Celtic Fire: Solstice Seduction

by Bronwyn Green

  She walked him to the release area and handed the orderly a copy of the forms she’d filled out and Taliesin had signed.

  The young man at the desk scanned the papers, confusion in his eyes. She smiled broadly hoping to allay his concerns. “Would you get this gentleman his coat? I’m hoping he’ll be out of here in time to catch the last bus home.”

  The orderly nodded as he checked the patient number and went into the locked room where client belongings were stored. A few moments later he returned with Taliesin’s wallet, shoelaces and coat then handed them over one at a time. After putting the wallet in his back pocket, Taliesin knelt and quickly laced his shoes. His shirt rode up a little as he switched feet. She noticed a flash of his perfectly muscled back and her mouth went dry. Despite the hot, frantic sex they’d had, she hadn’t gotten enough of him yet. When he stood, she handed his coat to him, trying to appear unconcerned as he slipped it on. Sure he’d said he’d meet her in the parking lot of the Taco Bell down the street, but she couldn’t help but wonder if this would be the last time she’d see him.

  She held her hand out to him. “It was lovely to meet you,” she said in her best doctor voice for the benefit of the orderly. “Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there’s something I can help you with.”

  Taliesin engulfed her hand in his much larger one and nodded his head. “Thank you for everything, Dr. Matthews.” He turned and walked out the door.

  Emerson forced herself to turn away and chat with the orderly. After several excruciatingly long moments of conversation, she gathered her purse and coat and left through the staff entrance. Stomach fluttering nervously, she unlocked her car door and drove to the restaurant, half convinced that Taliesin wouldn’t be waiting for her. But he was. Her heart leaped into her throat at the sight of his welcoming smile.

  She stopped the car and he slid in. “It turns out that I do need some help with something, Dr. Matthews.”

  “What?” He cupped her face in his chilly hands and slowly lowered his head. Staring into his silvery-grey eyes, she leaned into his kiss. As he threaded his fingers through her hair, she couldn’t believe there was ever a time she hadn’t known him.

  Finally, he lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. “Let’s get something to eat, before I jump you here in the parking lot like a horny teenager.”

  She grinned. “Do you hear me complaining?”

  “You deserve better than a quick tumble in a parking lot.” He frowned. “Or your office for that matter.”

  Emerson pulled out into traffic and headed toward her house. “Again. No complaints from me.” She patted his leg reassuringly as they drove through town.

  Halfway down Main Street

  , Taliesin pointed at a row of brightly lit storefronts. “Let’s stop.”

  With an impending sense of dread, she glanced at the twinkling lights and the people rushing up and down the sidewalks trying to finish their holiday shopping. A young mother patiently held her toddler in the air so he could get a better look at the glowing star on the top of the tree in the town square. Taliesin waited for her answer, his sense of impatience barely concealed. Would it kill her to spend the evening doing Christmas related things?

  She pulled the car into a recently vacated spot near the skating rink where Santa stood ringing a bell and collecting donations for the needy. Across the street, a group of Marines in their dress uniforms collected toys for underprivileged children. Taliesin barely waited for her to get out of the car before he dragged her into a toy store. Arms full, they left the shop half an hour later and dropped off their purchases with the Marines.

  “Angels have credit cards?” she whispered glancing back at the huge pile of toys in the now overflowing bins and looking at the bag of doughnuts and steaming cups of cocoa he’d just bought.

  “This one also has a debit card,” he said with a wink. At her puzzled look he continued. “In this day and age, relying on the barter system and the kindness of strangers is, well, obsolete. I work for a living just like anyone else.”

  “Doing what?”she asked around a mouthful of glazed doughnut.

  “Mostly sitting in on recording sessions. Depending on the artist, it pays well.” Stopping in front of a crowded book-store, they peered in the front window. Well, he looked in the window—she just stared at him as she sipped her hot chocolate.

  “Back in the early seventies, I realised that in order to continue working, I needed documentation...so a friend showed me how to go about it. Every fifteen years or so, I have to reinvent myself.”

  “If that’s the case, why didn’t you give me one of those names in the hospital?”

  He flashed a bone-melting grin at her. “It’s going to sound crazy,” he warned.

  “Crazier than anything else?”

  His brow furrowed. “Probably not.” He shoved his fingers through his hair. “Mostly, I just didn’t want to lie to you.”

  Her heart flipped in her chest, and she stood on her toes to kiss him. “Thank you.”

  For a minute, she thought he might take her into his arms, instead he laughingly tossed their empty cups in the trash and pulled her across the street toward the ice rink. “C’mon Grinch, time to have some fun.”

  She shook her head. “This is a bad idea,” she protested.

  He stopped and pulled her flush against his body, heedless of the foot traffic forced to walk around them. “The last thing you claimed was a bad idea ended up being fabulous.” When she didn’t respond, he continued. “Remember? Back in your office?” he prodded. “I took off your—”

  “I remember,” she snapped.

  His eyes sparkled. “I was going to say glasses.”

  “I haven’t been on skates in years,” she said more gently.

  He shrugged. “Neither have I. Humour me?” He lifted her chin and held her gaze. “Please?”

  “Does anyone ever tell you no?”

  He grinned and she felt it in the pit of her stomach.

  “I didn’t think so,” she grumbled. “Let’s get this over with.”

  After renting skates, which he gallantly laced for her, he coaxed her onto the ice. Her ankles wobbled as badly as her nerves. At the other end of the rink, a mother and her two young daughters practised figure eights and Emerson’s eyes burned with sudden tears. She swiped at her eyes as he led her expertly around the ice.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  She shook her head and skated away from him only to slip and fall on her butt.

  Crossing to her side, he helped her up. “How about you tell me why you hate Christmas?”

  “You’re not going to let that go, are you?”

  “Nope. Besides, I told you my secret. It’s your turn.”

  A light snow drifted lazily from the low hanging clouds making this seem like the perfect postcard moment. She stared down at their skates. “When I was a kid, my mom was diagnosed with cancer right before Christmas.” Her throat thickened with threatening tears and she had to swallow several times to continue. “We buried her the following December.”

  Gathering her into his arms, he smoothed his hand over her head. “Oh Em, I’m so sorry.”

  She blinked rapidly, willing away the tears. “I prayed constantly...rosaries, novenas. You name it—I said it. I begged. I pleaded. And all it got me was sore knees and pitying looks.” She laughed, the sound harsh even to her own ears. “You know, you might be better off here with us mortals than with a God who doesn’t give a shit if a child’s mother lives or dies.”

  The tears she’d held back spilled down her cheeks and she dashed at them angrily. He held her closely and let her cry herself out. When her grief slowed to hiccups, he gently wiped the moisture from her cheeks and then folded her back in his arms. Closing her eyes, she let his warmth comfort her.

  “He does care, you know.”

  Emerson raised her head and looked at Taliesin. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him look so serious. “I can’t explain His plans, or why things h
appen the way they do, but He truly cares for all of His people—no matter what they’ve done or how they feel about Him.”

  Taliesin pressed her head back to his chest and held her as the snow drifted down around them. They stood in silence, and she watched the happy faces of the people around them. Their joy was no longer painful to her. Normally, this sort of picture perfect scene would bring her to tears or at the very least, heighten her sense of loss—but not tonight. Tonight as she took in the scene before her, something in her chest loosened a little.

  She’d shut the joy away for so long she hadn’t realised how much the denial and anger had hurt her. For the first time since her mother had become ill, Emerson experienced a sense of peace about the situation. It didn’t erase the pain, but it eased it somewhat. He hadn’t told her anything that she hadn’t heard before, but his quiet insight opened her eyes anyway. With a smile, she realised he’d already opened her heart.

  “What are you smiling about?” he asked.

  “You.”

  Taliesin stared at Em, wondering if she had any idea how she glowed right now. Despite the red nose and puffy eyes, she was the most radiantly beautiful woman he’d ever seen. It dawned on him. She was at peace. She was happy.

  The whole time he’d been banished, he’d made himself happy. Certainly, other people had benefitted from his enjoyment and assistance with their art, but that wasn’t the point. He might have brought the others joy through his inspiration, but in the end, his own happiness had been more important. For once in his life, that wasn’t the case. He wanted Em’s happiness more than he wanted his own. This was love. Love was truly what he felt for her. And if the emotion shining from her eyes was any indication, she loved him, too.

  The problem of his immortality played at the back of his mind, but they’d figure something out. And if they didn’t, it would hurt to eventually lose her, but he’d rather have as much time with her as possible than walk away now because of the pain that would come later.

  She took his hand and pulled him toward the rental shed where their shoes were. “Let’s go home.”

  He followed willingly. “I’d like that.”

  The ride home was spent in companionable silence. Em even turned on the radio station that played all Christmas music all the time. He raised his eyebrows at her and she shrugged.

  “I’m trying to turn over a new leaf,” she said as she pulled into the driveway of her cottage-style home.

  “Perfect timing.” He followed her onto the front porch and leaned against the wall while she unlocked the door and pushed it open.

  He walked inside as she asked, “What do you mean?”

  Shutting the door behind them, he tucked a stray lock of silky hair behind her ear. “Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice—the longest night of the year. After tomorrow the days will be getting longer and longer.” He brushed a tender kiss across her lips. “It’s the perfect time to start letting in more light.”

  Shaking her head, she smiled. “I can probably find you a job as a motivational speaker.”

  “I’ve got a better job in mind.” He caged her against the wall as she reached out and pulled his hips flush against hers. “It involves worshiping your body morning, noon and night.”

  “Have I mentioned that I like the way you think?”

  Capturing her lips, he kissed her as he shoved her coat off her body and palmed her ass to drag her up against his raging hard on. She groaned and thrust herself against him yanking off his coat and his shirt. She dragged sweet, open-mouthed kisses over his bare chest as she freed the button of his pants. He slipped his hand beneath her soft sweater as a painful flash of blue-white light filled the room.

  Gabriel.

  Whirling, he stood in front of Emerson, blocking the angel’s view of his woman. Trembling “What do you want?” he growled.

  “You. Well, I don’t,” his sometime friend amended, “but He does.”

  “Look,” Taliesin began. “I’ve changed my mind. I’d prefer to stay here.”

  Gabriel doubled both his size and brightness and roared like a gale through a canyon. “It isn’t about what you want, fallen one. He bids you come, and so you shall.” The angel extended his hand and though Taliesin fought with every fibre of his being Gabriel used his powers and dragged him from Emerson.

  Clearly terrified, Em still reached out to him as if she could pull him back from the angel’s grip. Rage swirled through his middle. He didn’t want to leave her—not tonight of all nights. Not now that she’d finally found some happiness in her life. As they faded from sight, she shouted. He thought she said she loved him.

  Emerson sank to the floor. If she’d ever had any doubts about Taliesin’s angelic origins, tonight’s nightmare would have put them to rest. Gathering his shirt in her hands, Emerson sobbed. And then raged.

  Once again God had taken someone she loved. She might have only known Taliesin for a short while, but she loved him. Like an idiot, she’d gone and fallen in love with him, and God had taken him away. “What is it with you?” she shouted. “I actually find some joy in my life and you have to crush it?” Was there something so horrible about her that she didn’t deserve love?

  To think she’d actually believed what Taliesin had said about God caring. What a freaking joke. Once she’d screamed out her rage, she slumped against the wall and for the first time since her mother died, she prayed. She considered praying for his return, but even more than that, she wanted his safety.

  Curled on the floor, she wrapped herself in his coat and waited. Being surrounded by his masculine scent offered a small measure of comfort. As the night wore on, exhaustion tugged at her eyelids, but she refused to give in. She needed to keep vigil. Shaking with rage and fright, she waited.

  Taliesin hit the floor with a thud. Gabriel had literally dropped him on the floor of the audience chamber. Taliesin looked around. God wasn’t here yet, but Michael was. The angel stared at him like he wouldn’t mind carving another chunk of flesh from his body. Taliesin got to his feet and nodded to him before turning back to Gabriel.

  “I don’t get it. Why make sure I meet someone I actually fall in love with and then yank me away? What’s the fucking—”

  “Language,” Michael warned from the corner, hand on the hilt of his sword.

  Taliesin glared at him. “What’s the point?” he amended, turning back to Gabriel. “Believe it or not, I actually took your advice—heeding what I was to learn and all that. I figured it out. Emerson’s happiness is more important than mine. I get it now.”

  Gabriel’s lips twitched, but Michael laughed outright.

  “What I don’t understand,” Taliesin continued, glaring at both of them, “is why I can’t spend the rest of her life making her happy.”

  Michael wiped tears of amusement from his eyes. “You? In love? And with a human?” He shook his head.

  Taliesin shrugged. “I wouldn’t trade her for anything.”

  “Not even the full restoration of your powers?” Gabriel asked.

  “Not even.” Taliesin just hoped there would be a choice.

  Emerson squinted against the blinding flash that cut the dull dawn light. They were back. She scrambled to her feet, still clutching Taliesin’s shirt and rushed into his arms. Watching the angel warily, she threw her arms around her lover’s neck.

  “It’s okay, Em,” Taliesin murmured.

  She smoothed her fingers over his face. “Are you all right? Did they hurt you?”

  “I’m fine. Really.” He tightened his arms around her. “And I’m here to stay if you’ll have me.”

  “You’ll stay with me?” She couldn’t disguise the suspicion in her voice no matter how hard she tried. “I’m not sure I could bear it if they took you away again.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “He’s human now,” Gabriel volunteered. “He chose you.”

  “What?” Confusion and hope clashed in her chest, but hope won.

  “I love you, Em. I want to sp
end the rest of my life with you.” He laughed. “Some Angel of Inspiration I am—was,” he clarified. “I can’t even find the words to tell you how I feel without resorting to cliché.”

  “I love you, too,” she whispered, happiness flooding her being. “So I can live with a little cliché here and there.”

  Gabriel stepped closer and she stiffened. A gentle smile softened his face as he laid his hands on the top of her and Taliesin’s heads. “Live well in love, and find joy in one another. Revel in the blessings of our Lord.”

  He faded from sight and Em pressed closer to Taliesin’s bare chest, adjusting her hold around his neck. Her fingers brushed over the scarred skin of his shoulders. “Does it still hurt?” she asked worried that she’d unintentionally caused him pain.

  He shook his head and laughed. “I’m fine. Gabriel said the scars are to keep me humble.”

  She frowned. “I’m not sure I like him.”

  “I do.” His dove grey eyes darkened with desire and he lowered his head. “He brought me to you,” he whispered against her lips.

  Driven by the same desire-fuelled need, their mouths met and fused as they lost themselves in each other. Barely breaking the kiss, he lifted her in his arms.

  “Bedroom,” he demanded and she pointed. Shouldering the door open, he laid her gently on her bed.

  She tore at her clothes needing to feel the warmth and strength of his flesh against hers. She needed him to help her wash away the fear and uncertainty that had tormented her all night long.

  Gloriously naked, he covered her with his body and stared into her eyes. “So, do you want to spend the shortest day of the year starting the longest journey of our lives?” She opened her mouth, but before she could speak, he added, “Marry me, Em.”

  A future she’d never dared hope for opened up in front of her. Her fear vanished, replaced by pure joy and she nodded. “I love you,” she breathed as she welcomed him inside her body and heart.