I’ve got to say something! What words could possibly express…
Inspiration struck, saving the moment completely and allowing a strange lust and affection to take over.
Perhaps it was the beginning of love?
Perhaps.
Cain sighed and kissed Al’bah as he whispered into her ear, “Warm.”
Al’bah gasped and clutched Cain all the tighter.
A strange sense of existence gripped Cain’s perception as he felt Al’bah’s hands satisfy her lustful hungers upon, within, and through his body. There was nowhere, inside or out, that she could not touch.
Cain reached out and placed his hand upon the edge of the universe, even as he surrounded it as much as it surrounded him.
Chapter 53
Separation of Pasts
“My father and my brothers would have killed me, if it weren’t for Cain.”
—Charlie Tsukada
“Another glass of white Zinfandel?”
Stella looked up at the first-class flight attendant. “Oh. Yes, please,” she said, offering up her empty glass.
“Do you want me to get anything for him?” the attendant asked, gesturing to Charlie, who was asleep.
Stella shook her head, still in awe over what was likely to be the first of many secrets Charlie had revealed to her.
Apparently Charlie was from a rich family, and he was extremely well off. She found that out when she noticed her ticket indicated her being seated on seat 1-AA. He tried to downplay that, but Stella would have none of it, stating if Charlie couldn’t be honest to her, there was no point in remaining together.
A son of a Japanese real-estate tycoon, slumming around with an American who saved his life, deciding to work construction just to have “something to do.”
Yeah, after everything that happened to her in this crazy week, she could believe it.
In the space of a week she had been promoted, placed in charge of her own investigation, been accused of being an accessory to multiple murders, met a Succubus, lost her badge, and forced—no, pressured—to leave the country, despite having the means to fight for everything she lost.
How in the world did all this happen?
Even now, she sometimes still felt a harsh panic rise in her chest that would make her nearly call everything off and crawl under something until the world made sense. Sometimes she would bless and curse Cain and Al’bah with the same breath.
“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help but notice your ring. Congratulations,” the flight attendant said with a fresh glass.
Stella looked at the diamond ring accented by genuine sapphire. “Oh. I, um…thank you, Stephanie,” Stella said, noticing her name badge.
“So, when is the big date?”
Stella felt her face burn. As crazy as the week had been thus far… “Um, tomorrow, in Paris.” It wasn’t even over yet…
The flight attendant blushed and smiled. “Good luck to the two of you. Would you like some complimentary cake and champagne?”
“Um, sure. Thank you.”
“Attention, passengers, we are now cruising at forty thousand feet, and it looks like the rest of the flight into Paris will be smooth with little turbulence. Our flight crew will soon be coming around to take your food and drink orders, which are…”
Charlie shifted, waking up from the overhead announcement, and looked to Stella.
“Careful, if you let it out of your sight, it will disappear,” he said, grinning, making Stella realize she still had her hand out in a display gesture.
Stella shook her head and took Charlie’s hands.
“This is crazy, Charlie. This has never happened to me before. And you—are you sure that this is what you want? Are you sure you’re just not trying to make amends for your past?”
Now that was something they spoke long and deeply about. Stella did not like the idea of being anyone’s replacement. Though, she had to admit, Charlie did not try to deny her resemblance to Holly affected his infatuation. Even more to his credit, he insisted, even against her initial resistance, to know everything about her and her past.
Charlie’s eyes bored deep into her own. “Stella, I couldn’t be happier. I think that no one could ever let go of the past. Anyone who says otherwise speaks in foolishness. I think that if we can acknowledge the past for what it was, live with it, promise to carry it with us, I think that would be enough, and the past would let us go.”
Stella laughed softly. “Isn’t that the same thing?”
Charlie shrugged. “Perhaps, but maybe trying to move on from the past is wrong. Everything we are is a result of what happens. I wouldn’t be who I am now if it weren’t for—”
Charlie stopped and swallowed hard as his eyes blinked a little faster. Stella knew why, and pretended to be interested in her ring again to give him a moment. Seems like everyone gained a little and lost a lot this week.
“Stella,” Charlie said, his voice quite different than before. “I feel blessed now that you are part of my life. So many burdens don’t feel so heavy anymore. But, I don’t even know for sure why. Is it because of you? Or because I left behind everything I knew, even the man I owe my life to? But…you’re here…with me. And everything else in my past isn’t. And I believe with all my heart that it will be enough. That is, if it is enough for you, too.”
“Amazing,” Stella breathed.
“What?”
“Nothing. Charlie?”
“Yes?”
Stella looked at her ring again. “Do you really think that we have a chance? I mean, we don’t even know each other.”
Charlie shrugged. “With the unfortunate reality of the divorce rate being at sixty percent, we have as much a chance as those who do know each other.”
“There’s a ‘but’ in there.”
“Yes. But I think that to give ourselves the best chance, we need to be absolutely honest.”
“Huh?”
“Well just like when you called me out on being rich. I never put money as one of my better qualities. Shoot, it’s been over thirteen years since I even touched money I had but didn’t make while I worked with Cain. I wanted to downplay it, but you weren’t going to let me be less than honest with you. So, whenever you do something, anything that I don’t like, I am gonna call you out on it. There will be no keeping quiet for the sake of harmony. I want to know you, Stella. Do the same for me, and I think that we’ll do all right. Okay?”
“Sure. Charlie?”
“Yeah?”
“You snore and drool in your sleep.”
They both laughed, but more than that, they rejoiced. Truly they were two souls who escaped out of…
“Out of what?” some might ask.
But there was no clear answer. Charlie and Stella were free, perhaps for the first time in their lives.
“There is he, the lucky groom. Congratulations,” Stephanie said, handing over the champagne, cake, and two new glasses.
“Hey thanks, Stephanie. Say, didja know that Stephanie means ‘crown’?”
Stella smiled internally at how different Charlie’s lines felt, now that it was bereft of the irresistible charm he only had for her now.
“I did. Names are a hobby of mine. Did you know that Charlie means ‘free man,’ and Stella means ‘star’?” She rubbed her chin with her finger. “And together, your names come together to mean, ‘star frees man,’ or ‘man frees star.’ Or, more poetically, heavenly angel, freed by man.”
***
Cain yawned and opened his eyes. The sunlight filtered in the room and through Al’bah’s wings, making the atmosphere inside her cocoon a vibrant pink. Cain noticed his body was completely covered up to his neck by a mass of pink flesh growing from Al’bah’s wing. He stretched his arms and legs, noticing how the flesh opened instantly and left his body with no hesitation.
The movement also awakened Al’bah, who was asleep next to him. She stretched, speaking and yawning.
“Mah—morning already?” She sighed, man
euvering on top of him again.
“Yep. Good heavens, you still haven’t had enough?” he said, bewildered as she already started to smother his face with her kiss.
“I could never have enough of your presence, Cain.” Al’bah sighed as she tightened her grip around his body. “But I am hungry, you are hungry. And we must face the day.”
With a beautiful flourish, Al’bah opened the cocoon and fresh air rushed in their once intimate space and washed over their bodies, stealing breath with a cold, rushing gasp. The wing that made up the cocoon joined the other that was holding onto the ceiling as Al’bah stared lovingly to Cain.
“You are so beautiful,” she said with a large smile.
“So are you,” Cain said with a smile of his own. “You are the most beautiful woman I could ever imagine.”
“Do you mean that? Do you mean it truly?” Al’bah said with a disbelieving face.
“Yes. Why on Earth do you doubt that?”
“I can only hope you never find out why.”
“What does that mean?”
Al’bah’s wings let go of the ceiling and beat the air, allowing a slow descent upon the bed.
“I may be beautiful to you now. But you do not see with spiritual sight. You and your race are far above me! It is astounding to think that you would pick me.”
Cain didn’t move but held onto Al’bah’s arms to prevent her from getting up. “So what do we look like to those with spiritual eyes?”
Al’bah’s wings folded and settled upon her back. She seemed ashamed but spoke quietly. “It would be like seeing a human in love with a beetle.”
“That’s absurd.” Cain scoffed.
Al’bah shook her head. “Cain, you are made in the image of the Creator! You are above Angels! Angels are above me. How—” She stopped and freed her hands to wipe her eyes. “How can you show your affection to me? I am so unworthy.”
Cain shrugged. “Dunno, but I’d imagine God is above everything and, if I am not mistaken, loves all creation.”
Al’bah gasped and stared at Cain for several moments. Slowly she wiped her eyes and held him close.
“You are beautiful,” she whispered.
***
“Blessed be the day, let not my failings and frustrations impede the plan you have laid before me. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.”
“Prayer ain’t gonna help ya, missy. Yer car has a shot transmission, and it will cost twenty-eight hundred ta fix.”
Cynthia Ronalds sighed; she thought she was being quiet enough for the grinning, gap-toothed mechanic to not hear.
“How much will you buy it for?” she said quietly as she turned around to face him again.
“Don’t need it. I got der number fer the scrapper. He might give yew three hundred fer it.”
“Thanks. I need a moment, okay?”
The mechanic shrugged. “I don’t want it in my shop after today, unless it’s getting worked on.”
Cynthia nodded and rounded the corner of the shop. Her thoughts turned to the various figures of the Bible she clutched in her arms that faced hardship. She wondered why the faithful were the ones who always seemed to—
She froze in her tracks.
“Cain?”
The man stopped in his tracks and looked up. Yep, it was Cain, but he was different. His once rough, pockmarked skin was smooth and almost dewy looking. His eyes were clear, his hair shone, and his posture was stronger.
He looks so healthy.
“Hello, Cynthia.” Even his voice seemed healthy.
For one insane moment, Cynthia envisioned Cain falling to his knee, professing his wrongs and asking her to marry him.
The moment quickly passed as Cynthia noticed the beautiful woman that was with him. No, “beautiful” was far too lacking a word. Her beauty was the sort that would make men or women weep with longing. She could be the singular example Hollywood and Madison Avenue could use to declare the quintessence of feminine beauty was dark, not fair. A happy smile slipped from her face as she seemed to recognize her.
“Hello,” Cynthia said weakly. “I don’t know if Cain has ever told you, but I am—”
“I know who you are,” the beautiful woman said as she squeezed Cain all the harder to her side.
Cynthia nodded and decided to drop pretenses. “Does Cain love you?”
The woman dropped her eyes. “No,” she said quietly.
Cynthia rested her gaze upon Cain. “You haven’t changed. Your heart is still as cold as it always had been.” She shook her head. “Even worse, I know what she will go through.”
“Cynthia, I—”
“No, Cain. The saddest thing, is I can see that she loves you far more than I did. How could you?”
“Cynthia. You were right,” Cain called out.
She looked over her shoulder; the beautiful woman was hissing something in his ear. Cain shook his head and said something back. The woman looked to Cynthia and called out.
“Cynthia, wait.”
“What is it?” Cynthia said, turning around, fully looking only at the beautiful woman.
“Let Cain speak to you, he has guilt.”
“I don’t owe you anything. I don’t owe Cain anything.”
The woman stepped close to her, and for a moment Cynthia was afraid. But the moment passed and she spoke with her eyes lowered. “But he does.”
Cynthia looked up to Cain. “Fine, what?”
“You were right,” Cain said. “God exists.”
Cynthia’s jaw dropped. The fact that Cain was atheist and Cynthia a Christian was the second biggest source of friction in their relationship. She recalled the many times Cain could quote chapter and verse of the Bible, and use it against her. The many putrid nuggets of what he called logic and rationale to refute what he called her “superstition.”
Cain went on. “I could say so much more, but I think that just saying this would say the rest.”
“Does that mean you’ve been saved?”
Cain shook his head. “No.”
Cynthia felt a crash in the pit of her stomach. “I see. There is more hope for you, though. At least there is that.” She looked at the beautiful woman. “What is your name?”
“Al’bah.”
Cynthia nodded as a tremendous jealousy gripped her heart. What did she do so right, that I did so wrong? she wondered. Everything about Al’bah radiated beauty: her physical appearance, her stance and body language. Even her voice and scent were beautiful.
“Al’bah, is this because of you?”
“I do not know. This is the first time I have ever heard him acknowledge that the Creator exists, and meant it.”
“The Creator? Don’t you mean God?”
Al’bah nodded. “Yes, God.”
Cynthia looked up to Cain and back to Al’bah. “God bless you, Al’bah,” she said, holding out her hand.
Al’bah’s jaw dropped to Cynthia’s statement. She seemed to be happy, jealous, angry, and sad all at the same time.
The conflicting emotions faded, leaving behind a thankful expression. She reached forward and shook Cynthia’s hand. “I like you.”
Cynthia walked over to Cain and was about to say something when the mechanic called out to her.
“Hey, missy, a new customer wants me to work on his truck. I’m afraid I need yew to move the car.”
Cynthia buried her face in her hand and sighed deeply.
“Here, take Charlie’s car,” Cain said, holding out the keys.
“Serious?”
“Yes, but Cynthia a warning: the cops are on the lookout for this car.”
Cynthia narrowed her eyes. “Really? And what—”
Cain shook his head. “I’m innocent, but there is no way to prove it. You can tell them where you got it and where I was going if you want to stay out of this.”
Cynthia looked over at the ’87 Accord. “Stick, huh? Okay.” Her eyes took on a new light. “God bless you, Cain. I hope you find what you are looking for.”
&nbs
p; “NO!”
Al’bah screamed, trying to reach for Cain’s hand, but it was too late. Cynthia’s fingers brushed Cain’s hand as he handed the keys over, and he instantly collapsed upon the ground.
Cynthia stared for several moments at Cain’s still form. “What…I don’t…what happened to him?”
Al’bah looked as though she had been kicked in the stomach and doubled over. Her face was contorted in fury and hurt. She turned to Cynthia; her face full of murder.
Cynthia had been in extremely dangerous situations before; during these moments, she sensed the presence of God protecting her. But those moments were nothing compared to the sensation of danger and protection she felt now.
“Please help me,” Al’bah whispered. “Help me get him inside.”
Cynthia started to reach for Cain when Al’bah spoke again. “Do not touch his skin.”
Once Cain was upon the bed, Al’bah immediately cowered in a corner of the room.
“Please leave us,” she whimpered.
“What happened? Please tell me. What’s wrong?”
Al’bah stood and faced Cynthia, and screamed.
“I cannot stand before the presence of the Lord! He is within you! Leave me!”
Cynthia closed her eyes and bowed her head. Lord, please allow me to speak with this creature who is not in your sight.
The distress that Al’bah was exhibiting faded. She immediately rushed to Cain and covered his body with her own, weeping.
“What are you?”
Al’bah opened her eyes that glowed a sickly yellow. “I am Succubus. Al’bah is a name given to me by Cain, my Bond.”
“What happened to him? What did you do to—”
“Fool! I did nothing to him!” Al’bah snarled, baring a mouth full of fangs.
“Was this my fault?” Cynthia asked, somehow fully aware that despite her malevolence, Al’bah could not harm her.
“No, the fault is Cain’s for touching you.”
“How do I know you aren’t the cause of this?”
“You have the Creator within you. I cannot lie to you.”
“Why did—”
“Please!” Al’bah begged. “Has there been enough suffering for one day? Your presence hurts me! And Cain will be lucky to be alive before this day is through. Even if he survives, he will wish for death for all the agony he will be under.”
Succubus Tear (Triune promise) Page 31
