“Where’s Jade?” he asked as he took the plastic wrap off the cold concoction of chicken sausage, wild rice, and celery.
“Upstairs, I think. She’s been pretty quiet this afternoon. I think she’s bummed we didn’t find anything useful today.”
“I’ll swing up and say hi. Then I’ll get dinner together.”
Cracking his knuckles in a habit that made Emmett wince, Nick got up from the table and offered his help. Emmett got him set up with some bagged spinach, tomatoes, and cucumbers and put him on salad duty before taking the stairs two at a time to see his girl.
On the left of the carpeted stairwell was a beige-painted wall where framed photos of his friends and family hung. Belatedly, he realized that in one of the pictures, he had his arm around Chelsea as they posed at the summit of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. It was high time he took that one down. Maybe he’d replace it with a picture of him and Jade.
The right side of the stairwell was a blank wall that ended even with the floor of his bedroom. There was no door on his room. Rather, the stairs emptied out into the middle of the long room with a banister surrounding the stairs so one didn’t stumble into the gaping hole in the floor. Straight ahead was the bed. Turning 180 degrees put you facing his personal office space, which held an Ikea desk with a Dell computer and scattered paperwork on top. But it wasn’t his office that drew his gaze as he crested the stairs.
It was the sleeping angel in his bed.
Jade was snuggled up under his navy-blue comforter with her silky hair fanned out on his pillow. Her face was peaceful and free from makeup so he could see the dusting of freckles on her cheeks. He wanted to cover them with kisses. And speaking of kisses, her lips were full and natural and slightly parted in an almost irresistible invitation.
But he resisted. Only because he didn’t want to wake her.
He should go help Nick with dinner, but he loved watching his girl sleep.
While he sat there, close enough for the warmth from her arm to tease his hip through his jeans, she turned onto her side and hugged his thigh. Her hand slid up the inside of his leg and came to rest just under his growing package. A sigh from her sweet lips fogged his skin through the denim.
He sucked a breath, suddenly feeling like a perv.
Poor Jade was fast asleep and utterly innocent and he was drooling over her like a horn dog. He needed to get hold of himself. She was hot for sure, but she was also smart, brave, honest, and fun. She deserved his utmost respect, especially while dealing with something that probably made her feel vulnerable.
As tempted as he was to climb under the blankets with her, and wake her with kisses, he forced himself to trudge back to the kitchen.
He’d wake her with a kiss, all right, but only when it was time for dinner. And it would be no more than a kiss. He’d behaved for years with Chelsea. He could do this thing with Jade.
Except his heart had never beat quite this hard at the sight of Chelsea after a long day at work, and his dick had never surged to full attention at an innocent touch from Chelsea. Or anyone else, for that matter. Only Jade.
He was in trouble with a capital T.
*****
Mercy smiled to herself as she heard Emmett coming up the stairs for the second time that evening. He was no doubt planning to wake her for dinner, judging by the mouthwatering scents of cooking meat and vegetables drifting up the stairs.
When he had come up an hour earlier, she had feigned sleep, hoping to entice him with her pouty lips and exposed neck. She would have liked him to crawl in bed with her, where she could give him a sample of the delights that awaited him in her arms. But he hadn’t taken the bait.
He had thought about it, though. She’d known from the change in his breathing he had become aroused when she’d cuddled up to his leg.
He would be hers. Tonight. And then she would give his flesh to Draonius. They would finally be free!
But first, she had to get rid of the friend.
As the approaching footsteps reached the top of the stairs, she arched her back to ease the bedcovers down below her breasts. She’d worn nothing but a thin white camisole and matching “panties” to bed, knowing the material showed the shadow of her areolas and the dark hair at the juncture of her thighs. It was the sight of her breasts straining at the fabric she counted on now to tease Emmett all through dinner. That way, when she suggested Emmett’s friend return to his school this evening rather than make another futile attempt to find Draonius at her old house, her quarry would be sure to agree. He would be desperate to touch her breasts, to taste them, to possess them. And she looked forward to letting him.
Soft footfalls of stocking feet on carpet drew near the bed. The mattress dipped and the warm pressure of a strong male body fitted itself along her side. A hot whisper over her ear made her shiver.
“Time to wake up, baby girl.”
She couldn’t suppress a hot shiver at his seductive tone. If she didn’t know from Jade’s memories he was as virginal as she’d been before Draonius, she never would have guessed.
Moving like a cat, she stretched and rolled over to plaster her body along his front. Her nose met the hot, fragrant skin of his neck. A subtle tilt of her pelvis made him suck his breath. The feel of his hard member against her stomach, noticeable even through the padding of the bedding, brought a purr from her chest.
Every inch of this man, down to his most intimate inches, would belong to Draonius soon.
She must not fail.
“Mmmmm, I missed you,” she said, careful to sound like Jade.
He shivered with the tickle of her breath on his skin. It was a heady thing, having seductive power over this fine specimen of a man.
His arm came around her. “Baby, I’ve missed you so much today. Come here.” He stroked her hair once then cupped her face and angled it so her lips met his.
How delightful to have him take control with his hands and mouth. Truly, her work would be easy tonight. When he pulled back from the kiss to gaze into her eyes, she said, “I’ve been dreaming about you.”
“Was it a good dream?” He held her tight to his muscular chest and flat abdomen. His thin cotton shirt hid none of his intoxicating warmth or strength.
She would miss Draonius’s alabaster skin and wavy, dark hair, but it would be no hardship to appreciate him in this form. No hardship at all.
“A very good dream.”
Deciding to leave him wanting, she leaned away as he approached for another kiss. “I’m sorry, Emmett. I just can’t help myself with you. If you keep kissing me like that, I’m going to jump you.”
His mouth curled in a wolfish smile befitting the predator he presumed himself to be. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” He pulled her close again, and she pretended reluctance as he pressed his lips to hers once more.
There was no need to feign growing interest as he deepened the kiss and her body began to respond. After an indulgent minute that had both their pelvises rocking, she pushed out of his arms and sat up with the blankets pulled to her chin.
“I mean it. You promised to take it easy with me.” This seduction was going to be easy as catching fireflies on a summer night by the pond.
The cocky man sprawled on his back with his hands linked behind his head. The position displayed the muscles of his arms to perfection.
“Relax. Nick’s here. He won’t let me do anything I might regret.”
She bristled to hear him use the word regret in relation to intimacy with her, but recovered her composure quickly. “Well, thank goodness for Nick.” Her resolve to get rid of the other man doubled. She quirked her mouth in a playful grin. “With a failsafe close by, I suppose I don’t need to ask you to leave while I dress.” She stepped out of bed, letting the blanket fall away.
His eyes went round as wagon wheels as they focused on the thin fabric pulled taut across her breasts.
“Like what you see?”
He swallowed and held out a hand to her. She took it and
crawled onto the bed on her knees. In an instant, he had her sitting astride him.
“You know I do. I like it a lot.”
If his smoldering eyes weren’t evidence enough he spoke true, his manhood, hard as iron beneath his jeans, most certainly was.
She leaned forward until her breasts were a scant inch from his chest. With her lips just brushing his in an almost kiss, she said, “Then it’s a shame I have to dress at all. If it was just us, I might be persuaded to dine just as I am.”
His member pulsed between her legs, and he emitted a groan.
She took it as her cue to hop up and pull on her jeans and T-shirt. She would leave him desperate and wanting. And then, when the time was right, she would give him exactly what he desired.
And take everything in return.
Chapter Twenty
Joshua finished explaining to Jade what they needed to do to get her back into her body. Though the young woman was spitting mad at being possessed, she exhibited a zealous concentration that proved she understood the gravity of the situation.
He found himself liking her a great deal. He prayed they would succeed.
Are you ready? he asked her at last.
You bet. Let’s go kick some demon ass.
Having grown accustomed to her frequent unladylike oaths, he merely smiled. Her determination was inspiring, to say the least.
Now, we shall ascend up into the sky. You will find there is a barrier, rather like a surface of water, only upside-down. Once we penetrate it, we will be buffeted by immense winds and bitter cold. Without a body to inhabit, it will feel as though the elements wish to tear you apart. But so long as you focus on holding yourself together, you shall not disperse. Whatever happens, do not let go of my hand.
She wrapped several tendrils, strong and flexible as spider-web ropes, around the shadow hand he extended.
I do not know where we will be in the physical plane, he reminded her as they rose higher and higher. It may be quite a journey to your body. But do not fear. I shall get you there.
Why are you helping me? she asked. Not that I’m complaining. But I know this is costing you energy, and since Draonius released you, you don’t have a demon to feed from either, so aren’t you risking-well, you’re already dead, aren’t you? Her thoughts squeezed with regret he could read as easily as the words she projected. What’s in this for you?
He felt the sharp focus of her curiosity and, bless her, her suspicion. He ached for the woman who had known so little unselfish kindness that she suspected any good-doer of having ulterior motives. In his case, it was true. He did have a motive in addition to her wellbeing, although her wellbeing was, indeed, important to him.
He decided to be impeccably honest with her. Slowing their ascent so he’d have time to tell her everything, he said, I once thought, as many Believers do, that once God created his Heavenly Host, He’d had no reason to create more. I was wrong.
I have been made an angel. Whether it was my reward for bearing over a century of imprisonment by that vile demon or whether it has ever been my calling, I do not know, but I have tasted the peace of heaven and the eternal love of Almighty God. In His unfathomable wisdom and by His perfect will, I have been blessed above all mortal creatures and given charge over a small measure of His power.
God has given me the power to guide and protect you in this plane and the one above. And when I have done all I can for you, I will offer guidance and protection to another in need.
You’re an angel? she asked as they reached the shimmering ceiling of the abyss. As in wings and harps?
He winced at the common misconception. His time in heaven had felt like a thousand glorious years, and in that time, he’d learned much about the world Almighty God had made, the visible parts and the invisible.
Not quite. Think lightning bolts of power, swords of fire for slaying demons, and diamond-plated armor to protect against the enemy. The music I make with my cohort would shatter the Earth if the barriers between heaven and the physical plane fell.
Her tendrils slipped from his hand. Her essence furled into form and she spoke with her mouth. “It’s all true? There is a God, and he’s all-powerful? There are angels?” The black holes of her eyes widened. “Is there a…hell?”
He nodded, catching her as she began to drift downward. She relaxed into her pure essence form. Her tendrils closed around his arm uncertainly.
“It is all true,” he said with his voice. “But I must warn you, once you win back your body from Mercy, I cannot guarantee you will remember your time here. It is likely this encounter will fade like a dream and you will retain no memory of this forsaken place.” He spoke the rest into her thoughts, encouraging her to conserve her energy. You may have no memory of me save for our brief interactions inside your house.
Why?
Because God desires your faith.
That’s not fair. What if I never believe what Emmett believes? What about all those people who don’t believe? If there’s really a hell, who goes there? Could I go there? Her essence shivered with apprehension, which quickly spiked to indignation. I’m not bad. Maybe I’m a little bit carnal, but not bad. I’m not evil. I don’t deserve to go to hell.
He ached for her. He remembered what it was like to have such limited understanding of God’s love. It is God’s desire that every mortal finds heaven’s peace. But His greatest gift to mankind is free choice. Some choose Him. Some do not. But His arms are open to all.
What will I choose?
I do not know the future. I pray you choose God. I think if you remain by Emmett’s side, you will come to cherish his beliefs.
What if I don’t? Her grip on him loosened.
He regretted telling her everything. He needed her determined right now, not frightened of the future.
Acting on impulse, he embraced her essence as they floated below the ceiling. She molded to his form like a doll made of dandelion fluff. She was next to nothing in his arms, her vibrant life without a home. What had been done to her was an egregious sin. He vowed to make Draonius pay.
Unfortunately, no amount of determination on his part could secure Jade’s fate. Once he placed her back in her body, she would have a battle on her hands. It was not for him to know the outcome, only to prepare her for the fight.
I am not omniscient, dear Jade. But God would not have sent me to you unless He had plans for you. He made you. He fashioned you with the love of a perfect father. He desires a relationship with you. He will not give up on you easily. Now, are you ready to live?
A pause. I’m afraid.
I will be with you until you are back in your body. And then you will know what to do. Come, let us put Mercy and Draonius in their place.
Her essence furled tight, determined. Okay. Let’s do it.
He brought her through the ceiling, praying with all his might.
*****
Wind ripped at Jade’s essence. The roar of it was discordant and deafening despite her lack of ears. The physical plane was pure unadulterated chaos.
She should have been terrified, but thanks to Joshua cocooning her, shielding her from the worst of the gale, she didn’t fall to pieces, literally or emotionally.
After what felt like several tense minutes, Joshua’s thought to her, I found your body. Here, do you feel that?
He pressed her tendrils into something warm and soft, something humming with a vibration that instantly calmed her. It felt like an island of salvation in a raging storm. It was her physical self. She let the warmth draw her in until the storm abated.
A sense of rightness surrounded her. She was home.
Releasing Joshua’s hand, she thought, Thank you so much.
His response was, Fight, Jade. Take back your body. Then he was gone.
The second he left, she sensed an unpleasant crowding. Something pushed at her, resisting her effort to snuggle in where she belonged.
Mercy.
The sound of Emmett’s voice infused her with strength. He wa
s saying, “Yeah, I think it did. There must be a draft or something.”
She imagined her tendrils turning to tent pegs, anchoring her in place. The pushing kept up, but she withstood it. Then she focused on having sight.
She caught a fleeting glimpse of Nick across the kitchen table. He was rubbing his arms as if he were cold. Dirty dishes strewn over the table suggested they’d just finished dinner. Emmett sat beside her, holding her hand.
She told her fingers to squeeze his hand and they obeyed, but loosely, as if someone else fought the command. Suddenly, everything went dark. Wind pulled at her, and she knew Mercy was trying to push her out.
Bitch.
She turned her tent pegs into railroad spikes, sending them deep. Mercy pushed harder. The spikes trembled. Weariness pressed at her, urging her to release all her tension to the threatening wind.
Joshua had warned her Mercy would be strong and determined, but she had refused to believe the former witch might be stronger than she was. Now she believed.
She had a single charge by Joshua, one thing she must accomplish at any cost. Tell Nick, ‘I am possessed by a spirit named Mercy Abigail Birmingham. Pray for me.’ If you do that, he will take care of the rest.
It had seemed so simple. But her strength was running out after less than a minute of fighting the witch bitch. She’d barely gotten a glimpse out of her eyes. She couldn’t even give Emmett’s hand a proper squeeze. How was she going to wrest control of her mouth?
Doubts assailed her. What if she couldn’t do this? What if, after everything Joshua had told her, she lost to Mercy and wound up in hell?
She heard herself say, “I have a headache. I think I’ll go upstairs and lie down.” Damn it! Mercy had taken advantage of her moment of weakness.
Emmett said, “Okay, babe. Feel better.”
The sound of a kiss made her shake with rage. How dare that woman kiss her man! Hurt that bitch. Feel pain, damn it! She couldn’t afford to leave the room. She needed to talk to Nick.
A familiar, genteel voice in her head chuckled as she felt her body climb the stairs to Emmett’s room. You can’t hurt me. Nor can you stop me. I am stronger and smarter than you, Jade, and I shall not give this body up without a fight.
Passionate Kisses 2 Boxed Set: Love in Bloom Page 159
