by Anna Santos
“Good morning, I'm Zaphire,” the brunette said, turning around.
''I'm Camille,” I said, glad that angel women weren't fake and nasty to other girls. I was worried for a moment there.
“Do you want to join us for breakfast?” Brenda asked, pulling out the chair next to her.
“Good morning, Camille,” Danika greeted, appearing through the glass door that led to the garden. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes,” I said, wondering if someone had seen us on the couch.
Danika turned on the coffee machine and got the eggs from the fridge. “Do you want pancakes?”
I nodded. She was the cook and maid of the house. I wasn't sure if she was human or an angel, though. I did know that she had a maternal side to her, and she was extremely nice.
I sat next to Brenda, noticing their fancy clothes. “Where do you work?”
“We run a fashion boutique,” Zaphire replied. “My husband said you were shopping yesterday. It’s too bad the boys didn't bring you to us. We would have loved to help you choose new outfits. Your clothes need to look beautiful if you are going to wed the commander of the prince's troops.”
I looked down at my sweater and jeans.
“You have beautiful hair. Was it blonde before?” Brenda asked, stroking it.
“No, I was a brunette.”
“Do you like it?”
I nodded, sucking my lower lip. “Your hair is really pretty, too.”
“Thank you. I'm sure Danika can help you with nice hairstyles. She's amazing.”
“I would love that,” Danika said, placing a cup of coffee in front of me.
“Thank you,'' I said to her.
Zaphire checked her watch. “We need to go if we don't want to be late.”
“You are so beautiful!” Brenda chimed, still playing with my hair. “Just give Jacob a chance, honey. You won't regret it. And if you need a beautiful dress, ask Jacob to take you to Chez Zaphire.”
“We'll see you later.” Zaphire waved goodbye, and they both disappeared.
It must be nice to be able to teleport everywhere.
“Danika, do you know where Jacob's bedroom is?” I asked.
She stopped what she was doing and grinned. “Do you want to bring him his breakfast?”
I tucked my hair behind my ears, brushing my hot cheeks. “I don't know if I should...”
“You should. He will be happy. You need to spend time together, to bond.”
“What does he like to eat?”
“I'll make him a plate of scrambled eggs with bacon. He also likes coffee. I'll help you take it to him. He's sleeping in the master bedroom on the first floor. It will be your bedroom also once you accept him.”
I rubbed my hands together, nervously. It seemed everybody was trying to make me understand that I should make an effort to accept Jacob. It wasn't that I didn't like him. I liked him a lot. But, I was shy, and he made me nervous and excited all at once. He had been a perfect gentleman. The complete opposite of Simon who had been pushy and despicable.
Jacob was big and intimidating. What if he hurt me, too? What if I disappointed him also?
“What were Jacob's former girlfriends like?” I wondered out loud.
Danika laughed as if I said something funny. Distress must have shown in my expression because she sat beside me and explained, “I’ve known Jacob since he was born. Their curse is activated when they are eighteen. When I turned into an angel, Jacob was just a baby. So you can say that I know him well. What you need to understand is that when a gargoyle is lucky enough to find a rejected soul who is their mate, they temporarily become angels until the final trial. But while they are gargoyles, they don't date. Not like humans. Female gargoyles may fancy a male and go out on a few dates to see if their kiss could break their curses. The gargoyle males, until they are matched by the power from above, stay celibate. After being matched, they are faithful, and we become their whole world. So, any fears you may have about not being beautiful enough, forget them. That gorgeous man will do anything to make you happy.”
I absorbed every word she told me with wide eyes. It made me feel a lot better hearing it from someone besides Jacob.
“Shall I make breakfast for Jacob?”
“Yes, please,” I told her.
She patted my head with a motherly smile. “Drink your coffee. Your pancakes will be ready in a moment.”
Chapter Six—Memories
Waking Jacob up had been a good idea. Especially because of the smile he gave me when I put the tray on the nightstand.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he whispered with a husky voice. “What time is it?”
“It's ten o'clock.”
He sat up, showing his naked torso as he rolled his neck and stretched his muscle to loosen up. “Were you bored?”
I shook my head. ''I just wanted to see where you slept and bring you breakfast. Thank you for taking me to bed.”
His hand played with mine, and I added, “Did you sleep well?”
He nodded.
“Any dreams?”
“I dreamed of you.”
I smirked as I sat on the edge of the bed. “A good dream?”
“We were playing hide and seek in the gardens.''
“It sounds fun.”
“It was. You were happy.”
I pursed my lips, not knowing what to tell him. Did he think I was sad? Or did I look sad all the time?
“What are you thinking?” He tried to look into my eyes, and I simply shrugged.
Biting the inside of my lip, I asked, “Why do you think we were matched together?”
“Because you complete me.”
I raised my eyes to look at him. “I had nothing in common with Simon. Why was he my soul-mate?”
“Maybe he lost part of himself with what he has become or because of how he was raised. If he was unwilling to accept you, he isn't worthy of your tears.”
“I'm not sad because of him. I'm glad I escaped. I'm just constantly worried about Thierry. How can I allow myself to feel happy if I don't know what happened to my brother? I have no idea if he’s alive or dead.”
“I'll find out what happened to him. If he's alive, I'll bring him here to see you.”
“Do you promise?'' I asked, swallowing the will to cry.
Jacob caressed my cheek and lowered his lips to my forehead for a kiss. I shivered from the contact.
“I promise, Camille.”
I nodded to his promise and watched him recline back on his pillow.
He kept caressing my hand. “Do you want to visit Paris today? We can take our minds off our problems. I would love to walk in the sun and see the humans.”
It sounded like a wonderful idea. “What do you want to do?”
“We can go for a cruise on the river Seine. Then go for a walk to see the Notre Dame.”
“Can we see the Eiffel Tower?” I was excited about the day.
“Whatever you want.”
My fingers intertwined with his. I changed the subject. “I’ve talked to Zaphire and Brenda today. They seem nice. Apparently, there's some bet about us.” I peeked at him to see how he reacted.
He shrugged. “Yes, the guys always do that. You don't need to worry. We have time.”
“Thirty days isn't much. Are you sure you want to be bound to a girl like me?”
“Gorgeous, with a huge heart, and big blue eyes?” he questioned, turning my chin to look at him.
“Damaged, with trust issues, and...”
“And?”
I sighed and stared at our hands nervously. The closeness between us felt pleasant, so I decided I needed to open up more. We had to bond, after all.
“I grew up with a romantic idea of how a mate should be. I never dated before. I wanted to save myself for my mate. I did. And then...” I swallowed my nerves and breathed deep. “You need to comprehend this. Danika said you didn't date either. But, I'm not sure if you understand what happened to me.”
“I think I h
ave an idea,” Jacob said as his hand gripped harder. “But I'm not Simon. I won't hurt you.”
“He said he wouldn't hurt me after he humiliated me in front of everybody. He tricked me. He told me that he wanted to talk and…” I shut up and removed my hand. Standing, I rubbed my palms against my jeans. The memories were painful. The past made me feel stupid, gullible, and worthless. As if everything was my fault.
Jacob grabbed my arm and pulled me to sit down. “Camille, listen to me. Look at me.”
I obeyed and saw how serious his face was.
He clenched his jaw before voicing his intentions. “If he dares to show his face here, I'll make him pay for what he did to you.”
His words showed how annoyed he was for what Simon had done to me. He and his pack shouldn’t be allowed to continue to do that cruel practice. They were despicable, but no one seemed to be courageous enough to face them. The ones who did were killed.
Assaulted by the cruel memories, I said, “You should reject me and find someone better.”
“I don't want to. I want you.”
“And if I can't love you and you die?” I blurted out, my body shaking with fear. Could I have that on my conscience? Jacob was too kind to cease existing because of me.
He brought me closer to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. His arms circled my waist, gently, as if he didn’t want to frighten me. I let him, mesmerized by his affectionate eyes.
“I didn't want to leave your side last night,” he confessed. His breath fanned my face, and my body gave in completely to the tenderness in his voice and the strong arms that pulled me against his hard chest. “When I woke up, I saw you sleeping and thought how lucky I was to have found a kind soul like you to complete me. I wish I could erase the bad things that happened to you before I found you, but I can't.”
“I just wish that...” The words were unwilling to leave my mouth. “I wish he hadn't touched me. I didn't want him to touch me. I couldn't fight. He tricked me. Then he hurt me and was mad because I cried. It didn't matter that it was my first time. He was still mad at me.”
I hid my face against his shoulder, ashamed and heartbroken.
His hand combed through my hair, and he rubbed the back of my neck. I stopped shaking after a while and enjoyed the closeness between us. He felt warm, smelling of pine trees and pleasant summer nights.
Placing two fingers under my chin, he angled my head so I looked at him. “Did he mark you with a bite?”
I shook my head. I had a lump in my throat when I spoke, “He only forced himself on me to humiliate me further and brag that I was easy and what a bad lay I was.”
Jacob's body tensed and his arm tightened around my waist. His lips kissed the top of my head. Hugging me, he leaned back.
“I'm sorry, sweetie. I had hoped that things hadn't come to that, but it doesn't make me want you any less. You don't need to feel ashamed. It wasn't your fault.”
The tears I was holding in erupted as I clung to him while crying like a helpless child.
On the first day of sightseeing, Jacob took me to the Luxembourg Gardens for a two-hour walking tour. He was really familiar with the place and explained how this magnificent garden was part of an exclusive royal estate which was built in 1612 by Queen Marie de Medici. His favorite time of the year to go there was in spring since it was when the tulips enveloped that garden in full glory. I liked tulips, too. Yet, my favorite flowers were lilies.
We strolled along the tree-lined path as I gasped, amazed at the flowerbeds and statues of former kings and emperors. I could also see the Sorbonne, the Eiffel Tower, and other famous monuments. It was extremely relaxing, and we even had time to eat at the local cafe under the trees. Then we wandered further into the gardens to enjoy the fountains, and we found a nice spot by the lake where the kids sailed their toy boats.
After, we went for a tour of the Left Bank district of Paris. We stopped on the Notre Dame Chapelle and St. Etienne du Mont. We even went inside the Sorbonne and browsed the beautiful and colorful frescos. When the afternoon was almost over, I was exhausted, and Jacob massaged my legs while we waited for our car to take us home.
On the second day of visiting Paris, we finally went to the Eiffel Tower. The lines were long and it was crowded, but we had booked the tickets, so we entered right away. We used the elevator to go up. I was still a bit sore from the long walks.
We went to the summit of the tower and gazed down at the city for a couple of minutes while Jacob insisted on taking pictures of me with his phone. We had lunch in a cute and rustic restaurant and then headed for a relaxing river cruise on the Seine. I listened to the guide pointing out all the key landmarks and giving great information about the details on the bridges.
I bought a few souvenirs for myself since I really didn't have anyone else who would care about my days. And Jacob still didn't have any news about my brother's whereabouts.
After going back home, I dressed up to go to the palace to join the group dinner. It was something that made Jacob really happy and allowed me to know more about their rituals.
One of our rituals, Jacob’s and mine, was going for a walk on the outskirts of the palace and ending up at the lake where we held hands and talked about our lives while growing up, our dreams, our goals in life, and the things that made us happy.
Everything would change for us if we mated and the curse was lifted. He would have to take more responsibility in managing Cedric's business and commanding the angels' operations during the day. I would be his wife and would have to adjust to the new reality of things, to a new home. Not that I minded. Our home was where I felt safe and loved. I never felt that in my old pack.
We were sitting on a rock near the lake, surrounded by the night and the illumination of the dim light that reached this side of the angel world. Jacob’s left arm was around my waist, protecting me from the cold and calming my restless mind.
“You can finish your studies. Sorbonne is one of the best colleges. You can ask for transfers,” Jacob said, pulling me closer until my face leaned against his upper arm.
I breathed in his exhilarating scent before I asked, “Wouldn't that take a lot of time that I could use doing other things?”
Jacob gazed down at me. “What other things?”
“Angel stuff. I don't really know what angel females do. Danika is a housekeeper, Margo is a bodyguard and patroller. Brenda and Zaphire have a boutique. Where do I fit in?”
“Danika and Jared are almost ascending. She's actually teaching Savanah how to run the house so she can replace her.”
I grabbed his muscled arm with both hands. “She works so hard! She cleans and cooks for us and then she comes to the palace to feed all the hungry gargoyles.”
“Yes, and her husband is the gardener. He takes care of the gardens in the palace and at our community home.”
“I have no special talent,” I confessed. Frowning, I sighed. “I'm not a great cook or a good salesperson. I have limited knowledge about fashion and even less about the history of Paris and the historical monuments.”
Jacob offered me a breathtaking dimpled smiled. “It's too soon for you to find your place. You have time. I'm just glad you are willing to give us a try.”
I blushed to his reasoning. He was right. Jacob had been a perfect gentleman so far. He had been true to his word. My attraction for him was strong. I wasn't going to deny that. I liked the attention, too. I liked that he seemed to only have eyes for me. I loved how his hand rested on my lower back and guided me through the places we visited. I smiled when our fingers intertwined, and he gave me his full attention. I was letting him in by lowering my defenses, and I was the one looking for contact between us.
“What do you want to do tomorrow?” Jacob's question woke me from my daydreaming. He tried not to make me feel uncomfortable, and I was grateful for that.
I let go of his arm and stretched. Looking at the sky, I said, “Stay in bed and sleep. I'm constantly tired since I'm becoming an angel.”
<
br /> “Your body is still adjusting.”
I turned to his side. It was rather chilly, so I searched for his warmth again. He got the hint because his arm tensed around my shoulders as my arm circled his waist and my hand grasped the softness of his sweater. It was pleasurable inside his hug. A red blush raced to my cheeks for being so bold. But, he was waiting for me to accept him, and I felt ready to trust him with my heart.
“When will we have our wings?” My eyes wandered to the sky where, occasionally, an angel cruised the night.
“Are you eager to fly?”
“It scares me a bit, but I know you miss flying.”
“As a gargoyle, I was used to relying on my wings for transportation and not my feet.”
I caressed my face against his chest. He was really tall. I didn't mind. I didn't fear him. The past three days, I had often imagined myself sleeping with his arms around me or cuddling on the couch like lovers.
His hand combed my hair and stroked my neck and earlobe. “Are you tired? Do you want to go home?”
“I love our home, but we have hardly any privacy.”
“Do you want privacy?” he asked, his voice coming out sultry as his arm snaked tighter around my waist and his body turned to increase the closeness between us. That was promising.
I gulped before answering, “Yes.”
When I raised my face to his, Jacob's gaze was so tender that it made my insides melt. He could stir all sorts of emotions in me with those chocolate starlight eyes.
His hand caressed my chin before his fingers softly brushed my lips. “Do not tempt me if you aren't ready, little minx,” he said with a strangled voice.
I smirked at him. The tip of my tongue stroked his thumb. His eyes narrowed as his mouth parted.
Lord, I could lose my balance with that sexy expression. I pushed his hand away, turning my body until I was closer to his chest. Clutching my hand to the collar of his sweater, I pulled him down, so I could make contact with the object of my desire: his luscious and oh-so-soft lips.
The ground exploded under my feet when our lips locked. Vertigo hit me, and I had to pause for a moment. Then I tasted him again and moaned for further contact.
