Eternal Soul

by Amy Henwood

  “I promise,” he said, with his hand leaving the steering wheel to shake on it.

  When we arrived at my house, the rain continued to pour, never lighting in flow.

  He leaned over the centre console and pulled my dripping hair off my shoulder, placing it against my back and exposing my neck. He leaned in and kissed the vacant area.

  “This is wrong,” I said.

  “What is?” he questioned, but I knew he knew what I was talking about.

  “You and me.”

  “We are meant for each other.”

  “No, you are meant to protect me, not love me.”

  “There is no protection greater than love.”

  “You’re dead—was dead.” Truthfully, I didn’t know what he was.

  “Don’t overthink it. I am here in front of you, flesh and bones, breathing the same air as you, walking the same earth. We are more alike than you could ever imagine.”

  I couldn’t deny myself anymore, I truly desired him. Dead or alive—whatever he was.

  “I want you to listen now,” I spoke softly.

  I felt his presence enter my mind. I envisioned his mouth running down my neck, over my naked shoulder and lower, my hands taking the opportunity to explore every perfection of his body.

  He brought his face to mine and our lips touched.

  Pulling back slowly, he said, “Yes.”

  The rain had minimally subsided but persisted to fall at a steady pace. He opened my door with water sliding down his clothes like a waterfall. He picked me up with ease and closed the passenger door with a single foot, never displaying a sense of unsteadiness. He didn’t want to waste any time with slow-moving me.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing my head in close to his collar bone. Only a driveway away, my front door seemed further away than my eighty-fifth birthday. He didn’t bother dodging around puddles, as his shoes were already overflowing with water and sloshed with every step. Our clothes drenched, we could have been mistaken for swimming with our garments on.

  Inside, Jackson bent down to remove my heavy shoes and set them on the shoe tray. It filled with water as the wet shoes shed their coat of rain. Mia materialized from her room with Ryan following. I was surprised to see them fully dressed and proper so soon on my arrival.

  “Scarlett, you’re soaked,” she said.

  “It’s a little wet outside,” Jackson said as he brought himself up from the floor.

  “Oh, Jackson. Hi,” she said. “Thanks for the heads up. Ryan and I were just leaving—” she paused, obviously to come up with an excuse “—for…dinner.” Her delivery sounded more of a question than a statement. She turned to Ryan. “Can you grab my jacket off my chair, please.”

  “Of course,” he responded to her request.

  Mia probably had no intention of going anywhere that evening, but she was extremely good at reading facial expressions and body language, mine especially. I would not be capable of hiding my emotions of the pending affair anyway.

  “Have a nice time,” I said, showing my appreciation of their quick departure.

  “Thanks,” they said in unison.

  There I stood, alone with Jackson, with the only noise being the hum of the energy-sucking lights. His hair was heavy with rain, and small amounts of water drops beaded off the tips of his hair at inconsistent intervals, creating miniature puddles on the faded tile floor. His medium grey sweater tightly clung to his body, giving me teasing hints of the muscles hiding beneath it.

  For the briefest of moments, Chase crossed my mind, but it faded as fast as it came when I laid my hands on Jackson’s superior body, his jeans moulding around his hips. I could only hope that he was holding good on his promise and keeping clear of my thoughts. Unfortunately, as fast as I cleared my mind of Chase, it was filled again with epileptic flashes of him. I would not be able to do this if he kept invading my mind, as much as I wanted Jackson.

  He pushed a strand of my wet hair covering my face and tucked it behind my ear.

  “You are incredibly beautiful,” he said.

  I slid my hands from his shoulders, down his arms and toward his stomach, peeling his sweater away from his skin. The back of my hands were frozen from the frigid rain but my palms warmed against his hot skin. He wasn’t cold. Being caught in the freezing rain appeared to have no effect on his body temperature.

  “You are incredibly warm,” I commented.

  “I am able to control my body temperature.”

  I was intrigued to learn more about the powers he possessed, but I was more curious about what lay beneath his clothes. Keeping my eyes locked on his, I lifted his sweater up his body and over his head and arms. It made a splat when connecting with the floor, water splashing my toes.

  With one slick gesture, I was no longer affixed to the ground but cradled in his arms. My legs hung mid-air with my arms wrapped around his neck. My head was nestled comfortably against his bare chest while he carried me to my room and placed me on my bed. He kissed my lips on the way down and untied the front of my sweater to slip it over my shoulders, then removed my shirt without a hint of struggle. The wet clothing added an additional sentiment to the atmosphere.

  My intuition got the best of me. Not long ago, I had been a single woman, not holding the experience of a proper kiss, and now I was about to make love to the most gorgeous, aqua-eyed man I had ever seen. Never would I have imagined that the man who beat up my boyfriend in public was now in my room. A proper girlfriend would be with her boyfriend, caressing him and holding a bag of ice on his swollen face; instead, I sat here with a different man, half naked before me, with no guilt or shame overcoming me.

  My naked shoulders were covered by Jackson’s hands that guided me onto my back. He unbuttoned my pants and guided them over my hips and down my legs, carefully maneuvering them over my injured knee, landing among the other wet articles of clothes.

  His palms coated my fingers and followed my movements. The water-encased jeans held tight to his legs, taking additional force to free them. He brought me off the bed and held my body tight against him, holding me up by tightly gripping my ass. Only two thin pieces of fabric now separated us.

  He unlatched the small hooks of my bra and lowered me back down onto my back, hovering himself over me. He kissed me deeply, and with one gesture, my panties where no longer on me, but decorating the floor, followed by his boxers as an accent piece.

  His upper body came into contact with my breasts, arousing my nipples, and he rolled them between his fingers. I moaned from the electrifying stimulation. Lifting my chin, he locked his lips on me, lowering himself tightly to me. His erection grew between my legs, applying pressure, arousing me to new heights.

  I didn't know what to do with my body or hands. If he knew everything about me, I assumed he would know this was my first time. Was I his first too? It couldn't possibly be. My protector, yes, but he had needs that required satisfying. A hit of shame jolted me like the unexpected roar of summer thunder. I was inexperienced but I didn't want to disappoint. I let my intuition take over to guide me. I ran my fingernails across his back, scoping out the hills and valleys. He grabbed my wrists and set them above my head, stretching me.

  “I’m here to serve you,” he said in a low murmur.

  “Whatever entity brought you here to protect me, I don't think this is what they had in mind.”

  “This is the safest place you can be. Nobody can harm you while you are with me.”

  He kissed the curve in my neck to my breasts, not racing the process.

  Waves of turmoil rushed within me, from the tips of my soaking hair to the ends of my toes. A fire was lit internally, causing a raging flame of desire I had never experienced. Obsessive impulses swelled, longing for uncharted sensations. No movie or descriptive book could prepare me for this emotional state.

  Pressing himself against me, I moaned from the complete skin-to-skin contact, creating a connection between us that could never be taken away. Our naked bodies were
experiencing each other as our skin moved softly together. Our tongues entwined and his rough stubble scratched my upper lip, increasing our intimate emotions.

  With an unexpected shift, he was filling me from the inside out. Stationary, he let me fully comprehend the fact virginity was no longer my reality, as my body learned to widen itself for him.

  I wrapped his erection in me as it pulsed, creating uncontrollable rapid breaths for both parties. With a light thrust, he partially left my moist body before returning himself fully. With each thrust, I let up an involuntary whimper, longing for more. I matched his rhythm, pressing my navel against his, elevating my hips into his, wanting him to drive deeper, faster. My breasts brushed his chest on each lunge, making me drunk with wild impulses. Tightly bracing his back, I pulled him down hard.

  * * *

  My head lay on Jackson’s chest with him tangled snugly around me. The sheet covered us only from our waists down as I traced my index finger in abstract patterns over his upper body, enthusing his toned areas.

  “What are you thinking about?” he asked.

  “That is a stupid question,” I said, tracing his torso. “You always know what I’m thinking.”

  “I could, but I am standing good by my promise and staying clear of your thoughts.”

  “Thank you,” I said, grateful of him holding onto his word.

  “Since I am not in there poking around, tell me what’s on your mind.”

  “Why is that important to you?”

  “I have spent my entire existence listening to every thought of yours, seeing every image, and now I have nothing. You have been exposed to a lot of information today, and I want to have the comfort of knowing you understand.”

  Him having open access to a lifetime worth of memories and every thought I have silently spoken should bring on an eerie mental state, but oddly enough it soothed me. I didn't have to hide from him like I did with every other human I had encountered—like I did with Chase, and my best friend, Mia.

  “Can I ask you something?” I said, sitting up and pulling the loose sheet around me.

  He followed my lead and rested himself against the wall.

  “Anything,” he said.

  “Why do you keep avoiding the topic of Chase every time I mention him to you?” I paused, looking for a reaction, but for the first time, he didn't flinch in disgust when I spoke his name or change the topic. Instead, he found my leg buried under the sheet and caressed it lightly. “How do you know him?” I rephrased the question, watching him closely for any change in facial expressions or visible emotional shifts. It stayed neutral and silent. “You cannot deny that you don't. The way you spoke to each other, the fight and words exchanged—anyone with a fraction of a brain could figure it out.”

  He squeezed my leg with more force then he probably intended, releasing it to take hold of my hand.

  “Promise me you will not run away if I tell you,” he said.

  “I am naked, in bed, with a gorgeous man. I’m not going anywhere. Trust me,” I reassured him with an increased tightening around his fingers.

  “Chase is also an angel.”

  My first gut reaction was to not believe him. Telling me that yesterday, I would have called bullshit and asked to show me where the cameras were hiding. I truly believed I didn’t have any other choice than to trust what he had to tell and accept his story for what it was, reminding myself that many small, what seemed irrelevant life events were, in fact, large hints of my life under the protection of a guardian.

  “For that reason, you felt it was necessary to beat the crap out of him? Forgive me, but I don't see why the interfering was necessary. He is my boyfriend and should be here kicking your ass right now.”

  “He’s angry at me for killing him and is trying to get his revenge on me, through you.”

  “Killing him…” I wanted to make sure I heard him clearly. “You murdered him? When? How? Why?” My mind was working overtime to process.

  “I didn't murder him,” he quickly clarified. “It was an accident.” He looked away, almost as if he was ashamed. “I killed the three of us.”

  13

  “Three?” I took an extended moment, comprehending his remark. “Us?”

  If I was wired to medical equipment, it would be displaying a flat line with a never-ending beep. He tried to hold me in the bed, but I shot out backwards, taking the thin sheet with me, forgetting about my knee. He scrambled to acquire any item that could cover himself, resorting to a pillow.

  I limped to the door and pressed against it as I attempted to take back control of my breathing in regular human intervals.

  “I—I am—I’m dead,” I stuttered, my entire body violently shaking.

  “You are not dead. You died, and it’s my fault.”

  He rose from the bed and slipped into his boxers quickly and stood on the opposite side of the room. I pushed harder against the door, trying to distance myself from him.

  “It was winter, twenty-seven years ago. Four of us went to a minor league hockey game. Double date. You and I went with my brother, Chase, and his girlfriend, Marianne.”

  Another atomic bomb hit, shattering everything ever known to me. My entire life had been a lie of twisted tales, taking sharper, steeper, disoriented turns. “Chase is your brother?” I repeated, wanting confirmation that my eardrums were working properly.

  He nodded. At this point, I wished I was not outfitted in solely a bedsheet and had two good knees to run away with, but even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I had promised Jackson I would listen to everything he had to say. He had kept good on his word to me, so I needed to stand good on mine.

  “We knew a horrible snowstorm was rolling our way, but that was not going to get in the way of our evening out,” he carried on. “The roads were in near perfect condition when we left, and we arrived at the arena early. Little did we know how bad those good roads could get in only a few short hours. It was a slow drive home, but we made it to Marianne’s house. She and Chase shared a goodnight kiss in the backseat before she went inside her home safely, never assuming that would be the last time she would see his breathing body.

  “I felt more relaxed behind the wheel after dropping her off. I only had your house left and I was confident we would all be home safe. Chase and I lived only a few houses away from yours. I pulled the car out of Marianne’s country home driveway, looking both ways like every good driver should, but when I took my focus off the road for a second, possibly only half a second, but it was half a second too long…” He paused, and the next part pained him. “I didn't see the truck coming.”

  Jackson felt for the wall behind him and slid down to sit on the floor, planting his face between his hands. I left the security of the door and rested my hands on him. He lifted his head.

  “I didn't mean to hit it. The snowfall was heavy and made it nearly impossible to see. White flakes fell through the headlight beams and covered the road. I couldn't tell where the asphalt ended and where the gravel shoulder began.”

  As he spoke, the pain increased in his voice, affecting him mentally, but he didn’t stop. He wanted to get the truth of my existence out.

  “The vehicles collided, hitting the driver’s side, killing Chase and me instantly. The car spun on the black ice after the impact and halted against a hydro pole. You were pinned between the centre console and the compacted door from the pole. You made it to the hospital alive but in critical condition, sustaining three broken ribs, a crushed foot, a fractured skull and multiple lacerations from glass and metal shrapnel. You required emergency surgery to control internal bleeding. I watched you from above as you struggled to hold onto your life, but the damage was too much for your body to handle.

  “It was three days of fighting before you gave in. Watching you suffer your death was the most painful thing I have ever witnessed. I was not there to hold you, stroke your hair, whisper to you and tell you to be strong and hold on. All I was capable of was watching your growing pain from the viewing g
allery above. It absolutely tore me apart.”

  His head landed between his knees, hiding his distressed face from me. I brought myself close and forcefully lifted his head. I had an unnumbered amount of new questions for him, but he needed me to comfort him. Reliving the nightmare of the accident wrecked him—keeping this from me, keeping everything from me all these years, was incredibly difficult for him.

  “We are in this horrible situation because I was careless. I am so sorry, Scarlett. I didn't intend to hurt you and devastate your family. I would do anything to take back that split second and pay closer attention while driving or have the common sense to stay home. We would all be safe and living the life you and I had planned.”

  I kissed his forehead and said, “You didn't do anything wrong. It was an accident.”

  I rose from the carpet and nursed my knee to the closet. The sheet covering me floated onto the floor; my back was turned from Jackson, but I could feel his eyes watching me. I pulled my satin housecoat over my body and retrieved my fleece one and laid it on the bed. I peered down at Jackson, unmoved on the floor.

  “I know it’s girly, but your clothes are drenched.” I removed the wet clothes from the floor. “I’m going to make some coffee,” I said to his hunched body and shut the door behind me. Using walls for support, I hopped around my unit like a fawn using its legs for the first time. I hung our clothes over the shower rod in the bathroom and fumbled aimlessly in the kitchen. Preparing a pot of coffee and gathering my thoughts simultaneously proved to be a complicated task. I set both cream and sugar on the table because I just had sex with a man and didn’t even know what he took in his coffee. Another hostess scold from Sadie loomed over me.

  The distant image of Sadie bought me back to Chase. I had no guilt or shame sleeping with Jackson while in a relationship with Chase, but after receiving information about him from Jackson, I didn't know if I could further be associated with Chase.

  Jackson and Chase were not normal people—well, they were not people at all. Grandma warned me. She told me not everyone was who I thought they were. I wondered who else I had become associated with that belonged to this ring of angels.