. “Maybe you should change, Eden. Maybe you can get to her mind in that state. I’ll work on this end and you on that,” he says.
It might work!
“Cover your ears,” I tell them all.
I picture myself as the bird and suddenly I’m seeing things differently. I open my mouth and a loud shriek comes out. Fluttering my wings, I push air past my mate as I call to her with my mind.
Please let this work!
CHAPTER 55
ALYSSA
I feel wind blowing in my face. The beating of wings fills my ears. My eyes open to see Eden in front of me, but he’s in his bird form. His emerald eyes look at me.
“What happened to me?” I ask, but all I hear is a shallow shrieking sound.
I must be in bird form too. I move my arm and feel the wind ruffling my feathers. I stand up but feel a little wobbly. Eden walks around me. I keep my eyes on him and then I see Kyle standing next to me. I look right at Kyle, who’s smiling like crazy at me.
Eden moves out the large doors which lets in the only light into this dark thing we’re in. He sends thoughts to me, telling me to follow him. Then he shoots up into the sky, shrieking at me as his mind says, ‘Follow me.’
I stumble out of the barn thing, the light in the sky nearly blinding me. Moving my arms up and down, my feet lift off the ground and I’m in the air.
The wind on my face helps me to wake up. I feel groggy, but every flap of my wings seems to clear my brain a little more. Eden leads me very high up into the evening sky.
The sun is beginning to set over Lake Pontchartrain as we fly over it. The colors are so brilliant.
The mansion comes into view. I suppose we’re going there as Eden begins to fly lower and lower until our feet hit the ground.
I’m surprised to see we’re both birds still. I take a few steps, then I see Eden looking at me. He blinks his eyes a couple of times, then I hear his voice in my head, ‘How do you feel?’
‘I think I’m okay,’ I send back.
He sends, ‘Picture yourself in human form and you’ll turn back.’
I close my eyes and try to see myself as a human again. I feel a change. I can feel the breeze on my skin. I open my eyes slowly to find my husband standing in front of me. I’m engulfed in his embrace right away.
“Thank God, Alyssa. It worked. I was so afraid. I love you. I love you so much. I’m so sorry this happened to you,” he gushes.
“I’m okay, Eden,” I tell him as I laugh a little.
As he pulls his body away from mine I notice the breeze on my skin. My entire skin. Looking down at myself, my mind goes blank. “Why am I naked?”
Instead of answering me, he laughs. “How do you feel, really, Alyssa?”
“I feel okay, I think. The fact that I have no clothes on is problematic though. What happened, Eden? The last thing I remember, I saw your face and then heard Kyle knock that freak out. What happened to me?”
Eden takes my hand, leading me to the house. He pulls his shirt off and puts it on me, barely covering my ass.
“Stiles stabbed a syringe full of morphine into your shoulder just as you opened the door. I can’t believe he had the strength to do that after what I heard you do to him in there,” he tells me.
“I know! Like, I knocked him about six feet through the air into the wall and somehow he kept coming. Then I kicked him in the chin, splitting it open,” I say. “Then he pinned me against the wall, so I head butted him. I thought that was enough, but I guess I should’ve knocked him all the way out before I turned my back to him.”
I find we’ve made it to a side door I’ve never been in before. Eden opens the door, revealing a set of stairs. He leads me up them, and we come up to find a door at the top of the staircase. He opens it, and we’re at the back of our suite.
Once safely inside, Eden leads me to the sofa, and motions for me to sit down, then he kneels on the floor in front of me. “I’m so sorry this didn’t work out as well as I hoped it would. He should’ve never been able to lock you away like that. My mind was frantic at the thought he might hurt you and then he did. I wouldn’t blame you if you never forgive me for that. For the whole thing. This was entirely my fault,” he tells me sadly.
I have to stop him. “Eden, you stop that right now. I’m fine. I don’t know how I’m fine, but I am. Things happen. We made it through this without the ending being terrible. Now please enlighten me about what you did after I passed out.”
The skin crinkles around his eyes as he grimaces. “You really want to know, princess?”
I nod. “Of course I do.”
He proceeds as he looks down at my legs, rubbing them as he says, “Just as you passed out from the morphine, I was given a flash of what I had to do to keep you alive. The scene played out super-fast in my head. I had to get you into your bird form. I guess that, since you’re so much larger as a bird, the morphine wouldn’t be a lethal amount to you if you were in that form,” he tells me, then pauses for a second.
“Go on,” I coax him.
“I felt your breathing begin to slow to almost nothing and your heart beat was taking longer and longer between beats. Alyssa, please believe me when I say there was absolutely no time to waste,” he says with a sense of urgency in his voice.
“Why do you say it like that, Eden?” I ask, finding myself nervous about hearing the answer.
“You’ll see.” His eye twitches. “Well, one of our people works at the zoo and he took us to a closed off area they don’t use anymore. It used to be an enclosure for the giraffes, I think.”
“Okay, that’s not too bad,” I say.
“Um … let me see. How should I tell you this part?” he asks himself. “You know how sometimes people who get drunk pull their clothes off? Well, it’s because they feel constricted by them. The clothes actually make it harder for them to breathe. So, as you might have guessed, which I see by the blush on your face that you have, I had to undress you. I also had to ask Kyle to help me.”
“Wait a minute. I was lying on the ground, I assume. And I assume you covered me with something. So how much did he see?” I ask him.
“Okay, back to that then, huh? Like I said, time was of the essence and it became quite clear to me we had to hurry. So there was no time to go looking for something to cover you with. He saw everything, but I have to say he was a gentleman and didn’t ogle you,” he says.
“Oh, God,” I say, sitting up and leaning over. “I think I’m going to throw up.”
Eden stands up. “Should I take you to the bathroom, Alyssa?”
I sit back. “No, please continue. Don’t let my devastating embarrassment stop you,” I say, somewhat sarcastically.
He sits down next to me, taking my hand in his. “Well, as embarrassing as it is, everything worked. I transformed, then I was able to get you to come out of the drug’s effects pretty quickly after I got into your head, and got you to change too. Then I used my wings to blow air in your face, waking you up,” he tells me.
“And now we’re back home, and all that’s left to do is hide away from Kyle forever,” I whine.
Eden laughs a little. “If it makes you feel any better at all, I was embarrassed too. I never thought I would have to get my wife’s ex-boyfriend to help me undress her so we could turn into birds together and fly away,” he says.
I have to laugh a little as well. “We’re some messed up people, Eden. That’ll probably scar K
yle forever,” I say.
“He didn’t seem to mind,” Eden tells me as he laughs.
I blush seven times harder than before. “Eden, don’t tell me that!”
He smiles and stands up. “We need to get cleaned up and dressed. I bet everyone will be here soon,” he tells me as he pulls me up, then leads me to the bedroom.
He opens the door to our room. I’m pleased to see the glass on the balcony door has been replaced. It looks like nothing ever happened in here. I find I missed this place and my beloved jacuzzi tub.
CHAPTER 56
EDEN
I sit on the bed, watching my mate as she braids her hair. “I’m so glad that’s over, Alyssa. You have no idea the relief I feel, knowing you’re safe again.”
She rises, done fixing herself up. “Ready to go downstairs? They’re sure to be here by now.”
Her confidence is back and she glows with it. She chose a tight-fitting, navy blue dress, which fits her body like a glove. It occurs to me that many men would rather their wives not dress so sexy. Yet I love her to be full of confidence, and if she feels like dressing this way, I’ll be damned if I let some insecurity in me bring her down.
Taking her by the waist, it reminds me of how I held her when I brought her home from the hospital after her accident. I smile at her, then place a gentle kiss on her perfect cheek. “I have to hold you close to me right now, princess. I almost lost you today.”
She giggles as she leans into me and we walk down the staircase. “I love you and relish your attention. Your quick thinking saved us all.”
Niles is at the door to the formal dining room. “Your friends and family have been waiting for you. Please come in and sit down,” he instructs us.
“Good evening, Niles. It’s so nice to see you again. I’ve missed you,” Alyssa tells him.
His eyebrows raise slightly. “Well, I missed you too,” he states stoically.
My eyes scan the room quickly. I notice Galchobar is here, as well as my family and Alyssa’s, and Kyle and Laura. My eyes catch Kyle’s. He’s staring at my wife, his mouth slightly open.
Alyssa blushes and clings to me. She sends me, ‘I can’t do this. Get me out of here.’
I tighten my arm around her waist and send her, ‘You got this, princess. Keep up that confidence you have back.’
Galchobar rises and comes to us. “Good evening, Alyssa. I see everything has turned out well, all the way around,” he says as he motions to Kyle and Laura. “It’s a shame you were drugged. Thankfully, Eden was given the answer to your dilemma before it caused you permanent damage.”
Alyssa smiles at him. “Thank you for coming this evening, Galchobar. It’s nice to see everyone after the day I’ve had.”
“Everyone had to see you, Alyssa,” I tell her as I take her to sit at the table. Purposely, I seat her next to Kyle, then I sit on the other side of her.
The quicker she faces her embarrassment, the better.
She looks at the tablecloth as if it’s a work of art. I know she doesn’t want to look at him. I guess Kyle does too as he takes her by the chin and makes her look at him. “Hey, girl, you look a hell of a lot better than when I saw you last.”
“Please don’t remind me,” she mumbles.
Kyle looks past her to meet my eyes. He seems confused, so I say, “She asked about her state when I brought her home. I had to explain what we had to do.”
Laura leans up and looks at me. “Her state?” she asks.
Kyle gives me a slight head shake and I smile.
Shit, Laura!
Alyssa takes Kyle’s hand, moving it from her face. “Have you thought about what I offered you, Laura? About becoming a member of The Phoenix Foundation. Kyle’s a member, you know,” she says, and Kyle’s eyes go wide. “It just happened. Don’t be upset with him.”
Laura’s voice becomes high pitched. “Kyle! You joined the cult?”
Kyle closes his eyes and he turns to her. “It’s not a cult and I’d like it if you joined us,” he says, then turns back to look at Alyssa. “You didn’t tell me you asked her that, Ally.”
“Are you mad?” she asks him.
“I’m not mad, Al,” he says. “A bit confused, but not mad.”
“I want her to know,” Alyssa says, making the rest of the people at the table gasp.
Galchobar clears his throat. “My dear Mistress Fontaine, perhaps we should talk privately for a moment.”
Alyssa radiates confidence and I suddenly feel sorry for the old guy. “Are you going to tell me I’m not allowed to ask my best friend to join our organization, sir?”
“I would never dare to tell you such a thing,” he says, with a bow of his head.
Laura lets out a sudden laugh. “What in the hell?”
“Laura, maybe we should drop this and talk about it later,” Kyle says as he puts his arm around her.
“Now’s best,” Alyssa says. “This secret has gone on long enough. I feel as if I’m lying to her and I don’t like it. Kyle is in love with her and she him. It’s not fair to him to have to hide this from her. This is something which hurts me to make him do. I want no more of it.”
Kyle looks at her with a frown. “Don’t do this because of me, Ally. I can’t allow that and you know it.”
Laura pushes his arm off her shoulders. “You can’t allow her?” she asks with a glare. “This man bows to her as if she’s the damn Queen of New Orleans and you tell her you can’t allow her to do something? Tell me, Kyle, when did you get this power over her?”
“She needs to know,” I say as I turn my attention to Galchobar. “She’s not a threat. Her character is good and she’d be a help to our causes.”
Laura stands up and looks around at us all. “Wait one minute, Eden. I’m not about to join this thing. You may have pulled Kyle in, but I’m not going to be suckered into anything.”
The tall-stemmed glasses, one filled with red wine and one with water begin to shake in front of Laura. “Sit!” Alyssa says quietly.
Laura sits down immediately. “Ally! What are you doing?”
The glasses stop shaking and Laura looks at them. Alyssa leans over to Kyle. “I want to show her how we communicate.”
“Ally, you’re going to freak her out,” he says as he shakes his head vigorously.
Laura leans up to see them better. “How do you communicate?”
Alyssa meets her stare. “Tell Kyle anything you want. Any little detail or a long detail. Anything you want. Then he’ll tell me, only he won’t be speaking to me out loud.”
“This is crazy,” Laura says, then pulls Kyle back and whispers quietly into his ear.
Kyle’s eyes go wide and he smiles. “Maybe you should say something else. Because this is real, Laura, and that just might bite you in the ass.”
“Just do your little party trick, Kyle,” Laura says with more than a touch of sarcasm. “Only I want to stand behind Ally, so I can make sure you don’t mouth the words to her.”
Laura moves to stand behind my mate and watches Kyle like a hawk. Alyssa’s cheeks turn red as Kyle sends her whatever it was Laura said to him. She looks up at Laura and says, “You dirty girl. You better come here and let me whisper that back to you, or you will die of embarrassment.”
Laura’s smirk fades as she leans down and Alyssa whispers in her ear. She stands back up and says, “No fucking way!”
Alyssa nods her head, as does Kyle. Laura throws her arms in the air and goes back to her chair, plopping down on it. “Okay, how’d you do that?”
“Telepathy,” Alyssa says, then takes a sip of wine. “If you don’t mind, Laura, I’m starving, so let’s get this all out in the open and as you eat the delicious dinner we’re about to be served, you can let it all settle into your mind.”
Laura gives a faint nod and Kyle wraps his arm around her shoulders. “Go for it, Al. I won’t let her run off or pass out.”
Alyssa smiles, then says, “Eden and I can transform into large—well, maybe large is too small of
a word. Do you think large is adequate, Eden?”
“I like the word giant. It suits us better,” I answer.
Alyssa nods in agreement. “You’re right. We can transform into giant birds. They call us Phoenixes and we help people. Along with that little gift, we have telepathy with each other. I also have it with Kyle. That’s all the gifts we’ve been given so far. Oh, yeah, and we can make things happen. Like I made you sit and shook the glasses. Little things like that. I don’t know if Kyle can.”
Laura turns her head to look at Kyle. “You have some type of powers too?”
He shrugs. “I’m extra strong and I think I can sense danger, but I need to practice that more.”
“Why?” Laura asks.
“That’s an excellent question, Laura,” Alyssa says. “Eden and I were chosen before our births by Our Creator. The wedding was not a theme wedding. It was an ancient one. Galchobar, here, is an immortal. He officiated the very first wedding of the original Phoenix couple.”
“Shut up!” Laura says as her eyes roll to look at Galchobar.
“I will not,” Alyssa says with a laugh.
Laura looks back at Alyssa. “You gave Kyle powers. Can you give me some?”
“It wasn’t me who gave him powers. I don’t have that kind of power. It was Our Creator,” she answers.
Looking up at Kyle, Laura asks, “But why you, Kyle?”
Instead of answering her, he turns to look at my mate. It’s she who answers. “Laura, I’ve had love in my heart for Kyle for several years. As he’s had for me. When the change began to happen in me, he got stuck in my heart. It pulled him along with me.”
“He’s yours?” Laura asks.
My wife nods. “But only a bit of him is. The rest of him can be yours, or whomever he chooses. I belong to him in a way as well. He’s my primary guardian,” she says, then looks back at me. “Please help me think of another name for him, Eden. I detest that title.”
“Of course, princess,” I say as I place a kiss on top of her head. “Laura, he is her protector. Nothing physical can happen between them. You will never lose him to her.”
Kyle looks at my wife and smiles. “You got that right, doesn’t he, Al?”
His Sweet Torment: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance Page 136
