by Jamie Begley
“Come on, I’ll help.” They set out to clean the kitchen when they heard a knock at the front door.
“Stay here.”
“I’m coming with you,” Cara said. When she saw Jericho was about to argue, she interrupted, “The shooter from yesterday isn’t stupid enough to come knocking on the door.”
Jericho shrugged, knowing from the look in her eye she had no intention of listening to him.
Cara followed closely on Jericho’s heels as he went toward the door. They were within several inches when a familiar voice rang out.
“Jericho, it’s me, Billy.”
Cara looked at Jericho in surprise as he opened the door. A smiling Billy stared back at the both of them.
“I’m glad to see you’re okay, Cara.” Cara took a step back, unable to alert Jericho without Billy knowing. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Jericho took a step back, letting him enter before closing the door behind him. Cara felt panic rising in her throat. Billy was different. The color of his soul was murky, not black, but a blend of grays and mauves. Also, his mother’s ghost was no longer with him.
Billy walked into the living room, staring at Cara while Jericho followed him. Cara tried to catch Jericho’s eye, but he wasn’t looking at her, instead he was looking at Billy with a frown on his face.
“What are you doing here?” Jericho asked.
“Why, I’m here to take Cara off your hands since I dumped her on you. I finally managed to slip away from that small town hick sheriff.” Billy gave them an insincere smile.
Jericho stiffened. “You should have called first. You’ve wasted a trip out here. Cara will be staying with me.” Jericho pulled Cara close to his side, leaving his arm around her waist, staking his claim before the younger man.
Billy shrugged. “I was afraid of that. She is beautiful and hard to resist, even for a hardass like you.”
Jericho didn’t smile. “I’m glad you understand.”
Billy’s laughter was as fake as the smile plastered on his lips. Cara could only hope that Jericho could see that something was off with Billy.
“Well, since I came all this way for nothing, how about offering me a cup of coffee before I head on the long trip home.”
“Of course.” Jericho motioned for Billy to head for the kitchen.
“What in the fuck happened in here?” Billy looked at the disaster area with eggs and juice on the slippery floor.
“We had a little bit of an accident,” Cara murmured with a blush.
“I can see that. It looks like a tornado hit the room.”
“One did,” Jericho said wryly. “Cara, why don’t you make the coffee while I try to clean a place for us to sit down?”
“That won’t be necessary.” Cara looked in dread as Billy pulled a handgun from his jacket pocket. Looking out of the corner of her eye, Cara could see that Jericho did not seem to be shocked at this turn of events. Billy pointed the gun towards her, placing his finger on the trigger.
Again, out of the corner of her eye, Cara saw a doorway open and Grimm enter the room. His stern visage gave no clue as to who he was here for. She knew he would be unable to help. He had been dispatched to collect a soul. Which one, was as yet unknown to everyone except Grimm.
Cara felt her throat tighten in fear. For the first time, she could truly feel the fear that those she had came to escort feel. Even knowing what awaited her, it was still terrifying. Would there be pain? Would it be quick? She also knew that she didn’t want to leave Jericho. She had just found him and did not want to leave him. Sudden terror filled her heart with the sudden realization that he meant to kill Jericho also.
“Billy, why would you want to harm Cara when you went to so much trouble to keep her safe?” Jericho was hoping to distract the man until he had an opening to grab the gun. He had also seen Grimm’s sudden entrance into the room.
“I think I can answer that question. He’s had a spell placed on him. Whoever has done this is powerful enough to remove his mother’s protection.”
“I do not need any protection. My master has punished me for failing yesterday, but he will see I will not fail again. I will be rewarded for your death.”
Sadly, Cara shook her head. “No, Billy, you must understand. Once you have taken a life, there is no going back. You don’t want to do this. I know your soul is filled with a kindness and gentleness I have rarely seen. You can fight the spell placed on you. Try, Billy, please. I would not want to see your soul destroyed because of another’s malice.”
“Shut up. I was warned you would try to sweet talk me out of killing you.”
“Who warned you, Billy?” Cara desperately tried to gain any information she could, not only for her own safety, but her sisters’ as well. She couldn’t believe the same sweet man who saved her life the night she had become mortal was the same man who had deliberately hidden in the woods and tried in cold blood to shoot her and Jericho.
Billy shook his head. “I’m not telling you a damn thing.” He saw Jericho make a sudden move toward him and pointed the gun toward him.
“No!” Cara screamed as Jericho reached and grabbed the gun, jerking it upwards just as it let out an explosion of sound.
The two men began to struggle in the slimy mess on the floor, which made it hard for them to stay upright. They fell with a crash, knocking over the table. Billy was beneath Jericho and his hand with the gun was pinned in a hard grasp by Jericho. Cara saw the muzzle of the gun turn towards Jericho and knew what she had to do. Reaching blindly behind her, she grabbed the first thing she could and rushed forward. Bending down while dodging thrashing arms and legs, Cara brought the heavy frying pan down on Billy’s skull.
Billy went limp and Jericho tore the gun away from his now unresisting hand. He got to his feet, not taking his eyes off the unconscious man.
Both of them stood staring down at Billy, unable to believe how close he had come to killing them.
Grimm moved forward, turning their attention to him.
She gave him a relieved smile. “I’m sorry, you’ll be leaving alone.”
Grimm shook his head. “You know better than that, Cara. Once dispatched, we always have a soul to collect.”
“But I’m fine.” She quickly inspected Jericho when it finally dawned on her who Grimm was there for.
Everyone turned to look at Billy who lay unmoving on the floor. He was not unconscious, he was dead. Cara’s heart broke; she had taken a life. She began to cry as she thought of the sweet boy who had been so kind to her when she had needed help.
Grimm nodded as Cara noticed a dark glow move beside him. A doorway behind them opened as Grimm and Billy’s spirit turned to enter the doorway.
“Grimm, please, ask him who sent him here to kill me."
Grimm turned to the dark glow. They couldn’t hear them speaking, finally Grimm turned back to them and shook his head. “He doesn’t know, only that it was a woman. She wore a cape that covered her body.”
Grimm bent down to the still body and lifted it into his arms.
“What are you doing?”
“His life was taken because an immortal interfered. I can try to repair the damage someone else has done.”
“Thank you, Grimm.”
Grimm nodded. ”Good luck, Cara. Be careful, little one. I miss having you around.” He gave her a smile before turning once again to the dark glow. Both moved toward a doorway that opened as they walked closer. Grimm gave a final wave as they disappeared within.
Jericho turned to Cara. “What will happen?”
Cara began to shake. “I don’t know. We can’t return a life once it is taken, but Grimm will find a way if anyone can. He’s very determined when he sets his mind to something. We have had many fights over a soul. I was never able to save a soul from him.”
Jericho’s arms surrounded her shaking body, trying to share his warmth. It was hitting her hard that she had been responsible for a death, even though she had saved his life. Billy had shown an abnormal stren
gth and Jericho didn’t know how much longer he could have held him off.
“You go lie down and I’ll clean the kitchen.”
“No, I want to help.”
Jericho started to argue, but ultimately thought it would probably help take her mind off Billy and who was trying to kill her.
They set to work and got the kitchen cleaned in little time. To cheer Cara up, he made her favorite for dinner.
“You think spaghetti is going to make me feel better?”
“Is it working?”
Cara laughed. “Yes, it is actually. It just scares me to think that someone wants us dead so badly. I worry for Zerina and Broni; they are all alone. I was lucky I had you.” Cara sent him a soft smile.
Jericho felt his throat tighten in fear. He didn’t want her to depend on him. He didn’t want her soft smiles or the love shining out of her beautiful eyes. His chair scraped back from the table and he started to rise from his chair to leave the room, to get the hell away from the feelings he fought against. A hurt look entered Cara’s eyes, she knew he was about to run, and she wasn’t going to say anything. She understood and she was going to let him go.
Jericho felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. When he turned, he didn’t see anything, but he still felt the touch on his shoulder. As if it was telling him to stay, as if he left the table, there would be no going back. Jericho felt as if he was at a crossroads between his old, lonely life and a new one filled with love. With Cara.
He broke out in a cold sweat and began to shake. The imaginary hand tightened on his shoulder, giving him strength. He had built his physical strength so that he would always be able to protect himself, but he had ignored his heart. It was weak, afraid to trust and love. He didn’t know how to be with someone day after day. He wasn’t sure he could do it. To have someone around constantly wanting to be with him. Someone who could take away the loneliness and the pain of his past. If he just could be strong enough to let Cara love him.
“Would you like some more bread?” Cara shook her head. Not mentioning that there was plenty on the table.
“Okay.” He nodded his head, and scooted his chair back under the table and then added more spaghetti to his plate.
Cara looked down at her plate and tried not to cry. She knew how hard it was for Jericho not to run. She was going to have to go slow with this man of hers. He was skittish and afraid of her feelings for him, however there was one lesson her father had taught that she was going to take to heart.
“What are you thinking about?”
Cara looked up, smiling. “Patience is a virtue.”
Chapter Twelve
“You cheated!” Jericho accused.
“I did not.” Cara tried to keep a straight face, but was unable to hold back her giggles.
Cara stared at the shirtless Jericho seated at the kitchen table and tried to look innocent, which was hard to do when she was guilty as hell. Who could blame her with the body the man had? When he had taught her poker, she had easily learned the game, but had become bored. Sensing her apathy, Jarrod raised the stakes and taught her strip poker; boredom was the last thing on her mind. Since he was the better player, she had learned to become devious.
“You did, I saw you pick up an extra card and hide another. You’re not even a good cheater.” Jericho gave her a disdainful look.
Cara gave him what she hoped was a sexy look.
“Are you sick?”
“No, I was trying to give you a sexy look.”
“Baby, all you had to do to accomplish that was to let me win. There’s nothing sexier than you naked.”
“Yes there is, you naked.”
He leaned back in his chair until it rested on only the back two legs. “If you wanted me naked, all you had to do was ask.”
Cara smiled at his easy teasing. The last week she had fallen even more in love with this man. He had become everything she had ever dreamed about in a lover. He made her hot merely by staring at him, shirtless with his faded jeans hugging his lean hips; Cara was amazed at how relaxed he looked. He had slowly let down his guard and let her in. His soul was just as dark as before, that couldn’t change, but the hardness in his eyes and expression was gone. He made her feel special, that she was loved, whether he would admit it or not.
“Have you heard the phrase cheaters never prosper?” Leaning back further in the chair, he gave her a hard stare. “You seek to cheat the Indian? At one time your hair would have been prized. You might even have been taken captive and made to become my woman.”
Cara’s interest perked up. “Would you have punished me?”
“Definitely. Come here.” The look he gave her had her instantly rising from her chair and walking slowly toward him.
“I don’t know if I should, you look big and bad. Mean, too.”
Jericho reached out and snagged one of her hands, pulling her towards him, letting the chair down until it rested on all its legs. Pulling her forward despite her playful resistance until she was straddling his lap, Cara settled herself on his lap in mock fear. She had lost her pants and panties in their poker game, so her bare butt nestled against his jean covered cock.
He gave her an arrogant look that would have done his ancestors proud and made her even wetter.
“I am big, but you are the one who’s been bad. Very bad.” Jericho placed his hand on her wiggling hips, holding her still. “Take off your top,” Jericho ordered. Cara quickly shed her shirt and dropped it on the floor. “Now your bra.” Her bra soon followed her shirt. “Kiss me.” With each arrogant command, Cara felt a rush of liquid between her thighs.
She leaned forward until her bare breasts rested against his chest. Her nipples tightened at the contact. Cara put her hands in Jericho’s dark hair and tugged his head down until she could reach his lips. She traced them with her tongue, but he refused to let her tongue enter his mouth. He was going to make her work for it. She could do that.
Cara rubbed her breasts against his chest and slowly began to rock her hips against his crotch, all the while, her lips teased at his lips with little nips. When he still refused to open to her, she raised her hand and placed it on his strong jaw, applying pressure until his mouth finally parted to admit her tongue. Cara explored the depths of Jericho’s mouth as if savoring a fine wine and became lost in the pleasure of having him under her control. That was until he began to respond and showed her that she was still an amateur compared to him.
His mouth became demanding as his tongue began dueling with hers, entering her mouth and forcing her head back until his hand tangled in her hair to hold her still. His hand raised and traced a nipple before releasing her mouth and pulling her further back until her back was arched and her breasts were thrusting upwards. His lips covered one rosy nipple, sucking hard until Cara thought she would scream in ecstasy. Then he caught the nipple between his teeth giving it a gentle bite.
“Do that again,” Cara begged.
Jericho’s lips switched to her other breast, sucking strongly. Cara tensed on his lap, waiting for the small bite of pain he would inflict on her nipple. The longer he made her wait, the more sensitive she became until, when he finally bit her, she screamed as an orgasm took her by surprise.
One of Jericho’s hands went to her crotch, rubbing until her head fell forward weakly on his chest. She trembled as she lay against him, rubbing her cheek against his bare chest. With a hand still buried in her hair, he pulled until she looked up at him. His harsh features showed his Indian heritage. For an instant, Cara did feel as if she were his captive.
“I want you.” A tear slid down her cheek. Cara knew in her heart what Jericho was unable to bring himself to admit.
“I love you.” She gave him the words he needed to hear, to believe in the deepest recesses of his bruised heart.
Jericho rose from the chair with her legs still wrapped around his waist.
“Let’s go to bed.” Cara laid her head on his shoulder.
“Only if you promise to ravish me.” A d
eep chuckle was her response.
“I think I can promise that.” In one movement he removed her legs from his waist and flipped her until she was now lying on his shoulder. Giggling, Cara didn’t know which she looked forward to more, her impending ravishment or the orgasm that was going to rock her world. Then Cara realized it was a win, win situation.
Later, Cara lay across Jericho’s chest, not wanting to wake him as she silently slid from underneath his arm. Finding her clothes strewn around the room, she picked them up and placed them in a basket before gathering fresh ones and heading to the shower.
She enjoyed the hot shower as it soothed her aching body, grinning at the memories of what had brought about the pleasurable aches. She dressed in jeans and one of Jericho’s t-shirts before reentering the bedroom. She debated waking Jericho, but decided not to. The poor man needed his rest; she had plans for later that night.
Frowning, Cara walked to the bedroom window. It was getting dark outside hours before sundown. Thinking that a storm was approaching, she looked out the window. What she saw terrified her. Running back to the bed, she shook Jericho, who woke immediately.
“We have to get out of here!”
He didn’t waste any precious time. Jumping out of the bed, he grabbed his jeans and pulled them on. Cara handed him his shirt and shoes.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s an eclipse.”
He finished putting on his shoes and frowned at her. “That’s nothing to worry about.”
Hurriedly, Cara explained, “An eclipse is the only time when your world is invisible to ours. Whoever is trying to kill us will remain unseen by my mother and aunt.”
Tugging his hand, they hurried out of the bedroom down the hall. “Where are your truck keys?”
Jericho reached for them on a small table by the door. “Cara, just slow down a second.”
Cara wanted to scream at him, knowing that there was no time. Whoever was after them would not let this opportunity slip through their fingers. “We’ll talk in the truck on the way to town, but right now, we need to get out!”
