The Light and Fallen (20 page)

He pushed himself to his feet and wiped the
blood from his face with his sleeve. "You know what they say about
forbidden fruit being the sweetest." He chuckled at the expression
of loathing on Lucian's face. "I
think
she was thinking of
you the whole time."

Lucian lunged toward him again, but this time
Jack was prepared. He lifted his arm to deflect the blow, then bent
his knees and shifted into a fighting stance. "Are you sure you
want to do this?" he taunted. "I'd hate to embarrass you in front
of your girlfriend."

Lucian longed for his true form with all its
powers. It would be so easy to let himself turn. The lightning
inside him flashed brighter, growing stronger as it rolled down his
spine, and he flexed his fingers. "Come on."

Jack rocked back on his heels and smiled
viciously before he uncoiled toward Lucian. They met with a
shattering crash, and Lucian pummeled Jack with his fists, fighting
with all the strength he could wrench from his body. He heard a
snapping sound as Jack connected with his ribs, but he barely felt
a thing. He anchored his feet to the ground and brought his fist up
underneath Jack's jaw. The force of the uppercut lifted Jack off
his feet, and he landed with a crash on the hood of the car.

Sparks skimmed over the surface of Jack's
skin as he rolled off the hood and landed in a crouch on the
asphalt. He was lit up with a pulsing glow that Lucian suspected
matched his heartbeat. They hesitated, only a few feet apart, and
eyed each other warily. Lucian longed to hit Jack again, to feel
more of his bones shatter, but he didn't move. They both stood
frozen, fighting to regain control.

A trickle of blood ran down Jack's forehead,
and Lucian bared his teeth in satisfaction. "Who's embarrassed
now?" he growled. They stared at each other, gulping cooling bursts
of icy air, until the lightning faded. Jack's skin darkened and
Lucian felt the tingling sensation in his hands subside.

"We can't finish this now." Jack's voice
snapped with frustration and he spit contemptuously toward Lucian.
"But it isn't over." He threw himself into the Mustang and slammed
the gas pedal to the floor. The car fishtailed as he sped out of
the parking lot and disappeared into the night.

Samara gaped at Lucian as he climbed into the
truck and started the engine. He turned the heater on high and
shrugged out of his jacket, wrapping it around her shivering
shoulders."I'm bringing you home," he said. He spoke with
authority, and she accepted his words without thinking. Her mind
was filled with questions that died on her lips, and she hugged his
jacket to herself, breathing in his scent and letting his residual
warmth wash over her.

When he pulled into her driveway, he looked
at her with worried eyes. "You need to go inside and get out of
those wet clothes."

She nodded, but didn't move. She was still
shocked by his sudden appearance. Her mind was spinning, and her
body seemed unwilling to obey her commands. She was vaguely aware
of Lucian getting out of the truck, and then she was in his arms,
being carried up the steps as easily as a child.

She fumbled in her pocket for her keys as
they approached the front door, and he unlocked it and pushed it
open with his foot. He carried her into the darkened living room
and started to lower her onto the couch, but she threw her arms
around his neck and pressed herself against him. "What are you
doing here?"

Lucian tightened his arms around her and
nuzzled his face against her cheek, breathing in the scent of her
hair. "I'm protecting the one that I love."

The one he loves!
His words ignited an
explosion of emotions in her chest. She opened her mouth, but he
lay a finger against her trembling lips before she could form a
question. "We need to talk," he said, "but you should get warmed up
first."
She reluctantly allowed him to lower her to the floor. As their
bodies separated, she shivered, really feeling the cold for the
first time. "You'll be here when I come back?" she asked, searching
his eyes for reassurance.

"I swear," he repeated. He pressed her hand
to his heart, then kissed her fingertips. "Now go."

Samara hurried to her room and grabbed a
sweatshirt and jeans before she headed into the bathroom. She
turned the shower as hot as it would go and let it run as she
peeled her wet clothes off and dropped them onto the floor. She
stood in front of the mirror and stared at herself. Its edges were
beginning to fog, but she could still see her face clearly at its
center. Jack's fingers had left imprints around the edges of her
face where he had gripped her, and her wrist ached painfully where
he had wrapped his fingers around it. She shuddered.
What
would've happened if Lucian hadn't come to save her?

She climbed into the shower and stood beneath
the stream of hot water, letting it wash away the chill and terror
of the evening. She was still confused about how Lucian had found
her, and why, but she was too elated to worry. He'd appeared, after
all these weeks, like the answer to a prayer. She closed her eyes
and remembered Lucian throwing himself at Jack. No one had ever
fought for her before. And here, in her living room, he had called
her the one that he loved.

Her stomach fluttered nervously. She believed
he did love her; his actions tonight left little room for doubt.
She shut the water off and dressed quickly, eager to return to him.
There were questions to be asked, answers to be given. But whatever
words lay between them, waiting to be said, one thing was true. He
had captured her, from the moment she first saw him. Her heart
belonged to him completely.

Lucian was sitting on the couch in
semidarkness, waiting for her. He stood up as she walked toward
him, and her heart beat wildly with every step. "I guess my mom
didn't wake up," she whispered.

Lucian shook his head as he reached for her.
"No."

She closed her eyes as he rested his hands on
her forearms. "I thought you didn't want to see me anymore," she
whispered.

"I never said I didn't want to," Lucian
corrected softly. He stroked his hands gently down her arms,
letting his fingertips trail over her skin. "I said I shouldn't.
There was never a day that I didn't want to see you, or a night
that you weren't in my dreams."

"I didn't know what to think," Samara said.
"You hurt me. You embarrassed me in front of almost everyone that I
know."

Lucian nodded, his eyes filled with regret.
"I know. I thought I was doing what was best for both of us. I told
myself that I was protecting you, but I was wrong."

His head dipped closer to hers, and Samara
blushed as her breath grew ragged. "What do you think now?" she
asked.

His lips were on her mouth before she could
finish the question, stealing all thought away. She gave up any
pretense of resistance and melted into his arms. She didn't know if
minutes or seconds passed before they finally broke apart. The
ground seemed to be moving beneath her feet, and she buried her
head against his arm as she steadied herself, embarrassed by her
reaction.

"Your clothes are wet," she said as she drew
away from him. "Aren't you cold?"

Lucian shook his head as he stroked her
cheek. "You know we need to talk."

Samara's eyes flashed nervously. "You're not
about to say we shouldn't see each other again, are you?"

"No," Lucian said. "I don't think I have the
strength to say those words."

He sighed, cradling her head between his
hands. "I love you." He caressed her lips with the edge of his
thumb, making her heart skip a beat. "My mind knows I shouldn't.
But my heart…." His voice trailed off, and Samara could hear the
inner struggle as he weighed his words. "My heart doesn't
listen."

"Why shouldn't you love me?" Samara's voice
wobbled, and she held her breath as she waited for his answer.

"It's too selfish," he said. "You'll only get
hurt." He brushed his lips against her jaw line, dropping gentle
kisses onto each tender bruise. "You already have."

"You didn't do this to me," Samara protested.
"You saved me."

"My beautiful, frail, human," Lucian smiled
down at her sadly. "What do you think drew Jack's attention?"

Samara tried to make sense of her confused
thoughts. She had so many questions, but none of them were as real
as his words and the warmth of his arms. "All that matters is that
you love me." She felt her body go hot, and she blushed furiously,
"and that I love you."

"I wish that were all that mattered." Lucian
sighed. He gently unwrapped her arms from around his waist and took
a small step backward, squeezing her hands tightly in his. "You
deserve to know the truth."

Samara nodded, her brown eyes serious.
"Okay." She threaded her fingers through his and led him out of the
living room and into a small bedroom off the garage. "This is my
room," she said. "We can talk in here without having to whisper."
She lifted his hands to her lips and kissed his palm lightly. "I'll
be right back."

She vanished from the room, and Lucian looked
around curiously. The bedroom was small with a tall, uncovered
window that looked out onto the sky. A twin bed was wedged into the
corner beneath the window, and a dresser and a tall bookcase filled
the opposite wall. Before he could take in more, Samara returned
and pressed a faded blue t-shirt and plaid drawstring pants into
his hands. "Go change," she said. "I think this is a conversation
that could take a while."

He started to protest, but she ran her hands
through his hair and pulled out a small shard of glass. "You're
soaking wet," she said, "and a little dirty. Change into these, and
I'll put your clothes in the dryer until you're ready to
leave."

He changed quickly. The bathroom was still
steamy from Samara's shower, and the air smelled like her shampoo.
He wiped the mirror dry with a towel, and when he splashed water on
his face and arms grit from the parking lot ran down into the sink.
He winced as the warm water ran over his skin, and noticed cuts
covering the backs of his hands for the first time. When he
breathed deeply he felt a pain in his side, and he wondered if his
rib was broken. The sensation of pain was new, bright and sharp,
but he ignored it. It was a small cost to pay for her safety.

He returned to Samara and handed her his
dripping clothes. She disappeared again, briefly, to throw them
into the dryer, and then she was back. She led him further into
room and closed the door behind them. She slid a small lock on the
door, and then they were alone.

She climbed onto her bed and motioned for him
to come and sit down beside her. He lowered himself to the edge of
the bed and perched there, unsure of what to do. He felt awkward,
and he searched for the courage to tell her the truth. She placed
her hands on either side of his face and pulled him toward her, and
his thoughts melted away. When their lips met, she sighed against
his mouth, and he leaned into her embrace. He was falling again. He
was losing himself, but he wasn't afraid.

Finally they broke apart, and Samara fell
back against the headboard. She hugged her pillow to her chest and
stared at him. She was so beautiful, he thought, and so
distracting, all wet hair and wide eyes and parted lips. "Okay,"
she said, "let's talk."

He shifted uncomfortably on the edge of the
bed and wondered where to begin. He had spent hours thinking about
how to tell her the truth, but now that the moment was here, his
mind was blank. She waited impatiently; after a few seconds she
blurted out, "How did you know where to find me?"

"I was following you," he admitted. "I tried
to warn you about Jack, but you didn't listen. I just wanted to
make sure that you were safe."

"I should've listened to you," she said. "I
didn't even want to go out with him, but I thought it would make
you jealous."

"It worked," Lucian chuckled. He reached down
and intertwined his fingers with hers. "I was insanely
jealous."

"Good." She rolled forward, hugging her
pillow between her knees. "I don't understand how Jack can be your
stepbrother. How can you be so different?"

"We've both had choices to make, and they've
led us down different paths. He's not exactly a stepbrother, that
was just the closest thing I could think of."

Lucian held her hand more tightly and looked
into her eyes. "We were brothers in the Host, long ago, but he
joined the Fallen, and I remained with the Light." He hesitated as
Samara stared at him blankly. "We're angels," he said.

Samara started to laugh, but stopped when she
saw his serious expression. "You're angels?" she repeated. "Like my
guardian angel?"

"Not exactly. I'm a Dominion. Kind of like a
Guardian for the world. I watch over events from the Heavenlies and
send help if it's needed."

"Uh huh," Samara nodded. "And Jack is an
angel too?"

"Yes. One of the Fallen."

Samara rocked back and studied Lucian
skeptically. "If you watch over the world, then what are you doing
here, in my bedroom?"

"I'm not sure exactly," Lucian said. "I
crossed over-"

"Crossed over?"

"Into Time." Lucian slowly rubbed his thumb
back and forth across the back of her hand. "The Heavenlies are
outside of Time. Things don't happen sequentially there, the way
they do here. We can see everything at once."

Samara stared at him wide eyed. "You know the
future?"

"No," he said. "Only what could be. The past
is fixed, and the future is always changing. It depends on the
choices being made on the Earth."

"I still don't understand why you're
here
." Samara closed her eyes and pressed her head against
her knees. "Why would an angel-," her voice cracked and she
swallowed nervously. "Why would an angel be with me?"