Lost In Time: A Fallen Novel (34 page)

“Only you found it necessary to hide,” Victor said.

Her father only shrugged. “I only ever wanted you to be proud of who and what you are. Until you were done hiding and prepared to stand proud of who you and what you are the cloak was necessary. Apparently that time is over.”

Celeste felt tears fill her eyes again, she had hidden for five hundred years because she was ashamed of who she was, not that her father was ashamed of her. The very idea was stunning to her.

She swallowed the tears and let her brother and father lead her to the catacombs.

Water dripped from the damp cold walls of the catacombs of the Fortress. Moans of pain, and chains rattled behind arctic stone doors. She knew of several creatures that were kept down in the catacombs, and her blood ran a little cold for it.

She knew when they were close because she saw Garrett at the end of passageway. His arms crossed over his chest he waited.

She heard Marcus moan and scream. “Christian is in there trying to calm him down.”

Celeste pushed past Garrett. “Let me in.”

“No.” Garrett shook his head.

“Why?” Celeste snapped

“Because he is getting worse. I won’t send you in there to be mutilated by that monster.”

Celeste snorted. “Christian is in there right now, and I kick his ass on a regular basis. So get the hell out of my way Garrett or I’ll kick yours.”

Garrett looked at her with surprise and then back to Victor and Dante then stepped aside. She pushed past him and pressed herself against the thick rock of the cell. With her brothers and father at her side she walked into what she had to describe as hell.

The cell didn’t quite contain the wingspan, and Celeste ducked out of the way as a wing flew over her head the talons on the end carving deep wounds into the granite.

“Marcus.” Celeste said his name with awe and shock. He stood naked facing Christian his back to her. But the moment she said his name he froze. Heaving for breath, his skin was pale against the black wings that folded in lying slack against his back and then folded again. She watched in amazement as they folded up and sealed themselves within his back making the muscles of his back and sides bulge. But one last bone breaking shiver his back smoothed out and flat muscle replaced and covered his wings.

She took a step forward and said his name again.

“Get out of here,” Christian snarled from his position in the corner where Marcus had him pinned.

Without warning Christian was lifted and tossed in the direction of the door. Celeste scrambled out of the way as her brother flew past her swearing as he went.

She took the opportunity to move forward toward Marcus, she knew her brothers and father wouldn’t allow her anywhere near him if he was out of control and she wasn’t going to leave. She was right when Victor lunged at her grabbing her by the arm he jerked her back. She squeaked in shock as she was brought to an abrupt halt.

Marcus bellowed and turned, his green eyes were gone replaced by blackness Celeste was stunned at the changes in him. He was taller, more muscular and at the moment pissed as hell and beyond. But he was alive and she was going to do whatever it took to keep him that way. He had confessed his love to her before he had taken up the sword, and she knew that man was in there somewhere. She just needed to get to him so she could say the words back to him.

“Let her go,” he growled.

“No chance in hell.” Victor placed her behind him. “You’re not in control Marcus.”

Celeste tried to push past her brother. “He won’t hurt me.”

Victor was physically moved, Celeste was amazed at the speed at which Marcus moved. One second Victor was holding her back, and the next he was gone and she was picked up and placed in a corner with Marcus’s back to her.

Her father and brothers went nuts, the four of them attacking Marcus. Celeste screamed and bounded forward she placed herself between Marcus and her brothers only to be pushed aside several times. Tears streaked down her face, she didn’t want anyone to be hurt.

Finally she threw herself around Marcus, wrapping her arms around his neck. She didn’t care if he was a Dark Angle, a Fallen or a mortal she loved him.

“Stop,” she whispered into his ear. “I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere.”

“I thought I had lost you,” he whispered.

“Never.”

“God dammit,” Victor bellowed. “She’s totally lost her mind.”

“I love you Marcus,” she whispered back. “I should have said it earlier. But I didn’t think I would make it through this, but I’ve loved you for so long.” She couldn’t help the tears as they ran down her face.

“I will never forgive myself for what you became in order to save us all.” She closed her eyes and leaned her head down so it rested on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

“Get them out of here now,” Marcus said very quietly.

Celeste moved so she could look over his shoulder but not actually let him go. “He is going to be fine.”

“The hell he is. The man’s been crazed for days,” Garrett growled.

“They wouldn’t let me see you. I didn’t know if you were dead or alive,” he growled. “This new body, this new thing I am, I can’t control it yet. I was terrified you had died…” He dropped off. She leaned back to look into his face, and she saw the anguish there the pain he must have been feeling to have lost control of who and what he was.

Celeste wrapped her arms more tightly around him, feeling the wings below the surface of his skin on his back. “I’m here now, and I’m never going anywhere ever again.”

“Celeste, step away from him,” Dante demanded.

Marcus growled and pressed her closer into the stone and himself. She wasn’t going anywhere even if she wanted to.

“He thought I was dead,” Celeste said, noting that Marcus twitched again.

“Never say it.” His voice hadn’t changed, and only she heard his words.

“Why didn’t any of you tell him that I was healing?” They could have saved themselves a lot of trouble she thought.

“Actually we did, but because we wouldn’t bring you down here he thundered around the cell like a mad man.” Marcus chuckled low the sound barely registering except for the rumble of his chest against hers.

“You’re idiots,” she snapped.

“Leave,” Marcus growled.

“This is a bad idea,” Victor snapped and stormed out of the cell.

“One drop of blood Dark one, and I’ll have your head on a pike outside my walls,” Dante said as he turned and left, Garrett and Christian following him.

****

Marcus looked down into her violet eyes, he didn’t remember a lot of the last several days. Pain, and anguish he remembered them trying to explain she was alive but she couldn’t come down until he calmed down. But he hadn’t believed them. But here she was, and she was breathing and warm and the most beautiful thing he had ever seen or felt in his entire existence.

His wings sprung from his back, pain tore through him as they ripped through his back. This was something he was going to have to get used to. They wrapped around Celeste pushing her back against the wall the talons embedding in the wall he had her trapped.

He fought against the urge to devour her to take everything she had to offer the darkness and the light. To suck her soul from her so they would never be parted again. But the light in him revolted at the idea. He took a deep breath sucking in her scent all the way into his very soul it calmed him.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he growled.

She looked up at him her eyes shining in the dark cell. “I don’t think you could hurt me even if you wanted to,” she said cupping his face with her hands.

“I’m a monster now.”

“You’re beautiful.”

He growled. “How can you say that, I’m…” He searched for the words but nothing came to him. He felt so different, he didn’t know if he was alive or dead, if he was dark or light. Shades of gray swamped him as he tried to figure it out, hate and mortification at what he had become. But he would do it all over again, wouldn’t think twice about picking up the Sword and killing Calliope for just one more minute with Celeste.

“I’m a monster,” he repeated.

“An abomination?” she asked throwing words back at him that he knew she had heard her entire life.

“Yes.”

She laughed, and the sound filled him with peace and joy for the first time in days. And for the first time since he had picked up the Sword he felt purchase in this new and unknown world. “Then I believe we are perfect for each other don’t you?”

He shook himself and stepped back forcing his wings back into his back he shuddered in pain. “You need to leave, Celeste.”

“Where would I go?”

“Anywhere but near me. All I want to do is devour you.” His voice shook.

“And that is a bad thing?” She smiled at him, in that way that only a Sex Demon can master. Holding so much passion it burned him at the edges. Making him want to fall to his knees and beg for more.

He swung on her taking her by surprise she stepped back as he pressed himself against her. “Yes, because I don’t know if I can control the darkness, and if I were to hurt you in any way it would kill me.”

“Marcus.” She stepped forward and kissed him on the chin. It was a simple light touch but he felt it all the way down into his toes. “You would never hurt me.”

“Ten minutes ago you were raging because you didn’t know if I were alive or dead. And I was worried you would be consumed by darkness. Neither of those things are true,” she said quietly. “You are a Dark Angel because of the evil Calliope held. But your soul is light, it was always light and not falling from the heavens or holding the Black Sword and killing Calliope will change that you are a good person.” She smiled making his heart a little lighter.

“You are an Angel again,” she said in awe.

He couldn’t control himself any longer. She looked at him with such trust, and love. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. “Say the words Celeste,” He moaned. Pulling away he ran kisses across her faced to her ear. “Say them,” he begged needing to hear them more than he needed his next breath.

She leaned forward, and he lifted her, she wrapped her legs around his waist and tilted her head down toward his ear soft hair tickled his cheek and neck. “I love you Marcus, I have loved you for two hundred years. And nothing in this world will ever change that. I love you.”

Marcus leaned back so awed by finally hearing the words he was momentarily speechless. “I’m sorry,” was the first thing that slipped out.

She quirked an eyebrow at him in question. “No…” he started. “I’m sorry that I didn’t realize who you were before now.”

“What does that mean?” she asked placing kisses on the column of his neck he concentrated on the words he needed to say before anything else happened.

“I purposely defied Dante, the pain he inflicted meant nothing because I was cared for by a creature that I believed to be an Angel of mercy and kindness.” He leaned back so he could look at her. “I pretended you were Jessica in my mind.”

Her arms and legs immediately fell from him, and he groaned with the loss.

“Cold shower,” she muttered pushing past him.

“I fell in love with that creature that cared for me each time I was punished, and held myself above the sins of the flesh for the creature who cared enough to give more than she received. And I will never forgive myself for not recognizing you when you finally showed yourself to me. I love you Celeste with everything that I am both dark and light.” He turned grabbing her arm before she could get farther away from him. “And I will never ever let you go again.”

He kissed her then with all the passion he felt for her, all the love he held for her. Centuries of need and wanting encompassed in the melding of their lips. He thrust his tongue between her lips, and she moaned deep in the back of her throat causing him such pain and pleasure at the same time he wasn’t sure if he was coming or going.

“Marcus?” she leaned back. His eyes had turned back to the green she knew. “I have something to confess.”

He let her slide down, terrified at what she was going to tell him. “My hair?”

“Yes?”

“I originally cut my hair for you. It was always you,” she confessed. “I will love you forever,” she whispered

“Ah, sweetheart that just won’t be long enough.” And then he was kissing her again the darkness in him receding back as the light took control savoring each breath and touch. He picked her up and carried her to the bed, shredding the clothes she had on as they went.

“I liked that shirt,” she muttered between kisses.

Marcus smiled down at her. “You shouldn’t wear anything you don’t want torn from you from now on,” he suggested, part of him deadly serious. “If I get to rough tell me,” he growled.

“Bring it on.” She laughed, filling his soul with love. “I’m a Sex Demon, remember?”

He growled so low and deep she felt it all the way to her soul. “My Sex Demon.”

Celeste smiled up at him, his eyes were turning a dark shade of green which she knew was from the Dark Angel in him but her Demon side caused her eyes to bleed to red, so she knew they were a perfect pair.