by Crymsyn Hart
“You want me to take these off?” she asked.
“Yes,” he murmured.
He backed away and let her stand. Amelia undid the other garter and rolled down the stocking, making a show of moving it down her firm leg. Barrett reached for the stocking, but Amelia slapped his hand away. A small whimper loosened from his throat. It was a travesty she wasn’t letting him take off her fishnet stockings. She took off her garter belt and placed it neatly with her clothes. Then, she undid her bra and dropped it to the pile of her clothes. Next, Amelia shimmied out of the panties and stood before him completely naked. He sighed, seeing his goddess before him. She was everything he had ever wanted in a woman. She motioned for him to stand. He stood on shaky legs and prayed she would find him adequate. Barrett quickly took off his clothes. He stared at her body and saw her pale skin. Her nipples where dark roses against the white flesh, and her hair fell like a midnight halo around her shoulders.
She motioned him forward with her finger and walked toward the bed. Amelia crawled over the covers with her ass facing him. Seeing those round globes made him crave her more. She was a seductress. If she was this damn sexy, then had her boyfriend been fighting men off with a stick to keep her when she was alive? She didn’t seem the type to string men along. Right now, all he wanted was to hold her ass and fuck her succulent pussy that she kept flashing him. Barrett licked his lips and then ran his hands along those firm mounds. They were smooth and luscious. He placed a kiss on each one and then walked his fingers along the small knobs of her spine until he went over her sides and cupped her pendulous breasts. Her pert nipples rasped his palms as he kneaded her breasts. His cock shifted and poked her derriere, but he ignored the need to claim her. Instead, he rolled her nipples between his thumb and forefingers. Amelia whimpered. When she hung her head, he kissed her nape.
Barrett kissed lower, following her spine. He slid his fingers from her breasts to her stomach. Her muscles trembled under his hands. He trailed his fingers through her patch of curls until he found her slit. When he pressed on her clit, she gasped. He kissed her shoulder and began to fondle her.
“Barrett, stop teasing. Fuck me!”
He didn’t oblige her, but kept on torturing. Hearing the sobs coming from her was music to his ears. Everything he had wanted to do with her was coming true. Now he was given the privilege of doing the ultimate act of love with her. Barrett couldn’t help but admit he had feelings for her. He felt the gush of wetness cover his hand with her sweetness. She groaned again, her cries rising in pitch. Her shoulders heaved from drawing in short breaths. His cock throbbed in time to her breathing. It was time. He bit her lightly on the shoulder and parted her legs.
“Are you ready for me?”
“Yes!”
“Good.”
He guided his cock inside of her. Amelia tensed up at first. “Do you want me to stop?”
“No. It’s just been so long.”
“It’s okay. Just calm down.”
Barrett felt her relax. He inched into her until his shaft was buried into her tight pussy. They fit together perfectly. She gripped him with just the right about of firmness that he wanted to stay inside of her forever. When she moved, he lost all control. He grasped her hips and pumped into her. He moaned from the ecstasy and thanked God for the second chance at being with her. Amelia pushed her ass into him, encouraging him. Barrett couldn’t hold on. He was on the edge of an orgasm. He thrust into her one last time and the rapture of their bodies’ together washed over him. Once it did, he felt the warmth focus in his groin and then shoot straight out of him into her. Amelia cried out and he did the same. He rested his head on her back. It was nice to hear her breathe. To feel her warm skin underneath his cheek and know she was with him.
“Thank you,” she said.
“For what?”
“For letting me know I hadn’t lost it.”
He rolled over and lay beside her, winding his arm around her waist. “You most certainly haven’t lost it. I’m grateful that whatever state or limbo I’m in allows me to make love to you.”
“Me too. I—”
A knock interrupted them. “Sorry to bother you, but Leah and Honey are here. Why don’t you come up to Leah’s office?” Tig’s voice was muffled through the door.
Barrett groaned. He didn’t want to leave Amelia just yet, but he did want to figure out what he was. He kissed her before getting up and putting his clothes back on. Amelia got dressed and then opened the door for him. He sighed and followed her through the web of passageways. Now that he was aware that something was different, he did feel a pulse in the very walls and floor that wasn’t the bass of the music. It was something different, a vibration that the club was charged with, some energy. The walls almost shone with a light, but it was tricky to pin down, like the reflection of a rainbow. Once he focused on it, the light darted out of his view. Either way, he hoped that even if he did find answers, then he wouldn’t be ripped from Amelia. He wasn’t sure if he could take that after just finding her.
Chapter Seven
Amelia held Barrett’s hand when they got to Leah’s office. It was tough to believe she had just made love to him. Her body felt great. She didn’t think she still had it in her. Seeing him before her was a shock, but it was the best kind of shock. She couldn’t help but admit she had feelings for him. Love. It was apparent he was in love with her. She mulled over what Tig had said about Sandra sending Barrett over to her that first night and that Sandra never made a mistake when it came to matchmaking. Obviously, she had been right about the two of them. Amelia didn’t want Barrett to go anywhere, but there was still the problem of figuring out what he was. If no one was seeing him, then he wasn’t a ghost.
“Ready for this?” she asked Barrett.
He squeezed her hand and flashed her a confident smile, but she saw the doubt and fear in his eyes. “Absolutely.”
She nodded and opened the door to Leah’s office. Inside were Tig, Leah, and the witch, Honey. She was dressed in the same white dress from before. Tig had on skin tight blue leather pants that didn’t hide anything. His nipples were covered with black electrical tape Xs. Leah was in jeans and a T-shirt, but she never seemed to change out of those.
“Let’s make this fast,” Leah growled. “I have other places to be tonight and need to be out of here before the moon reaches its zenith.”
Barrett glanced at Amelia. “Leah is a werewolf,” she explained.
“Oh. Great. At least she can’t eat me.”
“What did he say, Amelia?” Leah asked.
“That you wouldn’t eat him now that he’s dead,” she explained.
The other woman snorted. “I wouldn’t eat a ghost. Way too lean for my taste.”
Barrett laughed. “Ask them what I am. Why can’t they see me?”
Amelia relayed the message.
Honey crossed her arms over her chest. “I think I might know the reason for that. The night you died I had cast several more spells on Hell’s Gate to keep out intruders and strengthened the wards along with a few other enchantments. Something happened in the process. You didn’t fully cross over and become what you were supposed to become.”
“And what was that?” Barrett asked.
“An angel,” Honey answered. “And yes, I can see you. I have angel blood in me and it allows me to see through the veils. I’ve seen way too many things to tell you about and some that even Leah wouldn’t believe.”
Amelia glanced at Barrett and saw the shock she felt reflected in his eyes. He was supposed to be an angel. Now he was stuck with her in this club. He gripped her hand and stepped toward Honey. Her heart fell with him, discovering what he was supposed to be or in transition to be. He’ll want to leave me for sure. Why would an angel want to stick around with a ghost in a supernatural fetish club when he had Heaven ahead of him?
“Can you undo the bindings holding me?”
“I can, but it means you have to leave everything here behind,” Honey answered.
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Barrett glanced back at Amelia.
She smiled. “You need to do whatever you think is best. You weren’t meant to be here. I can’t stop you. If I had the choice, I would cross over, too.” Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but she fought them back, feeling her heart breaking. Amelia had just found him and now he was departing. He took her hands and kissed the backs of them. He had already made up his mind. She could see it in his eyes.
“This is what I have to do. I can feel it.”
“Then you need to.”
“Come with me.”
She shook her head. “I can’t. This is where I spend my eternity until the afterlife comes back for me again or the soul harvesters get me.”
“If you want to do this, it has to be now. I can only lift the enchantments once and there is a short window of time,” Honey said to him.
Barrett nodded and kissed Amelia’s lips before backing away. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Honey took Barrett to the center of the room. Leah and Tig backed up, giving her enough space. She produced a small dagger from her purse. She walked around Barrett in a circle, holding the dagger at arm’s length. The energy in the room was building. Amelia could feel it crackling against her skin. After walking around him another two times, she etched strange symbols into the air. They were filled with light. Leah and Tig gasped, and she guessed they were seeing it, too. Barrett stood silently, watching Amelia. The emotions on his face were conflicted between sadness and the joy of knowing he would no longer be trapped in Hell’s Gate.
Once Honey drew the last symbol, a gust of wind so strong rushed through the room that it blew the papers from Leah’s desk. A white light appeared from the ceiling that blinded Amelia for a moment. When her eyes adjusted, it appeared that sunlight was streaming in right through the club and striking Barrett in the chest. He doubled over and cried out in pain. She rushed to him, but was stopped by the invisible barrier of the circle.
“Barrett.” The tears slipped from her cheeks, and she couldn’t stop them.
He reached his hand out to her, but was also blocked by the circle. He writhed, drawing his knees up to his chest. Then he stopped moving.
“You have to do something,” Amelia yelled at Honey. “You’re killing him.”
“You can’t kill what’s already dead. He’ll be fine. Trust me. What you see is his humanity working itself off,” the witch responded.
Amelia pressed her face against the circle. After a moment, Barrett let out a breath and then opened his eyes. They weren’t the eyes she knew. They were that of a being who was full of wisdom. He looked straight through her as though he didn’t see her at all. He stood and she stood with him. The light in the room hadn’t dissipated, but her love stared into the heart of it and then glanced at Honey.
“Thank you, conjurer, for releasing me from this plane.” He stretched and rolled his shoulders. When he did, Amelia saw the flash of large white wings fixed to his back. She had never seen anything so beautiful and yet so sad at the same time.
“You’re welcome. Before you depart, there is one who wishes to say farewell to you. Amelia, step into the circle, please.”
With the invitation, she felt the barrier fall away that held her back from entering into the circle. She walked in and felt the warmth of the light flood across her skin. She turned and stared into the center of it. A sense of peace washed over her, but she also knew it wasn’t her time to go. Not by a long shot. Closer to Barrett, she could see he had changed. His muscles were more defined and his features more cut. Even his red hair was shot through with silver. He examined her, but she didn’t see the man who had worshipped her feet. Barrett had become another being entirely. She placed her hand on his chest. He looked at it and then her.
“Magic binds you to the flesh. Why are you touching me, phantasm?”
She swallowed back her hurt and tried to remember this was still Barrett. “Honey was kind enough to enchant a ring for me so I could interact with the people at this club. I’m touching you because I wanted to wish you good journey and tell you that I loved you.” She stood on tiptoe and touched his cheek. He grasped her hand, but not in a painful grip, stopping her.
“Everyone loves an angel,” he replied.
“Yes, but before you were an angel you were human. And we loved one another. I just wanted to say goodbye.” She brushed her lips across his.
Barrett released her hand and then touched his mouth. He gazed at her. For a moment, she thought she saw some recognition in his eyes, but it faded away. She stepped back and before she could say anything else, the light disappeared and he was gone. The energy of the circle collapsed. The illuminated symbols disintegrated to the floor and they were all left alone in the office.
“Wow. That isn’t something you see every day,” Tig murmured.
“No shit. Honey, thanks for everything, but I have to go. Amelia, sorry about losing your boyfriend.” Leah dashed out of the office and Tig followed.
“I’m sorry, Amelia. It was what he wanted.” Honey tried to draw her into a hug.
Amelia shook her head. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. You have to do what you needed to do.” She looked at the ring on her finger and then pulled it off, feeling the world dissolve around her. She placed it on the desk. “I won’t need this anymore. Thank you for the chance. Tell Leah I don’t need the room either.”
“You might want it in the future.”
The silver circlet was a temptation she didn’t need. If she put it on again, it would only bring back the harshness of the emotions that already tumbled through her. Being flesh, her feelings were sharper than they were being incorporeal. It was easier to deal this way. Soon she would fade away and it wouldn’t matter either way. “No. I don’t want it anymore.”
Before Honey could respond, she let herself drop through the floor. Amelia wound up back in her room. On the floor was one of her garters. She thought about how Barrett was so enthusiastic about sucking on her toes. It was a mind blowing experience she would never forget. Instead of thinking about it, she sat on the bed and pulled her knees up to her chest. Even as a spirit, the tears wouldn’t stop. She cried and wailed until she thought her heart would heal, but it was never going to. No matter how much time passed. She would stay there until the club crumbled away and some soul harvester took her. Anything that would make the pain go away.
The world melted around her. At times she caught glimpses of Leah or Tig trying to talk to her, but she retreated further into her world where the colors were less bright and everything was gray. It was easier to float than deal with the heartache. She had another chance at love and it was ripped away from her. She understood why Barrett ascended, but she wished she could see him again.
“Amelia.”
She heard her name said with a commanding voice. After wiping the tears from her cheeks, she glanced up. Barrett stood before her, bare-chested and wearing white leather pants instead of black. His red hair hung loose around his shoulders. It appeared he had worked out because he was buffer than usual. I’m only seeing things. I’ve finally been driven mad from my grief.
“You’re not imagining this. Take my hand. Please,” he implored and reached out to her.
For a moment, she thought it was a hallucination, but decided why not give it a try? Amelia took his hand and felt its solidity. He drew her up from the bed and against his firm chest. She could hardly believe that he was there. When he looked at her it was with recognition.
“Barrett? Is that really you?” The small bit of hope that warmed her heart gave her enough strength to focus her energy on moving back into the real world. The room came back into view. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed.
“It’s really me. Honey summoned me to come here.”
“So you didn’t come here on your own. You didn’t want me?”
He sighed and shook his head. “No. That’s not how it was. I remember everything. It just came back when I was t
alking with Honey.”
“Why did she send for you?”
He wiped the tears from her cheeks, and she turned her face into his palm. This was what felt right. This was where she belonged. With him being an angel, then she would lose him once more. “She called me because it seems Leah has been getting complaints about some woman wailing and it’s really starting to mess with the customers.”
