Mystery's Choice (Vengeance Of The Fallen Book 1)

by Tanya Simon

  15

  Seth noticed the dark circles under Mystery’s eyes as they sat down to dinner. He had guessed why Ryan went to a hotel, but until he’d seen Mystery’s face, he’d thought Ryan’s feelings were one-sided. He lowered his head and ate his peas. After dinner they played rummy and he let Mystery win a few hands, until she called him on it. She walked around the table to sit on his lap.

  “Aren’t you going to ask why Ryan left?” She rested her head on his shoulder.

  “I know.” He turned her to look at him. “It’s only natural, he was here helping you get through the last six months and I wasn’t. I just know neither of you would hurt me, you both love me.”

  “I don’t know why it happened.” Mystery said returning her head to his shoulder.

  “I do.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he doesn’t run and hide. He stayed here and took care of you and went looking for me for days on end. He called you every night to make sure you were okay and to let you know he was fine. He stayed.”

  “You have been dealing with this longer than he has. You had a right to freak out.” Mystery lifted her head and glared at him.

  “That may be true. But we both know no matter how long Ryan had been dealing with this he still wouldn’t have run. Ryan’s never run from anything in his life. He will stick by you every step of the way. He will never make you wonder if this is the something, which will make him take off. You have feelings for him, because you can see his strength.”

  Mystery settled in Seth’s lap, she wished nothing Seth was saying made any sense. But she knew he was telling the truth.

  “I still love you, Seth.” She hugged him.

  “I know.” He hugged her back and wondered how long it would be before she loved his brother more.

  Ryan lay across town and dreamed of his brother’s fiancée. He kept seeing the way she had caressed his body with her eyes. He knew it was wrong but he couldn’t help it. His heart hurt and he rubbed his chest, God help him; he was falling in love with her.

  Mystery hummed softly to herself as she let the warm soapy water fill the bucket. Dunking the mop up and down in it she allowed herself to pretend she had a normal life. She could finish mopping the sunny kitchen and start baking cookies for her family for when they came in from school and work.

  She fantasized Jeremiah had come home unscathed and was now in school. She and Seth had other happy, healthy children who were proud to call him brother. They all would sit around the kitchen table and tell her how fascinating their day had been. Later, Seth would come home and they would gather as a family to eat some mundane dinner like meatloaf. The kids would do their homework and go to bed. And Seth and she would quietly make love behind a locked door. Mystery wanted that life desperately. Instead she had a never-ending nightmare. Her powers had grown in strength enough to protect them while they slept. And she almost had Seth believing she would win the battle eventually.

  Mystery walked back over to the sink to dump the dirty water after she’d finished mopping. As she rinsed the bucket she began to think about how much she missed having Seth in her bed. It had been two weeks since Ryan had left for the hotel. Things between the brothers were strained; things between her and Ryan were awkward. Seth had moved into the guest room one night last week. He claimed she had called out Ryan’s name in her sleep. He wouldn’t talk about it, he just ignored the problem, and instead of it getting better, things between them were becoming more and more distant. She put the mop and bucket down with a newfound determination; she would just have to make sure Seth moved back in with her. Mystery decided a romantic meal and some candlelight might break the ice. She smiled. And with any luck, she wouldn’t be sleeping alone tonight. She closed her eyes and dreamt about how nice it would be for Seth to come in the door and put his arms around her like he used to.

  Mystery shrieked as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her. She looked down and her vision blurred, for she could see no arms there. The arms loosened their hold and invisible hands began to knead her breasts. Mystery’s head fell back and she moaned. The hands turned her so she was facing her invisible lover. They lifted her up and placed her on the kitchen table. He unzipped her shorts and pulled them and her underwear down her legs and off over her bare feet. He spread her legs. A disembodied chuckle filled the air as Mystery’s breathing sped up. She gasped in shock as a finger slowly worked itself inside her. Slowly it moved in and out, in and out. Mystery could feel a broad chest pressing her down on the table and an invisible mouth kissed her, its tongue imitating the motion of the finger. She felt the pressure building and building until she thought she would die from the pleasure. He used his knees to press her legs further apart and then he rammed into her. The shock made Mystery come. She held onto the sides of the table as he worked in and out of her furiously, the friction almost too much, just this side of pain. Then she felt herself coming again and with a primal shout and one last shove her invisible lover came. In the next instant, she was alone in the sunny kitchen again and she was so cold. She curled up in a little ball on top of the table and cried. Mystery dozed for several hours, so when she awoke the sun no longer shone through her frilly yellow curtains. When she slid off the table she realized she was sore. She slowly bent to pick up her clothes. When she looked down at her body she could see it was covered with bruises. She sighed resignedly and got dressed. Mystery jumped as she heard a voice call her name.

  “Mystery, my darling child.” Cain smiled as she backed away from him. “What, no hug for your old man?”

  “Screw you!” Mystery yelled at him. She made herself stand her ground.

  Cain chuckled. “My little gift wasn’t enough?” he moved toward her, “very well, bend over.” He finished matter-of-factly.

  “Why are you torturing me? If I am your daughter, why don’t you just leave me to lead the life that makes me happy?”

  “It is not my wish to torture you. I just need you to come home. As for my gift, I figured if you sampled someone worthy of your sexual talents and stamina” he was close enough to toy with her hair, “you could begin to see how inadequate your life here, with him, is.” He cupped her face in cold, cold hands. “Come home, my daughter.”

  “Never!” Mystery jerked away from him and focused her thoughts. He stepped towards her, she raised her hand and he roared angrily as he slammed into an invisible wall.

  Mystery gasped, all the air was being sucked out of the room, out of her body. She screamed as she burst into flames. Calming herself, she thought about cool, clear water extinguishing the fire. Slowly, the flames died. She centered herself and with everything in her concentrated on banishing her father from the room.

  “I’ll be back!” Cain bellowed as he began to fade. Mystery fell to her knees and wept. He would definitely be back.

  Seth surprised himself. He knew he had lost Mystery to his brother, yet he kept hoping he would come home and find things between himself and Mystery like they used to be; she wasn’t staying out of obligation; he wasn’t staying out of fear. He knew sooner or later Mystery would figure out how to beat Cain and then all of this would be over. Yes, he occasionally came home to find the house ripped apart and Mystery scrubbing muck off the walls but all in all things had gotten better. It was like just having Ryan near by and having him add his protective powers to Mystery’s was swinging the battle in their favor. His food no longer came to life when he cut into it, and he never drank any body fluids, just beer and the occasional o.j. Things were going smoothly with the review board, if they continued the way they had been he would definitely be starting his residency over in the spring. He had his drug problem under control. If he and Mystery could find their way back to each other, life would be almost back to normal. Only now he had to find a way to tell Mystery he would have to go away for two weeks to a seminar if he expected to get back into the residency program.

  He worked out different scenarios in his head as he drove down the street. He would just explain
things and Mystery would understand, he could even ask Ryan to come and stay in the house. He needed to know if what they felt for each other was stronger than their loyalty to him. Leaving them alone in the house for two weeks would give him his answer, but it couldn’t seem planned or they would fight whatever they felt for each other. He pulled into the driveway, stopped the car, got his duffel bag and bounded into the house. The house was pitch black, and freezing. A foul stench hung in the air, wrapping itself around Seth and pulling him in. He jumped as the door slammed shut behind him.

  Seth forced himself to breathe. “Mystery, are you home?”

  “No one’s here but me, lover.”

  Seth watched as a tall sultry redhead with an impossibly perfect body, slunk down the stairs. He closed his eyes and prayed she would go away. Long, graceful fingers worked his zipper down and grasped his manhood. Seth kept his eyes closed and continued to pray. His legs involuntarily shifted apart as her mouth closed on him, making him harden. Seth moaned, but kept his eyes closed. Tears slipped through his closed eyelids, as he came in her mouth. Her sultry laughter whispered across his chest as she leaned up to kiss him.

  “Better luck next time, lover.”

  Seth slowly opened his gray eyes. He sighed. Everything was as it should be. There was a fire crackling in the fireplace exuding cozy warmth. He could smell dinner and a faint hint of the pine-cleaner Mystery used to clean with. With slumped shoulders Seth headed upstairs to find his girlfriend. Seth found her upstairs brushing her hair, making it shine. She smelled of soap when he nuzzled her neck.

  “Hi, hon.” He whispered as he turned her around and hugged her. They both began to cry. Seth didn’t need her to tell him she’d had another fight with Cain. He only got the special demon welcome home after Cain had upset Mystery.

  “Dinner’s ready.” She pulled away and went out into the hall and down the stairs.

  Seth took his place at the table and waited as Mystery brought in the chicken she had baked. She made a second trip into the kitchen and brought out the broccoli and potatoes au gratin. They bowed their heads and said grace and Seth cut the bird and placed some on both of their plates. He smiled after the first bite; Mystery sure could cook.

  “So, how did it go today with the review board?”

  “Good, except, they need me to go to a conference out of town for two weeks.” Seth chewed on his lips.

  “For two whole weeks?” Mystery put her fork down.

  “Yes. I was thinking of having Felicity and Mary Kate check on you every day.” He lied. “I’ll call every night; I think you will be fine.”

  “I wish you didn’t have to go, but I understand. I am trying to keep Felicity and Mary Kate away from me as much as possible. Just because Cain hasn’t gone after them doesn’t mean he won’t. So, I don’t want to put them in harm’s way; I’ll manage by myself.” Mystery made herself eat. She knew her strength was important.

  “Okay, if you’re sure? I will have to leave in the morning.”

  “That soon?”

  “Yes. My flight is at 6 a.m. out of DIA. It’ll take me at least an hour and a half to get out there. So I will take a cab.”

  “Okay. I’ll help you pack after dinner.”

  “I love you, Mystery.” Seth finished his food and moved to take their plates back into the kitchen. “I’ll do the dishes.”

  “Okay.”

  Seth squatted down in front of her. I’ll just be in Dallas. A two hour plane ride and I’m here if you need me.” He hugged her.

  “I know. I’m fine.” Mystery lied. She closed her eyes when he left the room. It didn’t matter if he was two hours or two weeks away. It would never be enough to make her feel safe. He would never be enough to make her feel safe.

  Mystery had begged Seth not to go, even though she had promised herself she wouldn’t. But he had and now she was alone in the huge barn of a house. She chuckled at herself as she went from room to room turning on the lights and locking all the windows, as though it would help.

  She made herself stop and go downstairs to fix tea. She sat at the table, sipped tea and watched the sun come up. She wondered how she was going to make it alone in this huge house for two weeks. As far as she was concerned, a medical seminar wasn’t a good enough excuse for bailing for two weeks. She tried to understand and she just couldn’t find it in her. She knew Seth needed to pretend their life was normal, it was very important to him. But their life would never be normal again, even if she beat Cain, she would still be who and what she was.

  Mystery swore when the doorbell rang and made her jump. She wiped spilled tea off her clothes and went to answer it. She yanked open the door to find Ryan standing there, accompanied by a suitcase.

  “Hi.” He stepped past her and hung his jacket on the coat tree. “Seth called this morning on his way out of town and asked me to stay with you while he’s gone.”

  “Oh.” Mystery shut the door and went back to the kitchen.

  “I know it’s wrong for me to be here. I feel the same way about you” He sighed.

  “What way is that?” Mystery turned around and leaned against the sink.

  “For the first time since I took my vows.” He lowered his head, “I want to be with a woman…” he looked up and Mystery knew she was lost, “I want you Mystery.”

  “What about your vows? What about Seth?” Mystery closed her eyes, she knew she couldn’t look at him and resist.

  “I don’t care.” He crossed the room and stopped just in front of her. “Tell me you don’t want me.” He stroked her cheek. “Tell me you don’t want me and I’ll go back to the hotel and forget this entire conversation.” He bent to nibble on her ear.

  “I can’t.” Mystery moaned.

  “Can’t what?” He moved to her neck.

  “I can’t tell you to go.” She raised his face to hers. ”I want you.” She kissed him.

  Ryan kissed her until her knees went weak; he lowered her onto the kitchen table, knocking off her cold tea. Not wanting to give her a chance to change her mind, he ripped open her blouse and lowered his head to her breasts to suckle. Blindly she began to unfasten his jeans and push them past his hips. He pushed her flowered skirt up to bunch around her hips and yanked at the lacy panties until she was bare. He swallowed her astonished cry as he pressed into her waiting body. Together they rode over the edge into oblivion. Ryan managed enough strength to push off of her when he realized Mystery was crying.

  “Did I hurt you?” Ryan asked as he kissed her tears away.

  “No.” She sniffled.

  “Then what’s wrong?” He caressed her cheek.

  “I love you.” She closed her eyes and waited.

  “I love you, too.”

  Mystery opened her eyes and searched his, finding what she needed she leaned up and kissed him. He picked her up and carried her toward the stairs.

  Mystery stood looking over the balcony as the sun’s rays bathed the valley below her in amber light. She sighed languidly and lifted the wineglass in her hand. She was startled to find it empty. Shrugging her shoulders she sat it on the railing and stared out at the sky. She didn’t turn around when she heard Ryan step out onto the balcony. He walked to her and wrapped his arms around her. She put her hands in the pockets of her white terry cloth robe and rested her head against his chest.

  “Are you okay?” He asked her when she still didn’t say anything.

  “Yeah. Fine.” She rubbed her hands up and down her arms.

  “I thought we agreed not to think about Seth until we had to.” He kissed the top of her head.

  “He called while you were in the shower. He wanted me to know he made it to Dallas safely and he missed me. He apologized for asking you to come, but he didn’t want me here alone.”

  “What did you tell him?”

  “I told him I was glad he was safe and I hoped he would have a good time. I told him not to worry about you, I was glad for the company.” She shrugged. “We made polite chitchat and hung up without
telling each other I love you.”

  “Have things been okay, between you?”

  “He moved into the guest room awhile after you left.

  “I am sorry.” He turned her around and kissed her possessively. “But I don’t regret being with you.”

  “I don’t regret being with you. I just wish a very nice person didn’t stand to get hurt because of all of this. Will you leave the priesthood?”

  “Yes.” He made sure she could see his eyes. “I’m leaving because I can’t be a priest anymore, not knowing how far off the church is with their version of the final battle.” He tilted her head up for a kiss. “They could never understand the real battle, they are unequipped to handle it. I am not leaving because of us; I had already made the decision to leave. When I stop and think about how they have the whole story wrong from as far back as the Garden of Eden, I know trying to fight Cain while operating within church mandates, will just get a bunch of people killed while I wait for permission to act.” He kissed her nose. “So, don’t try to take on more blame. I am not leaving the priesthood because of you.”