Kindred (The Watcher Chronicles #2) (21 page)

His smile deepens and his blue eyes glisten with humor.  Two perfectly symmetrical dimples appear in his cheeks giving him that boy next door look.

“I was just admiring the display,” he says smoothly.

He’s beside me before I even realize it, picking up the same apple I just put down.  He holds it up before my eyes and slowly spins it so the buffed red skin glistens under the fluorescent lights in the store.

“Now why would you put back something so succulent, so juicy you can almost taste its sweetness inside your mouth?”

I almost snatch the apple out of his hands and take a bite out of it because he makes the apple sound so good. 

“Who are you?” I ask.

The man smiles.  “You can call me Baal.  I believe you’ve met my brothers,” he says, bringing the apple to his full lips and taking a bite out of its tender flesh.  “Asmodeus and Mammon said you were pretty, and I must say I’m pleasantly surprised they were right.”

My hand instantly goes to the butt of my pistol out of habit since I know I can’t hurt him with it.  I decide to see what game he’s playing before I show him my whole deck of cards and bring out the flaming sword.  A girl needs a few aces up her sleeve when dealing with a prince of Hell.

“Are you stalking me for a reason or were you just hungry for an apple?” I ask.

Baal grins.  “Irreverent, just like Lucifer said.  I like that in my victims.”

It’s my turn to grin.  “So are you pretty and stupid or just pretty stupid?  Hasn’t Lucifer told you I’m off limits?”

“Yes, he made his protection of you abundantly clear to me when I got here.  What he did to my brothers is not something I want to happen to me. I’m just too pretty for such torture.  But, I wouldn’t count on his protection forever.  His fascination with you is bound to end.”  Baal folds his arms before him and stands with his legs slightly apart like he’s about to impart a fount of wisdom upon me.

“I’ve made it my mission to find out what spell you’ve cast over him.”

“It’s not like I’m a witch.  I’m no one special, just a Watcher agent.”

Baal’s grin grows wider, deepening the dimples in his cheeks to craters.

“You and I both know you’re not just that.  And I promise you, when I find out and tell Lucifer why he feels connected to you, he won’t like it.”

“How would you know that?  Maybe he would.”

“No.  He doesn’t like being played the dupe.  And that’s exactly what you’re doing.  No one likes looking like a fool, least of all him.  Mind if I give you a bit of friendly advice?”

“I have a feeling you’re going to give it to me whether I want it or not.”

Baal smiles.

“You should be the one to tell Lucifer what you are before I figure it out.  He might be willing to spare your life then.  Otherwise, he’ll feel betrayed by you and that is not something you want to be on the receiving end of, I assure you.”

“I’ll take it under advisement,” I reply.  “Any other words of wisdom you would like to leave me with?”

“You should use the golden delicious apples if you want to make an apple pie, not the red.”

Baal phases and I’m left standing there wondering how he knew I wanted to make a pie.

Just as I’m putting my bags of groceries on the kitchen table, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket.

My heart jumps when I see it’s a text message from Mason.

Can I please come home now?  I’m bored out of my mind here. 

I smile at his use of the word ‘home’.  Does he feel like my home is his home?  He did take a shower in my bath this morning.  But, was I ready for that type of commitment?  Only two words came to my mind: hell yes.

When can you come home? And what are you doing now?

Listening to the President tell me about some sort of trouble in the Middle East.  When isn’t there trouble in the Middle East?  It’s been a perpetual war zone since the beginning of time.

Is he giving a speech?

To me, yes.

Alone?

Yes.

Are you telling me you are sitting with the President of the United States and texting me while he’s having a private conversation with you?

Yes.  Is that bad?

I hang my head and shake it.

Yes it’s bad!  Isn’t he offended your texting while he’s talking?

I don’t think so.  He seems rather into what he’s saying.  He’s pacing back and forth in front of his desk.  I’m not sure he’s looked at me once the entire time he’s been talking.

I giggle.  It was often said the President liked to hear himself speak.  His speeches in front of Congress were often cited as being the longest in recorded history.

Still, it’s rude.  You need to be listening to him.

What are you doing?  Have you already gone grocery shopping?

Yes, I just got back.  LISTEN TO THE PRESIDENT!

I can’t concentrate on what he’s saying anyway.  All I can think about is kissing you.

I smile and feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

I wish you were here kissing me too.

Then, can I come home, please?  I’m begging you.  Give me a good excuse to come home so I can be done with this for today.  I need an emergency ASAP…

I was going to make you an apple pie…

Did you set the house on fire?  I’m pretty sure that would be considered an emergency…

Lol, no.  The house is still standing. I was rudely interrupted while I was trying to pick out apples at the Piggly Wiggly.

What aren’t you telling me, Jess?

I take a deep breath because I know Mason is going to flip out at my answer.

Baal came to see me.

“Jess?” I hear Mason call to me from the living room.

I walk in and he has me in his arms so quickly I don’t even have a chance to blink.

Mason pulls away from me and looks me up and down but not in the way I wish he would.  He’s more interested in making sure my body doesn’t have any signs of injury.

“What did he want?” Mason asks.  “What did he say to you?”

I recount my conversation with Baal.

“Do you think he’s right?” I ask.  “Do you think it would be better if Lucifer heard what I am from me before the others find out?”

Mason sighs and runs his fingers through his hair.  “I don’t know.  Maybe.  But I think the timing would have to be right.  He’s going to be very mad when he learns the truth.”

“But I thought he and Michael were best friends?  Lucifer told me the only thing he missed from Heaven was Michael.”

Mason looks up at me sharply.  “He told you that?”

I nod.

“That seems very uncharacteristic of him.  He’s not normally a heart to heart type of person unless he’s ripping out a heart.”

“He’s not like that with me,” I say, almost feeling like I need to defend Lucifer.  “The last time he was here I felt what he feels for me.”

I hold up my wrist so Mason pointedly sees the bracelet Chandler and JoJo made for me. 

“I used this bracelet.”

Mason looks at the bracelet like it’s the first time he’s seen it.  It probably is.  JoJo did say only those I wanted to see it would.

“Where did you get that?  What does it do?”

“I want you to know I never used it on you,” I tell him.  “I don’t need to use it to know how you feel about me.  But, JoJo and Chandler thought I should have it in case I needed reassurance about your feelings for me.  I haven’t used it on you, but I did use it the other morning when Lucifer was here.  Just before you came out onto the porch, he touched me on the cheek and I used the bracelet to find out what he feels for me.”

“And what did you discover?”  Mason asks cautiously.

“He feels confused mostly,” I say.  “He wants to keep me protected, but I’m only his second priority.  He desperately needs to perform whatever task he’s laid out for himself to accomplish.  He wants me to get to know him better, to fully understand who he is and why he does the things he does.”

“Does he love you?”

I shake my head.  “No, it’s not love.  But he needs to figure me out.”

“And when he does, what do you think he will do to you?”

I shrug.  “I can’t say for sure.”

“Why aren’t you more scared of him?” Mason asks.  “I’ve never understood how you can be around him but not show fear.”

“Because deep down I don’t believe he would ever harm me.  I honestly don’t think he’ll do it when he figures out or when I tell him what I am.  I might even be safer if he knows Michael is inside me.  I think Michael is the only person Lucifer ever truly thought of as a friend and loved, in his way.”

“God ordered Michael to bring Lucifer to Earth when he was exiled from Heaven.  I’m not sure if Lucifer has ever forgiven him for that.”

“Do you think Lucifer saw it as a betrayal?”

“Wouldn’t you?” Mason asks.

“Maybe.”

Mason lifts the hand of the arm with the bracelet.

“So what is this thing supposed to do exactly?”

“It warns me if I’m in danger, like at the grocery store with Baal earlier.  And if I ask it to it’ll let me feel what someone else is feeling.”

Mason places my hand over his heart.

“Ask it to tell you what I’m feeling.”

“No.”

Mason cocks his head at me.

“Why not?  I want you to know.”

“Because I don’t need a bracelet to tell me what I already know.”

Mason smiles.  “And what do you know about my feelings for you?”

“That you love me beyond all reason.  That you would do anything for me whenever I wanted and not care what it was I asked.  You would die for me if it came to that because you can’t live without me.  You want me so bad it physically hurts you sometimes.”

“And how do you know all that?”

“Because that’s the way I feel about you.”

Before I know it, Mason has me crushed against his body, kissing me fervently on the lips.  I wrap my fingers around the collar of his grey button down shirt, knowing exactly what I want to do.

I pull back from the kiss, breathing heavily.

“I want to try something,” I tell him.

He smiles.  “Something pleasurable I hope.  What is it?”

“I want to undress you…and explore.  Would you let me do that?”

“You can do anything you want to me, Jess.  You know that.”

“I think it might help me become more comfortable with you touching me.”

Mason stands back a step and spreads his arms out wide.  “Then by all means, consider me your own personal playground.  Do with me what you will, Jess Riley.  I’m all yours.”

His willingness at my proposed exploration makes me shy all of a sudden, but I know it’s something I need to force myself to do.  Poor me.  Undressing the most handsome man on the planet and having free reign to do whatever I want to with his body.  When did my life become so perfect?

“Don’t get too excited,” I tell him.  “I just plan to take your shirt off, nothing more.”

Mason pouts.  I laugh.

“Stop,” I say, trying to make myself stop giggling.  “This is supposed to be serious.”

“Well, I can’t say I’m not disappointed, but if that’s all you want to do for now, please, feel free.”

I walk up to Mason and start to unbutton his shirt.  I feel his eyes watching me and look up at his face.

“Stop staring,” I order, lifting a stern eyebrow.

“Oh, are we doing that?  Should I start saying ‘yes, mistress’?”

I smile because I enjoy playful Mason’s teasing.  “No.  I’m not into role-playing, at least I don’t think I am.”

“And here I was imagining you in a skimpy nurse’s uniform or perhaps a French maid’s outfit.”

“Stop,” I order him again, trying to concentrate on undoing the buttons of his shirt.  “This is supposed to be serious and all you’re doing is making me want to laugh.”

“I know.”

I look back at his face.  “Why are you trying to make me laugh?”

“Because it relaxes you.  I can feel the tension go out of you when I make you laugh.  It means you’re comfortable with me.  And right now, you need to be comfortable with me.  You need to trust I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.”

I feel tears sting my eyes because of Mason’s efforts.

“Please don’t start crying,” he begs. "If you do, I might have to take you over my knee and give you something real to cry about, young lady.”

I smile and stow the tears away for another time.

“Are you into that kind of thing?” I ask.

Mason cocks his head to the side.  “Spanking?”

I nod.

“Not particularly,” he admits.  “There are better and more pleasurable ways to excite a woman.”

“And do you know many of these ways?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

I smile as I tug his shirt out of his slacks.

“Yes, I would.  Very much.  I hope you can share your knowledge with me one day soon.”

“If only you knew what I dream about at night…”

I lift one of Mason’s wrists to take out the cufflink he has there.

“What do you mean?”

“Watchers are able to dream whatever we want,” he informs me as I change over to his other wrist and cufflink.

“Are you able to control what happens in these dreams?”

“Yes.”

I lay Mason’s cufflinks on the coffee table and stand in front of him, placing both of my hands on his chest under his shirt.

“And do tell, Mr. Collier, what do you dream about?”

“You.”

I slowly run my hands down Mason’s chest and over his abdominal muscles to the waistband of his slacks.

“And what are we doing in these dreams of yours?” I ask, watching Mason’s body react to my touch.

“Do you really want to know?” Mason asks, his voice growing hoarser, breathing unsteady.  “Or would you rather wait until I’m able to demonstrate personally?”