Redemption of Blood

by Michel Prince

  “Really?”

  “Yes,” she said as she lightly brushed her thumb along my bottom lip.

  “Quit stealing my moves,” I growled before nipping her thumb and sucking it into my mouth. Even if my injury was fresh I don’t think I could ignore my base desire to strip off every inch of Trish’s clothes.

  “Jimmy, we shouldn’t.” She let out a pained whisper when I ran my fingers through her hair and pulled her toward me. “You’re still not healed.”

  “You can heal me. Body and soul.”

  Our lips met in a hungered fusion of love, lust, and need. The taste of her lips and the feel of her tongue against mine made my loins curl and tighten. Her hand rested on my chest, then glided down my torso, around the gauze on my belly, and into my pants. Grasping my swollen shaft, she moved in an excruciating pace at first. The trembling of her fingers ceased as her strokes increased speed.

  Wetness escaped from my tip and Trisha shuddered as she let the fluid coat her fingers. Splitting her fingers over the tip she pulled back the head of my cock, tightening the skin and sending a shock straight down to my balls.

  The sweet sting of it combined with the pressure of her soft fingers to create a chain reaction in the nerves of my shaft. I tightened my grip on Trish’s head and drove my tongue deeper inside her mouth. She moaned again and the vibration against my lips was too much. Emotions had been running too high and too hard for too long. All my need burst forth in a spray of hot, wet escape.

  * * * *

  Trisha O’Driscoll

  “I probably shouldn’t have done that,” I gasped when Jimmy finally released my lips.

  “You should have done it sooner,” he growled, then licked his bottom lip. “That’s the best fever cure I know.”

  The cold washcloth that had been on his head had fallen to the side so I retrieved it and cleaned his mess. He ran his hands down my side and locked on to my hips. His fingers dug in and even with his injury he was able to lift me up and pull me into bed next to him.

  “How long before the doc comes back?” he asked while his rough hand cradled my cheek. His body curled onto his side and his leg locked around my hip.

  “Seriously, Jimmy,” I insisted and placed my hand on his chest. “You have a giant hole in your stomach.”

  “You’re right.” He sighed and rolled onto his back. “You’ll have to ride me.”

  “Jesus.” I giggled and snuggled against his side. Now it was my time to lock my leg around his and my arms held tight to his body. Finding the nook between his shoulder and neck, I let my body go lax.

  “Halfway there, sexy.” I looked up. He had one eye open looking at me, then he closed them both and rested again. “There are bigger things on me than the needle prick in my stomach.”

  “Have you seen your wound?”

  “I can feel it and it feels much better. That could just be you though.”

  His thumb pushed up my shirt just enough to rub on the exposed flesh above my waistband.

  “I could get really used to this,” he said on my forehead, then lightly kissed me.

  “Being injured and getting babied.”

  “Lying next to you for all eternity.”

  “When you say it like that it doesn’t seem as long.”

  “Funny, I thought it didn’t seem long enough to be with you.”

  I swallowed and hugged him tighter. As much as I tried I couldn’t reconcile the fact he was almost forty years my senior. I couldn’t help thinking that he was a kid in love. Worse that I was some crush he had that would pass when the school year started or another girl walked by.

  “I was told I’d lose my six-pack,” Jimmy said when my hand accidentally touched his bandage. “Did I?”

  “Do you have a mini-fridge in here?” I joked then moved up in the bed. I decided to kneel by his hip so if he wanted to see he could.

  “I’m serious, Trish. I’ve been too nervous to look.”

  “You’re that worried about your physique?” I asked, a little set back. Sure he had a nice body, but he didn’t seem like the type.

  “Not really, but…ugh…” He pushed himself up and I adjusted the pillows for him. He sat with his shirt off and his clearly defined biceps and shoulder muscles exposed. The tattoo that spanned around his neck and down to his right pec was a set of dog tags with a cross on the inked chain. Although the dog tags looked traditional, the cross had flames licking it.

  “Will you show me?” he asked as a bead of sweat slid down his temple. “I can’t look at it without someone to hold my hand.”

  I reached for him and caressed his lips.

  When I sat back on my feet and tugged on the tape holding down the large piece of gauze, Jimmy bit his bottom lip and I peeked underneath.

  “Wow,” I gasped.

  “That’s the expression you’re supposed to use when looking about six inches lower.” I gave him a small sneer then lifted the white sheet with two of my fingers. I licked my lips at the sight of his still firm cock. Then I sighed.

  “You need to get this belly to a hundred percent.” I rolled the gauze back.

  “Oh my God, it’s horrible.”

  “Baby, your skin isn’t gray, it’s suntanned like the rest of you.”

  “And?” he cried. “Look at that.” He pointed to the palm-size section of stitching around his belly button. Because his infection was uneven, the patch of skin secured by the stitches was a bit jagged. “Did that really come from my ass?”

  “I…Um…more your upper thigh.”

  “Why isn’t that sore?”

  “Something about your ability to heal? I don’t know.”

  “It looks wrong. I look like a girl on spring break that thought a sun around her belly button would be cute.”

  “Guess you’ll need some new ink to change it to a lion roaring.”

  He calmed a little at my suggestion. Touching the skin lightly at first he rubbed up and down on the flesh.

  “Yeah, a lion. Do I need the gauze?”

  “It’s still a bit oozy on the edge so I’d say yes.”

  After applying a fresh dressing I laid back down next to him and he began playing with my hair.

  “How long are you staying?” he asked.

  “Gabriel said you have to make a decision.”

  “You didn’t tell him I asked you to marry me.”

  “No, should I?”

  “Not if you’re saying no.”

  “I just think we should—”

  “Shhhh,” he whispered and placed his index finger over my lips. “Trish, we wouldn’t seal until I’m a hundred percent healed. I couldn’t put that burden on you, but I love you and I want to be with you.”

  “Then let’s talk to Gabriel.”

  * * * *

  Kiriana Kladshon George

  “Um…KK, can we get some privacy?” Schmitty asked as he entered the library wearing linens I didn’t even know he owned. Trisha clung to his arm. Although she wore a smile I could feel her nerves.

  “Something I should know?” I asked.

  “Later.” Schmitty smiled and Trisha ducked her head like a teenager.

  “Wow…” I inhaled sharply. “Congrats, but ol’ Gabe gets grumpy when you call him to come down and it’s not his day.”

  “Well, he’s been practically living here over the last few weeks, what’s one more day.”

  “Right. He is a romantic.”

  I left, but stayed close to the door. Something was eating at me and I wasn’t sure why this seemed like a bad idea.

  “Why have I been summoned?” Gabriel asked as the doors to the library flew open.

  “We would like to discuss sealing,” James said.

  “It’s not a discussion for me,” Gabriel replied. “Your mate would come to me and beg for the right. All things before that have nothing to do with me. Sans the fact she’s not supposed to be in the compound.”

  “I’ve been a bit
incapacitated of late,” James stated weakly and I heard the crunch of the leather couch as he sat down.

  “Since we’re being so informal tell me…how did you meet?”

  I peeked through the crack in the doors to see Gabriel sitting on the desk with his fingers curled around the edge. He must have lost his mind.

  “Okay, now you’re scaring me.” James shifted on the couch.

  “Sir,” Trisha spoke. “I love Jimmy.”

  “I’m sure you do. He’s a great guy, but being sealed isn’t running to the courthouse. I pull your soul out and merge it with his. His life becomes yours as does yours, his.”

  Trisha sucked in a long breath of air—not a good sign.

  “What are you doing?” Zarmina asked, and I jumped as she stood close to me using her stealth skill to sneak up on me.

  “Trisha and Schmitty are asking to be sealed."

  “You shouldn’t be spying.”

  I batted away Zarmina who ended up peeking over my shoulder, then looking back to make sure no one else in the compound caught us.

  “Hey, Z?”

  “Yeah?” she whispered.

  “You know how Gabe says we can go back and not remember during the ceremony?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you know what happens if the person says yes?”

  “I’ve only seen it once. Lars told me when he ran into the man in town he didn’t know who he was. I heard they just feel like they’d lost a few days.”

  My stomach turned and I leaned back to listen further.

  “There is no going back. It’s not for those who have a fleeting feeling of romance. Problems arise and it’s not for me to fix. You can’t run away. And you can’t just kick your mate out of your bedroom, can you, Kiriana?”

  Shit!

  “Told you.” Zarmina jetted off quickly to avoid punishment.

  “Yes you can,” I said to Gabriel. I swallowed hard and straightened my shoulders as I entered the library. “Just know you’ll have to let him back in eventually.”

  “Is there something I can help you with?” Gabriel asked.

  “I…Um…” I looked at Schmitty, then to Trisha who had her hand over her belly, and it hit me. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

  “KK,” Schmitty growled. “We’re kinda in the middle of something.”

  “I know, but this can’t wait.”

  “I forgot,” James chided. “You’re the most important person in the house.”

  “At least you finally got the message through your thick-ass skull.” I gave Gabe a pleading look. “Gabriel, there is something only Others know or understand about this process. I can’t discuss it in mixed company.”

  Hopping off the desk he turned to James.

  “This should be interesting. I shall return. In the meantime, James, why not tell your lady love about your adventures and why you haven’t worked off your debt to me.”

  “That was rude,” I said as we walked into the center of the foyer.

  “She thinks she loves him, but as you can attest it’s not always hot copulation and roses.”

  “Hot copulation…I’ll have to remember that one.”

  “You and Nye?”

  “Will be fine, eventually. What can I say; he still gets me all hot and in the mood to copulate.”

  “Good…I guess.”

  Gabriel crossed his arms on his chest and arched an eyebrow at me.

  “When I sealed with Nye,” I began, playing with my fingers as I did. “You said I had one last out.”

  “Too late now,” he said, dragging out the words.

  “I don’t want out.” I groaned. “What happens to those who do choose to leave?”

  “For the Frozen, a shell of the person collapses in their arms. It’s like a layer of their skin.”

  “Like a snake?”

  “Yes.”

  “And for the human?”

  Bringing his hands together he paced around me, then stared in my eyes. My stomach burned from a connection that once seemed so distant, but in this instance I knew.

  “They return to the world as if the romance had never been.”

  “They don’t remember anything?”

  “Yes, the time they have spent with the Frozen has passed but they have no recollection of it. Wishing you’d made that choice?”

  “Gabriel, she lost her child while with James. If she says no and you wipe her mind, you wipe his death. Schmitty and Trisha have been together for months, not just a week or two.”

  “You don’t believe she’ll accept the choice.” Something in his voice said he feared the same thing I did.

  “We can’t take that chance. You need to ask her before the ceremony.”

  “I cannot. If she says no I would still need to—”

  “Take her child from her and she won’t even know why. She won’t remember his death. She’ll think she abandoned him.” I walked to the living room and braced myself on the back of the couch. Gabriel stood behind me. I didn’t even need to see his face. I could feel the heat coming off his body. “When she finds out her child has died, what do you think she’ll do? She spent months in his room holding his hand. She made the choice to put him in a coma to knock out the infection. Even the memory of the decision will be lost.”

  “I can’t pick and choose her memories.”

  “They can’t be sealed then. You have to tell them no.”

  “You’re that sure she would not marry James?”

  “I’m not, but I know we can’t take the chance.” I looked over my shoulder. “Say it’s because of his injury or blame me, but you can’t let her seal unless you break your rules.”

  “You know I cannot.”

  “Then they can’t be sealed.”

  Chapter 13

  Her Royal Holiness, Princess LaDressa, Daughter of Lucifer the IV

  “YOUR Hol—LaDressa.” Masako entered my bed chamber with a large text in her hands. “I have located the information you requested.”

  “In the human catalogs? They had our documents? Our histories?”

  “Yes, although I do not believe they could even read the text. Those who distributed these among the humans had them locked in a room and treated as sacred.”

  “How did you obtain them?”

  “Years in your service have taught me to be invisible to the naked eye.”

  “And yet never to me.”

  “I have no reason to be, you are my goddess and light bearer. You are who I strive to appease and I could not do that if you could not see me.”

  “Masako,” I began as I extended my hands to take the book. “Is there anything in this text that I should worry about?”

  “There is one thing,” Masako said as she flipped to the page with the ritual. “You need the blood of an angel.”

  “How would I obtain that? Gabriel would kill me before I stepped one foot toward him.”

  “There are other angels.”

  “Yes, the street is flooded with them.” I sighed. “Masako, is it foolish of me to want Damarion? I’ve killed for him.”

  “And he for you, LaDressa.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I have been at your side since the day of your birth, your servant at the ready, but never had I seen you brought joy. That day when you caught Damarion watching you from below I saw a shift in you.”

  “My mother says I have blood lust.”

  “I would not dare speak ill of the Queen—”

  “But you have an opinion.”

  “If lust for blood runs in your veins it was put there in utero.”

  I extended my arms and pushed up my sleeves. My skin was now ringed with a burnt orange coloring in vine-like formations from my wrist to my elbow. The vines were thin with more thorns than leaves on them.

  “How did this happen?”

  “You have the mark on your arms of Lucifer and the mark of God on your back.”

  “It
is tearing me apart,” I howled and scratched at my skin. “My back aches from the weighted burden upon it and my skin burns against itself. I want to be rid of this world and back in my tower. Is this a punishment sent by my brother to drive me into the locked chambers?”

  “No,” Masako assured as she calmed me and took me to my bed. “This is the curse laid upon a family of fallen angels.”

  “Against my mother.”

  “Both of your parents.”

  “The pain is more than I can bear. I want to tear at my flesh and discard it in hopes that will take away sensation. What should I do, Masako? I beseech you tell me.”

  “What is in your heart?”

  “I want everyone to suffer for punishing me for doing nothing.” Rage surged up my spine as Masako’s comment finally hit me. “I was locked away for fear of what I might breed. My love stripped from this world and the next. They all must suffer. I want the Heavens to fall and Hell to be torn asunder.”

  My body shook as my wings emerged. Extended the black tips covered in blood, and I knew then this is the way they were. How they would always be. As is the way I would have to be in order to fly. Blood would run through the streets as I set forth on the night.

  With a flick of my hand the glass in the wall of my chamber shattered and I flew through the opening. My mind muddled and my vision reddened as I flew over the city. In the darkness of night I was unsure if I blended into the sky or not. The town square had only small dots from the lights around its edge. I cut across the air with such speed that I quickly found myself at the edge of the town.

  The freshness of the air that at one time had me gasping, now soothed the burning in my arms, but not my need to kill. I caught scent of something interesting and cut down toward the road. I found myself outside of a drinking establishment. Mixed within the smells of night and humans was something else…someone else. A smell I had occasionally found upon my mother.

  “What the hell are you?” a man asked when my feet found ground.

  Retracting my wings I walked up to the man who smelled of a toxin. A swish to my hip had him grinning like an animal at a saucer of milk. I let my eyes reflect an innocent lost soul and he stumbled toward me.

  “Something tells me you’re hot without beer goggles. You lost, little lady? Need a ride?”