Johnny Angel (6 page)

             
“Before I agree, how will she be redeemed?”

             
The giant laughed. “It’s best to get all the details. Another choice. You can save Carla, or you can give Sofia what she called Life Number One with a man who’ll love her as passionately as you will. But she’ll forget you in this life. Forget this time you spent together.”

             
Those needles he’d felt on his spine all crushed themselves into his heart.

             
That’s how he knew it was the right thing to do.

             
Saving Carla, that would be for himself. If he saved her, Sofia would never have been born. He couldn’t undo the woman he was sent to help simply to appease his own guilt.

             
Sofia would be happy. She’d have the life she’d dreamed of.

             
No hell could be any worse than seeing her live it without him. He was done calling it uptown and downtown. It was Hell. No use putting perfume on that pig. 

             
And he was willing to face it for her. For the chance that maybe someday, they’d see each other again.

             
“Yes.”

             
“Unexpected, but lovely. I really thought you’d say no. Even after millennia, humans still surprise me in the most wonderful ways. Your capacity for giving of yourselves is just as magnificent as your capacity for horror.”

             
That was all jolly well and good, but it didn’t change the fact he was going to Hell.

             
The world swirled again and they were standing in front of the house Sofia would have shared with Greg.

             
They hadn’t transported to the past yet.

             
Which meant Sofia never had to know she’d lived as Carla.

             
“I think we’re done for today,” he said, tight-lipped.

             
“I don’t understand. I thought you were going to make me pay up?” She smiled.

             
Looking down at her sweet expression twisted up his guts. “Let’s just say I have it on good authority that you learned your lesson.”

             
“Oh really? I think you just want to get to the good stuff.”

             
Why the hell not? He was already going to fry. He could take this memory with him. He shrugged. “I told you I was a bit of a bastard.”

             
“Take me home, Johnny Angel.”

Chapter Seven

A Less Than Silent Night

             
His lips burned the same as they had before, but there was something more intense about his caress. Urgent.

             
There was something about him, almost as if she’d known him in another life.

             
She had to have known him before. There was no other explanation for the powerful feelings that surged every time he was in the same room with her. Sofia didn’t believe in love at first sight.

             
And she wasn’t saying she loved him, it was so much more than any word could express. Even a four-letter one.

             
It was like he was part of her, intrinsically. Marrow deep, soul deep and eternal.

             
She hoped he felt the same way, but even if he did, she supposed it didn’t matter. This was all they had. He wasn’t really here. He was a ghost.

             
Whose touch felt more real and alive than anything she’d ever experienced.

             
She couldn’t believe in a Heaven who would give this to her with one hand and take it away with the other. Christmas was a time for miracles.

             
Though, perhaps she was being greedy. Just being here, with him, for whatever time they had, that was a miracle in itself.

             
Sofia wanted to remember every touch, every breath, every second.

             
His hands wandered her body, as if he too were committing every second to memory. Every inch of flesh.

             
The fire blazed to life and the Christmas lights twinkled while an instrumental version of White Christmas played in the background.

             
“It’s not Life Number One, but it’s all I can give you.”

             
“And it’s all I want.” In that moment, with him, Sofia knew exactly what she wanted out of life. It wasn’t the handsome man in the business suit; it wasn’t even the beautiful house with the dream kitchen. It was Johnny Gallo.

             
Her soul knew him and so did her heart. It would take her brain and experience awhile to catch up, but that would happen in time. In a series of vignettes and moments like what they’d just viewed.

             
But all they had was right now.

             
She pushed his leather jacket from his shoulders, ripped at his t-shirt.

             
“Slow down, babydoll. We’ve got all night.”

             
“Do we?” she whispered frantically. Something told her that their time was running out.

             
He answered her with another kiss and eased her down in front of the fire. His mouth and his hands skimmed all over her body until she was naked and shaking with need.

             
When she was completely bare, he knelt between her thighs, lifted her hips and dipped his head to kiss her in ways she’d only read about in Jenna McCormick novels. His tongue thrashed against her in a wicked motion, sending her pleasure spiraling higher and higher.

             
There was no way a man with a tongue that sinful could ever be an angel. A sense of cold foreboding washed over her. She pushed the thought out of her head and surrendered to the bliss he wrought in her, determined only to feel in the moment. Sofia would have plenty of time to pick it apart later. 

             
Sensation and tension built, stringing her body taut until stardust exploded from behind her eyes and heavenly choirs sang in jubilee. It really was everything she’d ever dreamed it would be. Choir included.

             
Johnny rose above her, searching her face. “Do you still want this?”

             
“Oh yes.”

             
He entered her slowly, pushing inside her tight sheath. There was no pain, on a mild discomfort that was soon forgotten when she opened her eyes and looked into his. She was so full of him, it seemed they were no longer two people, but one. Linked inexorably and forever.

             
Johnny moved inside her and the choirs and comets surged back to life.

             
“I love you, Johnny.”

             
“Forever, Sofia. Forever,” he swore passionately.

             
The TV burst to life, the volume all the way up and the Macy’s Christmas Day Parade blaring at them loud enough so the dead could hear it.

             
Literally.

             
Or at least that’s what the guy in the big chair and green velvet robe said casually, as he tossed a stripped fried chicken leg to the floor.
              Suddenly, Sofia remembered everything.

             
“What the hell?” Johnny demanded.

Chapter Eight

A Holly Jolly Christmas

             
“Hell? That’s it exactly. It’s time to go.”
              “Johnny?” she asked him.

             
“Can I finish what I’m doing first? In private?” Johnny demanded.

             
“No. She got hers. That’s what you wanted for her right?” Christmas Present asked him.

             
Johnny sighed. That was indeed what he wanted. He wanted her to be happy. Joyous. It didn’t matter what happened to him. He’d meant what he said when he’d said forever. “Can I at least say goodbye?”

             
“I suppose that can’t hurt.”

             
He turned back down to Sofia. His heart breaking, especially when he saw the glitter of knowledge in her eyes. She wasn’t supposed to have to live with that, but Johnny had made the deal. He couldn’t back out now. Christmas Present had never said she wouldn’t remember. Only that he’d get to save her. Johnny had to find a way to be content with that.

             
“I guess you were right. We didn’t have all night.” He stroked his fingers down her cheek, memorizing her face. “You will have Life Number One. I promise you.”

             
“Oh no, Johnny. What did you do?” She sat up.

             
“Nothing. Be happy, Sofia.”

             
“No. I can’t be happy. Not without you.”

             
“You’ll forget me by tomorrow, sweetheart. And that’s the way it has to be.” He covered her gently with a blanket to hide her nakedness.

             
“No, you don’t understand.” She looked at the strange man who’d appeared on a throne in her living room. “He doesn’t understand. Please!”

             
“What doesn’t he understand?” Christmas Present asked her kindly.

             
“That I don’t want Life Number One. I just want him.”

             
“Oh really?” The spirit asked her.

             
“Sofia!” Johnny sounded scandalized, as if scolding an errant child. “Of course you do. You said so.”

             
“It’s nothing without you. I don’t care about the house, the kitchen, or any of it. I just want a life with you.” She tried to wrap her arms around him, but he caught her wrists.              “I was waiting for you. Don’t you get it? I was a virgin because my whole life I waited for The One. You.”

             
“Sofia, Christ, you’re killing me. Do you think I want to leave you? It just has to happen. I’m dead. You’re very much alive and this life, it’s for the living.” He turned to look at the Christmas specter. “I’m ready. Now.”

             
“Well, you know. It seems I just can’t find your ticket to that particular bus.”

             
“This isn’t funny. Let’s just be done with it.” Johnny growled. It was hard enough to say goodbye without his fiddle-fucking around.

             
“You’re still not paying attention. It’s Christmas Day, Johnny Angel.”

             
“I don’t understand.”

             
“I’ll try again and use small words. I’m Christmas Present. So don’t ever say I didn’t give you anything. Get it? I’m Christmas
Present.
” He nodded slowly.

             
“No.” Johnny growled.

             
“This, today. It’s your gift. Christmas is a time of rebirth. No downtown, no hell. No Life Number One. Just the here and now and however much time Fate gives you. Got it now?”

             
“Yes,” Sofia cried. “Yes. Thank you.” She flung herself into his arms as Christmas Present disappeared.

             
Johnny wasted no time showing her the joy of
multiple
Christmas miracles.

Epilogue

              As the years passed, they forgot the details of the Christmas magic that brought them together, of past lives and afterlives.

             
Yet still, the spirit of Christmas Present stayed alive and jolly in their hearts the whole year—and their whole lives through.
              Although Johnny still despises Burl Ives and Sofia has a seemingly irrational phobia of gingerbread men.