Lightbringer (16 page)

The universe contracted.

There was no reason in this place, only sensation. Desire rode him as he thrust into her. Cassie gasped, and he savored her deep satisfaction as he filled her, sharing the bliss of diving into her heat. He kissed her neck, trailing his lips down her shoulder to her breast. Tugging on her nipple, he enjoyed the answering pull of her need just as she did. The Celestial Music filled him, as if all good things must come together in this one act of joining.

Cassie pulled her legs up, and he deepened the angle. He felt his weight pressing on her as if it were his own body, his rhythm rocking her into the pillows at the head of the bed, her pleasure surging with his every stroke. Her nails raked his back and her muscles tightened, urgent and demanding. Her sharp cries spurred him on, taking them both higher.

Pressure built until he thought he would explode with it.

*Now. Now!*
Jared didn’t know if it was her thought or his that echoed in his mind.

A guttural cry tore its way out of his throat as Cassie screamed and contracted around him. The music spilled over into her and he plunged deep, thrusting, sharing, needing to be one with her, pushing his seed and the music deep. Cassie writhed beneath him, holding him tight, meeting his every pulse. All barriers dropped and he fell open to her, and she to him. He was awash in emotion as ecstasy overwhelmed their senses. His rational mind was paralyzed. There was no resisting the power of their joining. They were one.

Time stopped. There was no future, no past, only the present blissful moment where he floated with Cassie in his arms, their bodies one, his mind caressing hers.

Slowly the world resumed its normal pace. Jared blinked the room back into focus. Cassie lay half atop him, her legs entwined with his. He stroked her side, reveling in the feel of her curves. He used to hate how the sensual nature of his human body overrode his reason. No longer. This was a joy beyond all others. Joining with Cassie was a heady thing. If being with the other Celestials was like floating in a warm lake, loving Cassie was body surfing the ocean.

“Wow,” she said softly. “That was even better than the first time. You’re going to spoil me for anyone else.”

Anyone else?
The thought struck like a jarring discordance. Cassie was his. He didn’t want another man touching her. Reflexively Jared shielded his mind as he grasped for reason.
Of course there will be another
. It shouldn’t upset him. His plan was to go home, after all.

Cassie lifted her head, frowning. He heard her wonder,
*Why did you shut me out?*

“Sorry. Habit.” He dropped his barriers again, though not all the way, keeping a space for private thought. Jared urged her back down with a hand on her hair and Cassie nestled her head on his shoulder. It fit perfectly there.

He floated through her emotions. Her post-coital contentment was fading, supplanted by anxiety for him. For his safety. His loneliness. His exile. He tasted the shadow of grief in her, repressed by a steely resolve to send him home.

Aelziroth is trying to kill her, and she’s concerned for me?
“I can take care of myself.”

“But—”

“Don’t. It’s a waste of your energy. What will happen, will happen. Your worry won’t change that.”

“So rational.” Her tone was almost bitter.
I know he’s not that controlled. How does he expect me to be?

Jared heard her thought and levered up on his elbow. “I don’t. I’m not. It’s just—” He tried to sort out the tangle his thoughts and emotions had become.

He hated this confusion, this muddle of emotion and sensuality. The irony wasn’t lost on him.
Just moments ago I was rejoicing in it
.

Jared stared into Cassie’s eyes, as green and full of promise as spring. Her time on the Terrestrial Plane was fleeting, and so precious. Her soul would live forever, but that didn’t make her physical life less meaningful. Suddenly he wished he could share it with her. To wring every drop of joy from it with her.

Cassie’s eyes widened.

Jared winced. He started to shutter his mind, then stopped.
*It doesn’t matter what I want. You have a destiny.*
She had a purpose more important than his impulsive fantasy. Important enough to merit a demon disrupting it. To merit Celestial intervention to preserve it.

Cassie smiled up at him as she twined her arms around his neck. “The only destiny I want right now is to make love with you.”

“Again?” Jared grinned. His body was instantly ready.

Cassie nodded.

This was one destiny he could fulfill. As the music rose within them, Jared slid into her warmth, sharing the sensation of completion with her, of filling and being filled.

CHAPTER 14

CASSIE WAITED IN the dark, sitting in the bathtub with Edgar and a short-stock, double-barreled shotgun.

Jared had insisted the old cast-iron tub was the safest place for her. He’d lined it with a pillow and a blanket to keep the chill off, turned off the light, and shut the door on her. But not before giving her a quick, intense, kiss.

It was amazing how much a simple kiss could convey.

And how little.

He’d closed himself off from her again, but she didn’t mind. Much. She knew he was pulling back so he could be cool and focused. Their lives depended on it. His feelings for her were still the same. There had been nothing cool about the look in his eyes.

The TV set played in the living room, but Cassie could barely hear it. They wanted the cabin to appear as if they weren’t expecting anything.

She and Jared had gone shopping earlier to buy supplies and extra ammunition. They’d stapled wire mesh hardware cloth on the inside of every window to keep Aelziroth from throwing in the flash grenade, and Jared had drawn a symbol of Power on the floor beneath the large braided rug. A flowing script that she didn’t recognize filled the perimeter of the double ringed symbol. It had been hard to look at it directly. From the corner of her eye, the lines had seemed to crawl over the wood.

“This covers the most direct path through the room,” Jared said. “When he comes for you, he’ll be stuck. Then I’ll cast him out.”

“How can he enter it once it’s closed?”

“This isn’t the same as a pentagram. It’s not so much a prison as a trap.”

“Sort of like a roach motel,” Cassie said, startling a laugh out of Jared.

When all was as secure as they could make it, Jared had taken her to the shooting range and taught her how to handle the shotgun. She shouldn’t need it, but if somehow Aelziroth made it to her hiding place, Jared wanted her armed. The beast had quite a kick, but at least with buckshot she wouldn’t have to worry as much about adrenaline spoiling her aim.

Jared knew a lot about guns. It seemed strange an angel would have his own arsenal.
But then, he’s not an angel. Not the white robes and harps kind, that’s for sure.
Cassie smiled. She’d never heard of angels making love like he did, either. The Celestial Realm sure wasn’t like what they’d taught in Sunday school.

Now they sat waiting for Aelziroth to attack. The kitchen door was locked and booby-trapped with a trip-wire, but not blocked—just in case she had to make a quick escape. Jared had taken a position outside with a rifle, while she stayed under cover in the bathroom with the short-stock shotgun.

“Aren’t these illegal?” she’d asked, teasing him. “Would Michael approve?”

Jared had just raised a brow and said, “No, actually they’re not. And with any luck, you won’t need to use it.”

Luck. They could use some. During practice, she’d followed his instructions, hitting the target every time. But that was different from shooting a man.

Jared had locked his eyes on hers. “He’s not a man. Remember that. He may have Dave’s body, but Dave is as good as dead, thanks to Aelziroth’s possession. As far as that goes, killing Dave would be a mercy. Defending your life isn’t murder. If he gets past me, into the bathroom, you can’t hesitate.”

Cassie shifted the gun lying across her lap.
Jared is right
. She couldn’t hesitate, not when Jared was risking his life to protect her. She wished she were outside with him, waiting to ambush the demon, but she needed to be inside to draw Aelziroth to the cabin.

Cassie leaned back, trying to get comfortable. Edgar walked up her body on little pointy feet, rubbed against the stock of the gun, then settled on her tummy, purring. She took one hand off the shotgun and stroked his thick fur.

There was nothing to do while she waited except think.

A demon wants me dead.
The thought was surreal.
But no more so than the fact that angels walk among us mortals. And make love to us.

Jared would do everything in his power to protect her, but he wasn’t omnipotent. He might fail. She could die tonight.

She was only twenty-eight. She’d thought she’d have more time. She couldn’t help wondering if this was the end of the road for her, if some of the choices she’d made should have been different.

Maybe she should have tried harder to connect with her mother. But Patricia Lewis hadn’t shared her mother’s or her daughter’s psychic gifts and had denied their existence. Nana had tried to help Cassie understand, but it had been hard since she lived halfway across the country. The old feeling of resentment made Cassie’s chest feel tight. She’d tried to please her mom by ignoring her abilities, but what she’d really wanted was for her mom to accept her as she was. Maybe her mother would have accepted her psychic skills if Cassie hadn’t made it so easy for her to pretend they didn’t exist.
Or maybe using them openly would have strained our relationship even more
.

Given her mother’s attitude, it wasn’t surprising Cassie had hidden her gift from Andy, but doing so had been a horrible mistake. She should never have denied her talents, denied her
self
, to please him. That choice had just been another step in the road she’d started down long before, pretending to be like everyone else. In a way Andy had done her a favor. His betrayal had been a wake-up call. What happened had made her stronger. She liked who she’d become, so she couldn’t regret how she’d gotten here.

Though I’m not too thrilled with where “here” is, at the moment
.

She’d rather not be hunkered down in a bathtub in a mountain cabin waiting for a supernatural murderer to try to kill her.
I’d much rather be in bed in a mountain cabin—with my supernatural lover
.

A wash of heat rippled over her as she remembered Jared’s touch. She’d never had sex like that before, sharing every sensation from both sides. What she was feeling was more than lust. They’d been open to each other, and beneath Jared’s desire—which was a compliment in itself—was incredible tenderness and caring. He cherished her in a way that touched her soul.

A little wave of unease rippled through her. He must have seen just as deeply into her. It was a bit unsettling to have no secrets even if he seemed to accept her unconditionally.

He must know she wanted him to stay, even though she also wanted to help him go home. The conflict gnawed at her, but it didn’t seem to bother Jared.
I should be happy. At least we understand each other
.

Not keeping secrets was an incredible relief. Freeing.

For as long as it lasts
.

Tomorrow she’d either be dead or Aelziroth would be vanquished. And if Jared was successful, he would be gone from her life, welcomed back to the Celestial Realm. She tried to focus on feeling happy for him, to ignore the ache his leaving would cause. She’d only been half joking when she’d said he’d spoiled her for anyone else. Who else could know just how to touch

her? What ordinary man could share himself with her the way Jared had?

Perhaps in time the memory of Jared would fade. She would find someone who accepted her abilities. Someone who loved her not in spite of them, but because of them. It was possible.

Cassie swallowed against a tight throat. She didn’t want someone else. She wanted Jared. But she’d rather not keep him here, knowing she was a poor second for the intimacy he longed for. That he wanted to be somewhere else, with the other Celestials.

I need to think about something else
.

The music that had been running through her head all afternoon resurfaced, lifting her heart. Sometimes Jared’s gift was just a simple tune, other times it soared like a full symphony. Something about the melody seemed terribly familiar. Like something she’d heard in a dream once but couldn’t quite remember. Now it ran through her mind as if she’d always known it. It pulled at something deep inside, making her want to sing, twirl in dance, and make love.

But she forced herself to sit still—and wait.

Jared waited in the cold, crisp night, the .30-06 semi-auto rifle propped on the broad stump of a Ponderosa Pine. He was just inside the tree line, and the nearly full moon gave him a clear view of the cabin’s front door thirty yards away and the kitchen door on the side of the house. Two extra magazines, with ten copper-jacketed rounds each, rested on the ground beside him, but he doubted Aelziroth would give him time to reload. When Jared took his first shot, Aelziroth would move fast, with supernatural speed. He wouldn’t give Jared a second chance to drop him.

Jared thought of Cassie sitting alone inside the cabin, and his stomach clenched. His motive for protecting her had changed. Michael wanted her saved for some Grand Destiny she had. That was fine. But she was more than her destiny, more than a piece to some Celestial puzzle Michael was working on. More than a means to an end. She was a whole, beautiful person who deserved to choose her own fate.

Jared shook his head.
I’ve completely lost focus
. He needed to get this right. Saving Cassie was the key to returning to the Celestial Realm. It was the one thing he’d wanted for over a hundred years. Now, in light of the threat to Cassie, it didn’t seem so important. He knew Michael would say he’d gotten too close. Especially after Judith.

Was Cassie right? He’d hated himself for not being there in Ford’s Theater, for shirking his duty. Cassie saw it differently. He’d loved Judith. He’d have hated himself if he’d left her to die alone. His being with her had brought her peace, and she’d embarked on her journey into the unknown with an easy heart. Perhaps that duty
had
been the greater one. There had been other security for Lincoln. But only he could have stayed with Judith that night.

Michael would say he shouldn’t have gotten so involved. A week ago he would have said the same thing. But he couldn’t have chosen differently—then—or now.

What’s the matter with me?
How could this mortal woman change everything? Change him? Only one thing was sure: he wouldn’t let Aelziroth get to her.

Cassie jerked awake. Had she heard something? She listened, concentrating, holding her breath. All she could hear was the faint sound of the TV from the other room. Even Edgar was quiet.

How long had she been asleep? She sat up and rolled her stiff neck, blinking in the dark.

Nothing changed. The minutes crept by. Cassie stood up and stretched her muscles. The shotgun clanged against the shower curtain rod, echoing in the small tiled room.

“Shit!” Cassie’s heart jumped sideways in her chest, and she froze, clutching the gun tightly, aiming it at the door.

But Aelziroth didn’t come rushing in, and Cassie slowly relaxed. She sat down again, leaning back against the pillow.
What if he doesn’t show? What if my vision is wrong? What if it’s not tonight that he’s coming, but tomorrow? Or the next night? Or never?

Jared flexed his fingers on the rifle. The inky shadows had shortened as the moon reached its zenith and now lengthened again. Soon it would seem strange for the lights and TV to be on. Perhaps Aelziroth was waiting until he thought they’d gone to sleep. He should have thought of this. Put the lights and TV on a timer. He’d have Cassie turn them off.

He pulled out his cell and speed-dialed Cassie’s number.

Cassie’s phone rang, echoing off the porcelain tile. She jumped even though the ring tone told her it was Linda.

She flipped it open. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Look, I’m sorry I—”

“I can’t talk right now,” Cassie whispered, then hung up and switched the cell to vibrate. She hated being so abrupt.

Cassie started to text Linda, to reassure her friend, but Edgar jumped out of the tub and started yowling, a mournful sound, playing with the echoes like he did at home. “Edgar, come here, baby,” she whispered. “Come here.” Edgar quieted, but didn’t come to her. He just kept staring at the door.

Suddenly Edgar screamed angrily, like he was defending his turf. He hissed and arched his back, his tail tripling in size. The hair on the back of Cassie’s neck stood up.

Jared swore. The reception up here was so spotty. He’d gone directly to Cassie’s voice mail.

Gliding like quicksilver, a man-sized shadow shifted through the moonlight toward the cabin, carrying a gun. Jared quietly shut his phone and lifted his rifle.

Aelziroth
.

The man lifted his arm and threw something at the window. It bounced off the hardware cloth and landed in the yard. Jared shut his eyes just in time to keep the flash from destroying his night vision. The concussion buffeted the quiet, but in the open air and from thirty yards away the bang didn’t overwhelm him.

Jared squeezed the trigger twice, aiming for the center of Aelziroth’s back. The Apostate staggered, then fell on the porch steps. Exactly the result Jared wanted. But it didn’t feel right.

That was too easy
.

Jared hesitated for a second. Was this a ruse, designed to draw him out and give away his position? The body on the steps didn’t twitch. Jared ran forward, keeping to the shadows as much as possible, his rifle ready.

As soon as he touched the man, Jared knew it wasn’t Aelziroth. “Shit!” The man was a pawn, controlled by the demon.
I should have expected this
. Horror squeezed his heart.
I just shot an innocent man.

The sound of an explosion followed by gunfire jolted Cassie’s pulse. She lifted the shotgun with shaking hands.

A moment later a sound of wood and glass smashing came from the kitchen, followed by a shout of pain. Edgar screamed and hissed. Cold jagged fear raced down Cassie’s spine. The door to the bathroom crashed open. Aelziroth stood there, clothed in Dave’s body. He looked terrible, as if he’d been on a three-day binge. He had a patch over one eye, but the other was cold and sharp.

Aelziroth stepped forward, and Cassie fired both barrels.

Rifle at the ready, Jared rushed through the door and into the small house.

Aelziroth had been thrown against the wall of the hallway, facing the open door to the bath. Buckshot pocked his face and the armored vest he wore. He turned toward Jared with lightning speed and raised his weapon.