Broken Butterflies (22 page)

Damon walked in clapping. “You’re making great improvements.”

She smiled and motioned to Damon with her hand.

“Do you really think you’re ready to fight me?” Damon asked with a proud look.

She said nothing but motioned again.

“Leave us,” he said to Bram.

Bram looked over to Ilisha with longing in his eyes, but he turned and closed the door behind him.

Damon and Ilisha circled each other, staring intently at one another. She dug her feet in and ran, a streak of black trailing behind her from speed. As her hand clinched in a fist ready to make contact with his chest he grabbed her waist and lifted. He spun her around horizontally. When she dropped she slid across the matted floor, face down.

Damon jumped and hurled himself across the room, landing with his feet on either side of her head. Twisting his body, he bent his knee, pushing it into her neck. “You’re not ready.”

Ilisha smiled and with lightning fast speed she reached above her head and grabbed his ankle. With all her strength she tossed him off her. He rolled once and landed on his feet, looking down at her.

She put her hands under her and pushed up. Her body spiraled up off the floor. Her feet hit the mat with little sound. Damon came at her. Just before he got there she spun, sticking her leg out, knocking him to the ground. She pounced on his back grabbing his head, as if to break his neck.

Ilisha flipped him over to face her and put her knees over his biceps securing his arms. She sat on his chest with a triumphant look. Her, long, black pony tail dangling over her shoulder.

“How did you get me?” he asked.

“Bram taught me well.” She leaned down and kissed him.

Damon flipped her over, lips never leaving hers. She let out a little grunt as her back slammed into the mat. Damon slid her shirt off and had her boots and pants off before she could even blink. He looked up the length of her torso, smiled, and buried his head.

Present day Ilisha forced herself out of the memory. It didn’t help that Damon now sat across from her, eyes blazing.

To change the subject of sex running through both their minds she said, “I can kick your ass.” She grinned from ear to ear.

“Actually you and I are about equal fighters.”

“Not from what I saw.”

He leaned into her. “That was one memory.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Only if I get to rip your clothes off in the end.”

“Um, no.” She stood up.

“I can’t take the rejection any more. You get some sleep.”

“Where will you sleep?”

“Right here.” He pointed to the couch. “With your permission, of course.”

As much as she hated the sexual tension in the air she knew she needed the protection. “I’ll get you some blankets.”

When she came back down the stairs Damon was putting another log on the fire. His shirt was off and his jeans were unbuttoned.

“Here.” She hastily put the blankets and pillow on the couch and ran up the stairs. She could hear him chuckling as she closed her door.

Ilisha sat on her bed, staring mindlessly at the TV.
How did I get stuck with this jacked up reality?
She didn’t like that she found Damon attractive and wondered what was happening with Bram. Despite everything, she still loved him. Of course not in the same way, but she certainty didn’t want harm to come to him.

When she woke she was still propped up against the wall and the TV screen had turned to snow. The sun was just coming over the horizon. She rubbed her eyes and walked to the bathroom.

Damon’s kiss from last night flashed in her mind as she showered. It impacted her. Feeling so familiar, like it was the millionth time she had kissed him.

She searched through her closet to find the most conservative outfit she owned. What ended up on her body was jeans and a sweater. Her mom got her the cashmere sweater last year for Christmas. Though it didn’t show any cleavage it was cut at her waist. She looked herself over in the mirror and shook her head. Opening her drawer she pulled out a tank top and put it on under the sweater to conceal her stomach. Taking one more look, she walked down the stairs. Normally she would just pick out what felt good and fashionable for the day, but she wanted to rid herself of Damon’s attraction. It didn’t work.

As she walked down the stairs Damon’s head turned. He smiled as he looked her up and down.
Great I pick out my most grandmotherly looking outfit and you’re still lusting.

“I made you breakfast,” he said standing up from the couch.

“Thanks.”

He put his hand on the small of her back and led her to the kitchen. As she sat at the table she thought of Bram. They had eaten meals together at this table. A sick feeling filled her as she felt the deceit that was the reality of their entire relationship. It made every moment they spent together seem like a joke.

“When do we go get Bram?” she asked grabbing a piece of toast.

“We need to go soon. I don’t think they will wait long to drain him.”

Ilisha swallowed hard.

“Eat. We go tonight.”

Tonight?
“What’s going to happen once we get there?”

“You will do whatever I tell you to do. Since you’re insisting on going that’s the only way you’ll be safe. We’ll make a surprise attack. I wanted some extra man power, but we’re going alone.”

“Why couldn’t you get help?”

“Bringing anyone here from my army would alert every angel and demon around to my presence. For the moment I want that kept a secret.”

Damon stared at her from across the table.

“What?” she asked taking a bite.

“You’re the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”

“I doubt that,” was all she could think to say.

His blue eyes pierced her. “I’ve never lied to you and I never will.”

“Look, I’m not going to lie. You seem so familiar to me, yet on the other hand you’re a complete stranger. I’m also not in a good place mentally right now.”

“I’m also not here to trick you.” He leaned forward on the table and looked in her eyes.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I know you don’t trust me. I also know you love him.” Damon’s voice went quiet, almost to a whisper.

“Don’t try and make me feel guilty. I knew nothing about you or this other life.”

“No, but you do now and I intend to have you.” His eyes went up and down her again.

“Nice fantasy,” she said mocking him as she removed her plate to the sink.

Damon was across the kitchen in a blur, and was leaning against the sink before she took a step. Ilisha jumped in surprise.

“I also know what burns inside you for me; I feel it coming off you.” He stood so close they were touching.

“I’m not just going to jump in the sack with you. I don’t need another guy on my record that I had sex with and it didn’t work out.”

“Look at me.” He took her by the shoulders and turned her body to face him. Ilisha looked up into his eyes. “I am not just another notch on your belt. We
are
in fact married.”

“You can’t expect me to fall into your arms and be all lovey-dovey just because you say we’re married. I don’t remember any of this. You blocked my memories of it.”

“Not yet, but you will.” Damon smiled and walked to the living room. “Dress warm,” he shouted over his shoulder.

As night fell Ilisha grew more anxious. She began to pace waiting for Damon to give the okay to go.

He stood looking out the front door. As the sun hit the line of the mountains it caused bright orange and yellow rays to spread across the sky.

“Let’s go,” he said smacking his hands together.

He held his hand out to her and Ilisha reluctantly took it.

“Remember you agreed to do whatever I say tonight,” he cautioned.

She nodded.

Damon wrapped his arms around her. His body was firm and solid as she buried her face in his chest getting ready for the flight. She closed her eyes and heard his wings extend.

Just as before, he flew fast and hard, diving sharp into the mountain, and landing silently. Damon stood stock still and closed his eyes.

“There are lots of guards.”

Ilisha’s eyes darted around her, but saw nothing. “How do you know?” she whispered.

“I can smell them. Demons have a rot to them that permeates.”

“They rot?” Ilisha asked astonished.

Damon turned quickly toward her and she jumped back. In the dim light he looked ferocious. His six foot four inch frame of pure muscle was formidable. “No more questions. We need silence.”

“Sorry.”

He took her hand and they crept through the woods toward the building. Damon was silent in his movements. It was like he floated across the ground instead of walking on it. Ilisha on the other hand made leaves crunch and twigs break.

Damon’s arm swung around and made contact with her chest, pushing her back into a tree. He held up his finger telling her to stay there.

A shadow crept along the ground and Ilisha sucked in a breath. As it got closer Damon stood in its path. The shadow became a demon, just like the one Damon had killed in Ilisha’s hallway. Damon pounced on the creature and with one arm lifted it into the air by its neck. The demon began to kick.

“How many guards?” Damon growled as he glared at the demon.

The demon didn’t answer. Damon shoved his small body into a tree. “How many?”

“Thirty,” the demon scratched out.

“Thanks.” Damon still held him by the throat with one hand. He twisted his fingers and snapped the creature’s neck. Ilisha’s mouth fell open.
He just did that with one fricken hand!

When the creature fell to the ground, Damon dragged it under some thick underbrush. As he walked back to Ilisha she looked down.

“What?” he whispered.

“I don’t know whether to be scared or in awe of you.”

He smiled and gave a little chuckle. “Shh.” Damon’s finger went to his mouth. He stood in front of her and gently nudged her back into the tree. His fingers traced down her neck and she felt her skin rise. His lips barely brushed hers as he spoke. “I would like nothing more than to take you to the forest floor and have you.”

She didn’t reply. Her body was stiff with tension and her mind conflicted. No logical reason presented itself as to why she wanted him. She hardly knew him, yet she burned for him. The fact that he was well aware of it unnerved her. Ilisha knew she had never been one to sleep around. She only felt this way when she was deeply in love, but how could that be?

“I think we need to get Bram,” she finally said.

He grinned and backed off, looking amused.

“What’s so funny?”

“No matter how you try to deny what you feel, you and I both know you’ll be mine. Our destinies have always been one.”

Before she could respond he took her hand and led her closer to the building.

A concrete door frame jutted out of the mountain side. On either side stood two guards, they were staring right at them. Damon rushed forward and annihilated them the same way he had the demon in the brush. Once again he dragged their tiny bodies and hid them.

I’m married to Rambo
, Ilisha thought to herself as she went forward.

The door was equipped with a touch pad. Ilisha stared at it wondering how they would be able to decipher the code. Damon yanked the keypad off the cement wall like it was nothing more than a piece of gum. Concrete crumbled to the ground and wires exploded from a hole the size of a softball. He squeezed his hand around the box, turning it into a pile of plastic and wire before he tried the knob. At first, the doorknob stiff from being locked and then spun under his forceful grip.
And he can disable alarm systems with brute force.

Once inside, a long hall was lit by a single light bulb overhead. Everything looked foggy and it was hard to see any distance. Ilisha clutched Damon’s hand as they walked.