Everlong: (Book One of the Everlong Trilogy) (27 page)

Time had simply stopped.

And then Cassie was banging on my door. 'You okay? You're back early?'

Reluctantly I let our lips part, but I couldn't stop looking at his beautiful eyes. 'Yes,' I said, trying to contain my breathlessness, not sure how I would explain it away if she came in. 'Free period,' I said, praying that she'd go away. I couldn't talk, didn't want to talk.

Josh brushed my face with his hand before placing it on my neck. His touch was like fire. He leaned towards me and rested his forehead on mine, trying to regain control. It was almost impossible to fight the urge to kiss him again.

'Oh, okay then. Me and Dan are going out later, alright if you get your own tea?'

'Yeah,' I said. My voice was shaky, betraying me to anyone that would listen, but luckily for me at that moment, Cassie did what she always does, and didn't listen.

'Don't wait up,' she said, and I heard her footsteps trailing off downstairs.

'So, what
do
we do now?' I asked, shivering as he run his hand through my hair.

'Whatever you want,' he replied, pulling me to him again.

There was a slight flicker on my subconscious somewhere, a little image of a strange sort of darkness, an emptiness, like although he was physically there in front of me, somewhere in time, he'd been taken from me. And inside I grieved for my loss, even though he was still standing there before me.

Josh

I'd gone back to say goodbye, but the battle was lost as soon as she kissed me.

I am too weak to resist.

My body erupted into flames, my wings felt like they're going to burst out of my back, but I didn't care, didn't want it to end. I thought I was going to die, consumed by my desire.

I didn't want to let her go. Ever. This moment had to last forever.

Time seemed to stop, and for that moment there was only the two of us, lost in each other, in the heat of our desire. If I had died at that moment, consumed by the flames of that desire, it would have been a blissful death.

But everything comes to an end, this time with a bang on the door, and our lips parted, although the fire still burned deep within us, I could feel it scorching my soul. I rested my forehead on hers, tried to get control of my breathing, tried to fight the need to kiss her again.

I love you, I said to her, although the words didn't leave my mouth.

'So, what
do
we do now?' she asked.

'Whatever you want,' I said, pulling her towards me again. I thought about pulling back, running away, because I shouldn't have been there, it was too dangerous, but I couldn't. I was hooked. The pain that Death had promised me, wasn't as severe now, dimming under the brightness of Evie's touch, and any pain that I did feel, I welcomed, because I knew I was alive. But it was also strange that now, when I touched her, I didn't see the images of her life anymore, just felt the simmering pain.

That's what she did to me. She made me lose my mind.

She pulled away. 'Are we really going to do this?' she asked. 'If that's what you want?'

I looked into her eyes. They were so beautiful, dazzling, like her aura. I didn't answer her question with words but instead placed a tender kiss on her lips. Soon we were lying on the bed, our bodies and lips entwined as the rain pounded outside, the street lamps glistening through the windows, as the darkness fell. And I felt like I'd come home.

Eventually, our lips parted. 'I have to go,' I said.

She gave me those pleading eyes and if she'd have asked me to give her the world in that one moment, I'd have done it. 'Really? Have I put you off already?'

I smiled at her, running the tip of my thumb over her lips. 'No. That could never happen. There's something I've got to do. But I'll be back. I promise.'

As soon as I was alone I broke out my wings, let the pain take me into the darkness, let it cleanse me. I was shining, brought back to life by Evie. Once the pain had subsided, I stretched them out, feeling every feather bristle against the wind, every bone and connecting tissue move. I was alive.

I soared into the clear night's sky, the heavens sparkling around me, and for the first time I saw the true beauty of it. Before long the never-ending darkness sought me out, wound its fingers around my body and She came to me, like a mistress in the night.

'Josh,' She sighed, 'I thought we'd been through how this works. You can't outwit me. I thought you were much cleverer than that.'

'You pushed me into a corner,' I said, to the darkness snaking around my body, 'and I wanted out, but I know now that I have no control over that.'

Her cold cackle cut through the darkness. She appeared before me, thin strands of the universe covering her body. 'No, Josh, you can't die until I say. You should've known that already.'

'I do, I did.'

She smiled and glided over to me, the tendrils of darkness barely covering her curves and yet, She did nothing for me.

'I sense a change in you,' She said, regarding me with Her black eyes. She leaned forward and cradled my face in Her hands, placing a cold kiss on my lips.

Her iciness penetrated deep within me, slithering down to my soul, but it couldn't pierce its shell for a new light burned there.

'Have you learnt your lesson now?'

I nodded. 'But please, I beg you, don't ever use Evie again, I will do whatever you ask, but please, leave her out of it.'

'Oh, Josh, you are so sentimental. It's quite adorable,' She said, patting me on the head. 'The trouble is, Evelyn is part of this now, and I can't change that, but if you do what needs to be done, she won't get hurt. Simple as that.'

'But she will get hurt, won't she, when you finally take me?'

'Hyperion already has the first relic because of your incompetence. All those extra dead souls, because of you. You must stop him, kill him, before he re-unites all the relics. And remember, Evie's life depends on you.'

Epilogue

Josh

The coffee machine purred as it spewed out the black gold, delicious tendrils of the bitter sweet aroma reaching out to embrace the morning, pulling me from the dream that was the night before. I looked out of the window and saw the dark clouds gathering on the horizon. I knew it couldn't stay like that forever, that Death awaited, and Hyperion.

I turned away, my mind recoiling from reality, seeking refuge in the memories of the night. I could still see her sleeping beside me, her arm draped across my chest, a smile dancing upon her lips. And it felt so right, like a tailored coat placed back upon my shoulders. God made her for me and it feels so comfortable being with her, like we had always been together.

And then I awoke to sunlight fanning the room and the sound of morning; car doors slamming, the trundling of traffic and the excited screams of the kids making their way to school. Evie was lying on her side, perched upon her elbow, her face glowing above me, her smile as bright as the sunshine outside.

'Hey you,' she said, stroking my lips with her thumb. Her touch, although light as a feather, penetrated deep within me, like an electric shock. I lay there, unable to move as the electric pulsed through my veins. It had been so long since I had slept so peacefully or normally during the night that I almost didn't want to be awake and yet I wanted to spend forever in that moment, just looking at her face.

But darkness invaded my thoughts and I knew, sometime in the future, I would have to leave her, for good. Who was I kidding thinking that being with her was even possible? How could I lead her on that way, knowing that it could only add up to trouble and hurt?

'Come on,' she said, leaning forwards to plant a kiss on my forehead, 'I need coffee.' And as easy as that I was sucked back in again, unable to leave, intoxicated by the smell of strawberry and cherry blossom. The physical pain of being with her, although throbbing throughout my body, was now part of me, part of us and it was as addictive as she was.

The honeyed vocals of Michael Hutchence soared from the speakers in the living room, bringing me back to the present. I grabbed the coffee mugs from the machine and strode into the living room but stopped dead as I turned the corner. Evie was swaying in the middle of the room, millions of dust motes flittering around her like tiny butterflies. The warm sun streamed in from the window, enveloping her in a golden mist which made her look heavenly, like she was the Angel. A lump caught in my throat as my eyes traced the contour of her silhouette rocking gently to the music. She raised her right arm slowly into the air and her ebony hair cascaded down the back of her neck like a waterfall of cocaine. A certain kind of sadness ripped me apart in that moment, the kind that physically hurts right in the bottom of your stomach.

I was hurtling towards a collision, like a runaway train.

I fell back onto the door frame, defeated. My heart oscillating between ecstasy and misery.

Her left hand slowly moved over her the top of her leg and onto her hip. My eyes lingered upon the small sliver of pale flesh exposed as her white tee-shirt was displaced by the movement. I could feel an uncontrollable heat rising through my body as my eyes devoured that small slice of skin as it was removed from view then exposed again. Eventually my gaze was torn away as she lifted her arms to run her fingers through her hair, revealing the arch of her neck.

She turned, dropping her hair back down around her shoulders, a wide smile spreading across her face as her eyes locked on to mine. She continued to dance in front of me, her face alive with happiness, her eyes not moving from mine and shining with such an intensity that set me on fire. My body was aching for her.

There was no going back, for either of us.

And as I stood there, fixed to the spot, I knew that I should find the strength to walk away, pull back and save her the pain.

But she had my soul in the palm of her hands.

The pain of being close to her crucifies me but it also makes me feel alive, more alive than in the hundreds of years of being an angel. The beautiful pain and electrifying pleasure of being with her is something that I can't give it up. I'm not strong enough.

And then she was in front of me, dazzling like the stars. She took the mugs from my trembling hands and put them down on the table. She turned and grabbed me, dragging me right into the living room and I'm powerless under her touch. Electricity is surging through my body, scaring me and thrilling me in equal measure. She lets my hands drop and dances around me, completely unaware of the power she has over me.

And my heart starts to break apart as she pulls me in.

'Come on!' she pleaded, 'dance with me!' I shot a glimpse at the door, knowing that that was it; I should leave.

Then the music changed, and there was a melody in the air made of guitar and saxophone. Her arms slipped around my waist and I cannot breath. I cannot think. I felt her warmth as she moved in close. I let my hand trace the small of her back, down to the waistband of her shorts.

If I were a human, I'd probably be heading for Hell.

But as I'm an Angel of Death, it doesn't matter, I'll dance through the flames.

There's a storm coming, I can feel it in my bones, and like a ship with no sail, I'm heading straight for it.

I smiled and placed my other hand at the back of her head, pulling her in to me.

And my heart finally smashes in to a million pieces.

And they can never tear us apart, she sings to me.

But they will, I say, silently.

###

Thank you for taking the time to read Everlong, I hope you enjoyed it!

Nikki xx

Read more about Everlong and get extra content at

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If I were a song, I'd be Doomsday by Kasabian.

If I were a film, I'd like to be one that has Christoph Waltz in it, or Al Pacino. Either would make me happy.

If I were a Boxset, I'd want it to be The Sopranos.

I love walking in the rain, especially if I've got nowhere to go.
Winter's my favourite time of year, it fits me, unlike summer when everyone thinks you should be happy. Happiness doesn't just appear because the suns out, life doesn't work like that.

I love reading - Harry Potter, Twilight, Memoirs of a Geisha, Da Vinci Code are all in my top ten. Don't make me choose one. That would be like asking me to choose between my children. It just wouldn't happen.

Discover other titles by Nikki Morgan at Amazon:

Blackthorn - Revenge of the Dragon Rider, a dark dystopian fantasy set in the near future

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackthorn-Revenge-Dragon-Nikki-Morgan-ebook/dp/B008QP4V2E