by Sofia Grey
He shrugged. “You know, I’m really not sure how it works, what the rules are. But yeah, something about the séance can make the spirits visible to everyone, and holding hands in a circle binds them. Usually. The rest of the time it’s just me.”
“So does she follow you everywhere?” He shrugged and I continued. “We’ve been invited for a get-together tomorrow night, by the way. Sylvie and Alex have a house just up the beach, and they were most insistent we all go.” I snorted in amusement. “I guess Eve will come with us?”
Suki joined in. “If Eve is keeping Gabe away, I bloody hope so.” Lines of tiredness cut across her face, and I wrapped my arms around her from behind. If I couldn’t do anything else, I could try to give her my support.
* * * *
I finally had some alone time with Suki when we went to bed. There were still plenty of smaller boxes to be unpacked, but we had beds and the kitchen had the basics. We’d done enough today. Gathering her into my arms felt awkward for the first time. We had so much we needed to talk about, but I didn’t know how to start. Gabe may not have been with us here—thank Christ—but he was still the giant elephant in the room.
I figured playful might be a good option. I tugged at the giant T-shirt she wore. “Feeling shy, babe?”
She sighed and pushed herself up to lean against the pillows. “We’ve got company, Josh. It’s not as though we have the house to ourselves.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot.” I played with the hem some more and gave her my best dazzling smile. “You could leave it close at hand, ready to grab if you need it.” My fingers crept underneath, discovering she also wore a pair of panties.
“Josh.” She edged my hand away.
“If you’re cold I can warm you up?” I flattened one palm over her warm stomach and she flinched, wriggling out of reach.
“I’m not in the mood.” She really wasn’t. I sat back and stared, anxiety settling in a tight ball in my stomach.
“Is this because I asked Dante and Katherine to stay here?”
“No.” Her knees tucked up. “Well not completely.” She wrapped her arms around her legs and dropped her chin to rest on her forearms. Piece by piece, she was closing herself off from me. “I’m just stressed.”
I reached out my hand, but she ducked away. I let it drop to my side. Sucking in a quick breath, I strove for calm. “We should talk about this.”
“Actually, there’s something else I want to talk about.” Her head lifted, and she swept a hand through her hair.
I waited and tried to read her body language. Slightly improving.
She turned to face me. “I made some phone calls earlier.” Her voice brisk and businesslike. “I talked to Arran Conroy, one of the investigative journalists at the BBC, and he told me they’re doing a big piece on Armageddon. They’ve been pulling it together for months. They had the idea that the police were being paid to look the other way, you know, the usual palm greasing at the top levels, masons and secret societies, all that stuff.” She reached for her phone and flicked through a series of texts as she spoke.
“I’ve talked to my producer too, about hiring Dante for the show. He’s keen to get him for a camera test, and I’ll ask him tomorrow if he’s interested.” She chattered on about her show while I pretended to pay attention.
In one respect this was good, Suki was talking to me. But not about anything that mattered.
11.3 Dante
I awoke to a strange sensation: Kitten sleeping in my arms, her head pillowed on my chest, trusting and vulnerable, and heartbreakingly beautiful. Four days left. Or was it three now? When did the countdown start? Daylight crept in through the curtainless windows, and I could see the outline of distant hills. Perhaps we could go walking today if the weather was fine? Time was such a precious commodity. Why did I only realize when it was about to run out?
We’d shagged well into the night. It was no wonder she was still asleep. I’d have to buy more condoms today, there was only one left, and didn’t that make a pleasant change. I lay there cosseted by a multitude of pillows, watching the day get lighter, and trying very hard not to get emotional.
When Kitten stirred, opening her mouth in a delicate little yawn and stretching her arms, I greeted her with a kiss. “Morning, gorgeous.” We’d have one perfect day together, and then I’d turn my mind to everything that needed to be done. I traced one fingertip along her cheek. So soft.
“Angel,” she murmured, her voice rough with sleep. “I dreamed about you last night.”
Conjuring a smile, I dropped a kiss on her bare shoulder. “Was it good?”
“Mmmm.” She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me down to kiss her properly. “It was very good.” Our tongues danced before she eased back a fraction. “It was so intense. End-of-the-world sex, you know, as if we’d never have another chance again.”
I closed my eyes to cover the blurring and kissed her hard, trying to lose myself in her while I still could.
I heard foil crinkling and looked up to see Kitten dangling the last condom from her fingertips—unwrapped.
“Oops,” she murmured, “I seem to have opened it. That means we have to use it.” I reached to take it, but she pulled away. “Let me, Angel.”
She rolled it over me with care, and stroked the length of my cock, making me even harder. Ever conscious of the countdown in my head, I wanted to make it good for her, to leave a good memory of me. We kissed, our mouths hungry and demanding, and then I asked her to roll over, onto her knees. I wanted to take her from behind.
Her arse was almost edible, curved and plump, with skin like satin. I kissed my way up her spine and lifted her to lean back against my chest, just before I thrust inside her. She moaned, her back arching and hips flexing as I pumped in and out. God, she felt good.
I could play with her breasts and reach her clit with ease, while burying myself deeper than I could have imagined. I need more. Pulling out, despite her cry of surprise, I flipped her onto her back and spread her legs wide, stroking and smoothing with my hands. Pressing a hot open-mouthed kiss on her pale inner thigh, I licked a greedy trail up to her hip, teasing and making her grind against me.
“Please,” she breathed, “don’t stop.”
What is the matter with me? I felt remote. I was there, with Kitten, worshipping her body, but at the same time I held back.
She bent one knee, urging me on, guiding me inside in one smooth thrust. I groaned at the sensation, a thousand nerve endings awash with pleasure. From here, I could look into her face and watch her as she came. I breathed in her perfume, holding the scent in my lungs. It’s like I’m watching someone else.
“Dante,” she crooned, “Angel, that feels so good.”
I pumped harder, bracing myself on one arm and fisting my free hand in her hair, holding her at the perfect angle to plunder her mouth. Her nails raked my shoulder, a flash of pain in delicious contrast to the intensity further down. So tight, she gripped my cock with her inner muscles and created the most divine friction as I pounded into her. Her breasts were covered with a shimmer of perspiration, and I shifted my mouth to take her nipples, one then the other, making her wail before I claimed her mouth again, muffling her cries.
She is everything I ever wanted… and it feels as though I’m playing a part. Acting the role of Dante, ardent lover. Holding back.
“Harder, baby,” she gasped, meeting every movement.
I complied, loving her more with every stroke. The realization hit me at the same time as her climax. She reared up, hips lifting from the bed as she clung to me, raking her fingers through my hair.
It would be easy to fall in love with Kitten. I held off a moment longer as she slowly came down, barely moving inside her, trembling at the spasms that racked her body and mine. I was close.
“Angel,” she whispered against my lips, and I shattered, coming with a ferocity I’d never experienced before. The dam burst and all my emotions flooded out.
I could fall in love with Kitten.
I tried out the phrase in my head. It felt…amazing. Terrifying. Reality slammed into me, and I groaned as I slumped over her. No matter what I felt, I couldn’t be so cruel as to tell her, not when I’d be walking out on her in a matter of days.
11.4 Katherine
Dante persuaded me we’d be okay to go out on his bike. He smeared dirt over the number plates to obscure the registration, lent me his leather jacket, and off we went. We explored tiny country lanes, found several deserted beaches, watched fast jets taking off from the nearby air force base, and fed the remnants of our picnic lunch to a band of noisy ducks. I couldn’t have asked for a nicer day.
Our hands tightly laced together, we strolled along the deserted beach nearest to Josh’s house. Even the weather had been perfect. Cool and dry, it had been a beautiful late autumn day. The sun cast tantalizing glints of gold on the calm sea, and we picked our way over the damp sand, dodging the odd wave that crept further up the beach.
Every time I looked at Dante, my fallen angel, my heart expanded a little further. After all the crazy shit we’d been through in the past few days, it meant so much that he was trying to keep me lighthearted, to keep my mind from the problems at hand. And Christ knows, he had enough crap in his life at the moment too, although we might have some of it fixed soon. If Josh gave him the money, he could repay the amount outstanding and get straight for this month, at least. And then there was Suki’s idea.
I squeezed his hand and snagged his attention. Stroking his stubbled cheek, I laughed softly. “I can’t believe you might be a household name soon—on the TV with Suki. Her show is going to be massive, and you might play a part in it.”
His smile was a long time coming. “Yeah, I guess.”
Maybe he’s just nervous. “Suki said they’ll love your image. It’s not as though you need to start dressing up or anything.”
“Uh-huh.” We started walking again. Dante kicked at a piece of driftwood.
Yes, he’s probably shell-shocked at the idea.
“You don’t need to do the camera test for a few weeks, and we’ll have your name cleared by then. The camera will love you.”
He stooped to pick up a flat stone with his free hand and skimmed it across the waves.
I paused and watched. “And if you get the job, and I mean come on, you’re perfect for it… if you get it, you’ll have a regular paycheck. Enough to pay for your gran’s home.” I tugged him to a stop and threw my arms around him. “You can start over, Dante. And you know, maybe it’s a chance for us. If you want to.”
His body stiffened, and I caught my breath.
Stupid, stupid. We’d been together a matter of days, what the hell was I doing making long-term plans. I didn’t want to scare him off. I wriggled to see his face and my heart plummeted. Something in the far distance kept his attention. He wouldn’t look me in the eyes.
“Angel?” I kept my tone soothing. “I’m not trying to… I just meant we could maybe see each other. Sometimes. I know you’ll be busy.” Oh Jesus. He’d be living in London for the TV show, while I’d be studying in Manchester, or living with Sam and Ellie in Cornwall. He’ll be surrounded by gorgeous, skinny girls. I swallowed hard and looked at him.
The bruises stood out vividly on his pale skin, and now I examined him closely, I realized his shoulders were taut, and fresh lines had appeared round his mouth. Clamping down on my fear, I caressed his cheek, feeling a shard of relief when he rubbed against my hand. “Dante—Angel—something’s troubling you. Talk to me, baby. Let me share it.”
His arms fastened round me so tight, I could barely breathe.
I could feel the way his heart raced, and I clung to him, listening as he sucked in one deep breath and then another. “Please tell me.” My voice was very small.
Time hung between us. Please trust me enough.
Moments later, he nuzzled my throat and nibbled my earlobe. “I guess I’m nervous about the camera test.”
The tightness inside my chest loosened. “It’ll all be over soon.”
His reply took a long time. “Yeah, it will.”
11.5 Dante
To say I felt uncomfortable would be an understatement. I’d gone along with the invitation to Alex and Sylvie’s since Kitten was so keen, but it wasn’t for me. Yeah, they were nice people, but loaded didn’t begin to describe them. Kitten fit in just fine, but she was used to this lifestyle. I felt like a poor relation.
At least it wasn’t a formal dinner. People milled around clutching drinks and nibbles. Josh and Suki disappeared into the crowd and left me trailing after Kitten.
She snagged me a beer, and we wandered round. Rock music blared out from hiddenspeakers system. We didn’t have to make polite conversation with the other partygoers, and I gave myself a stern talking to. I’d stick it for an hour, and then persuade Kitten to leave with me on some pretext or other.
She disappeared to the bathroom, leaving me alone for a few minutes, and I watched idly as our hostess, Sylvie, stood chatting with a woman at the bottom of a vast staircase. Sitting a few steps up, I saw a spirit lurking behind her.
That was odd, he’d been at Josh’s house the day before. As the two women walked away, I moved toward the spirit. I hadn’t seen Eve for a while. Perhaps he was connected to her?
He looked to be in his mid-30’s, tanned skin, and dark hair that tumbled onto his forehead above deep-brown eyes. Casually dressed in faded jeans and a plain T-shirt, I noticed a bulldog tattoo peeping out from under one sleeve, and I frowned. I recognized that from Ash’s design list. I gestured to his arm. “US Marine Corps?”
He nodded.
“I saw you yesterday. Are you following me?”
“No. I’m looking out for Sylvie.” His voice held a light accent.
“Does she know? Would you like me to tell her? Pass a message on?”
He smiled and shook his head. “I’d rather she didn’t know. But,” he paused a moment and reached out, placing one icy hand on my arm. The smile disappeared. He now looked tough and uncompromising. “I want you to stay away from her, Dante.”
“You know me?”
He cocked his head to one side and regarded me intently. “I know of you. And I know that darkness surrounds you.”
What the fuck? Simeon had talked about the darkness too. The spirit pointed to a mirror on the wall. “See for yourself.”
I wasn’t sure I wanted to look, but I turned and stared into the ornate mirror—and recoiled. It looked as though I’d been crawling through mud. Black, oily smears adorned my head and shoulders. “What the fuck is it?” I tried to wipe it off, but the damned stuff just smeared even further… I had some on my face, near my mouth, on my freaking eyelashes. Jesus. I turned back to the spirit, trying to keep hold of the fear bubbling inside me. “What’s happening to me? How can I get rid of it?”
He touched my arm, and the reflection reverted to normal. My heart raced. Who is this guy? “You need to make a choice, Dante. Choose wisely. Things are not always what they seem.”
I opened my mouth to ask him what the fuck he was talking about, but it was too late.
He’d vanished.
These fucking spirits, all talking like frigging Yoda. Why couldn’t they ever give a straight answer? I stared back at the mirror, looking for the black marks, but they’d vanished too. Oh God, I’d never feel clean again. Panic was a tight ball in my chest. I heard Kitten call me, and with a wrench, I dragged myself away and fixed a brittle smile on my face. I sucked in a deep breath and braced myself for her questions. She’d know something was wrong, I couldn’t keep fooling her.
“There you are.” She slipped a hand into mine, lips curving upwards as she met my eyes. “I know this is fun, but I was wondering…” Her smile widened as my heart started to crack. “Would you mind if we left now? Josh and Suki will be here for ages yet…” She hesitated, her amber eyes sharpening, and I braced myself for her interrogation.
One more night wouldn’t hurt. Tomorrow, I’d tell her… something.
Christ. What was wrong with me? I was being selfish. Thinking of me and what I wanted. Not giving a thought to how I was going to hurt Kitten, the only girl to ever mean anything to me.
“Dante, you look spooked, is everything—”
I bent and moved her hair, kissing the nape of her neck, feeling her sharp intake of breath. “I can’t wait to be alone with you. Let’s get out of here.”
Our hands linked, we strolled back along the sand, Kitten talked about the night sky, pointing out stars. Deep in my pocket, I felt my phone vibrate, and I groaned silently. Please God, not Alistair. I had to check, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do.
The little screen flashed a familiar name. Nanette. I stared in disbelief for a fraction of a second, before relief came wading in. I pressed the ANSWER button before she hung up. “Nan,” I breathed, “where are you?” Beside me, I heard Kitten gasp, but my sole attention lay with the terrified voice in my ear.
“Dante… Oh thank God. They attacked Ash. You’re the only one who can help me.” She stumbled over the words, and I froze. A thin, reedy squeal came down the line, and my hand tightened around the phone.
I ignored Kitten standing open-mouthed beside me. Oh please, no, not Nan as well. A wave of nausea swept over me, my knees went weak and threatened to collapse.
“Dante… they’re coming for me nex—.” Her words cut off abruptly.
I gulped and tried to draw in some air, trying to form words. “Where are you?” A muffled noise made me strain to hear her, it sounded like claws scratching against wood. “Nan, where are you?” Kitten tugged at my arm, but I turned away. Had Nan hung up?
I was about to dial her number when Nan’s voice whispered in my ear. “Armageddon. I have to go.” Her voice tight with fear, a sob barely held back. “Please, don’t let me down.”
11.6 Josh
