Where There's Smoke (28 page)

“Let me give you a new life,” he said.

“How?”

“You can be reborn. It won’t be easy breaking your contract with Vetis, but I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

“Then what?”

“You would be born again. Just like I said. I would watch over you.”

Didn’t he know that being without him would be a hell all its own? Even if she didn’t remember him, she would know something was missing in her life. But apparently he wouldn’t have that same problem. She was just another notch on his halo.

“I would make sure your next life was better,” he promised.

A cold chill of foreboding washed over her. “You know what my life was like?” She studied his face and saw the truth before he answered.

“I know about it,” he said.

“Everything?”

“Yes.”

For a brief moment she saw pity in his eyes before he masked it. She raised her chin. All this time he knew about her mother leaving her, the foster homes, living on the streets, that she’d murdered a man. The shame was almost too much to bear.

“Leave,” she said.

“I can’t.”

“I’m not asking.”

“You still need a soul.”

“Don’t you think I know that!”

“Let me help you.”

She inched nearer until she was only a breath away. “Let me help you?” she repeated, running her hand down the side of his face, caressing his jaw. He leaned toward her, but stopped at the last second. Maybe all wasn’t lost.

She raked her fingers over the front of his shirt, felt his nipples tighten. She flicked a fingernail across one. He groaned.

“Can you feel the heat? We could have this all the time.”

“Don’t.” His words were gravelly, as if it took all he had inside him just to speak.

“All eternity. Just you and me.”

“Vetis lied to you.”

“He saved me from being beaten to death,” she countered, her hand moving downward.

“You had no choice.”

She rubbed her hand against him. He was already hard. “Go with me back to Hell.”

He lowered his lips to hers, but right before his lips touched hers he said, “Let me give you a new life. A better life.”

He pulled her tight against him. His lips molded to hers as his tongue thrust inside her mouth. Each tried to claim victory over the other in the kiss.

One minute they were in the apartment and the next, the evening breeze brushed across her skin. She pulled out of his arms. “Where are we?” she asked as she nervously looked around. They were on top of a hill, surrounded by the gently rolling countryside. She drew in a shaky breath and her senses were filled with the heady aroma of wildflowers.

Her short laugh bordered on hysterical. He was a nephilim, an immortal like herself, that’s how he managed to transport them to another place. He probably had powers far greater than she could imagine. “Take me home.” She put more distance between them.

“You have no home,” he said as he ambled nearer.

“I do too.” She wondered at this new game he played.

“What? Hell?” His laugh was bitter. “That’s not a home. You’ll only find pain and despair there.”

She crossed her arms. “No, I found that on Earth when I was alive.”

He stopped in front of her, then walked behind her. “Life can be sweet.” He spoke close to her ear.

Destiny jumped as his warm breath caressed her cheek. “I like what I have now.” His grimace made her take a step back.

With a sweep of his hand, the air around her grew so warm she could feel a trickle of sweat slide between her breasts and it was all she could do to take a deep breath.

“Is it too hot for you?” he asked as he made his way around to stand a few feet in front of her. “Better get used to it.”

“I’m comfortable.”

“You’re sweating.”

Two could play his game. “You’re right. It is rather warm.” She reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, tossing it to the ground. “Oh, that’s much better.” She brought her hands up, letting her breasts fall into the palms of her hands.

If he wanted to play dirty, fine, but she knew all the tricks. She’d show him dirty. She took a step toward him, he took a step back.

“What’s the matter? Afraid you might get burned?” she purred.

His eyes narrowed as he let his gaze rake down her body, then returned to meet her eyes. “Not on your life, sweetheart. Not when I’ll be causing the heat.”

He pulled off his shirt. The shadows of the setting sun played off his tanned muscles, making her mouth water. Damn, he was some kind of gorgeous. But when her gaze traveled back to his face, she could tell he thought he’d already won the game.

Not so.

“In Hell, we could be together for all eternity,” she pressed as she slid the zipper down on her jeans. Her hands slid inside. She let her eyes drift closed and bit her bottom lip as her fingernails grazed her mound. “I’m so freakin’ sensitive.”

“Don’t do this, Destiny. In Hell, we would burn until there was nothing left of the people we are now.”

She opened her eyes and frowned, slipping her hands from her jeans. He really knew how to kill the mood. “You’re wrong. Vetis promised I would have everything I’ve ever dreamed about.” She slapped a hand to her chest. “Everything that was denied to me in life. I’ve earned it. I’ve more than paid my dues!”

“He lied! Everything he has ever told you has been a lie.” Chance stepped closer.

She moved away from him, keeping him at a safe distance. “No, I don’t believe you.” Because if Vetis had conned her, then what was left? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She couldn’t relive her life. It was worse than any hell she might face.

“You’ll be cast into the burning fires,” he continued. “Only when all that was human is gone will you reach demon status, but by then you’ll be so eaten away by the pain you’ve suffered, there will be nothing human left.”

She stumbled back another step, shaking her head. “No.”

His eyes were sad. “I’m telling you the truth.”

“Just like when you told the truth about who you are?” She jutted her chin.

“I never lied.”

“You didn’t tell me you were a nephilim, either.”

“Would you have stuck around if I had? Or would you have run away?”

She turned and grabbed her shirt off the ground when he moved closer, and slipped it over her head. “No, I won’t listen to any more.” He was wasting her time. “Return me to the apartment.”

“So you can find another soul to steal?”

“Yes. You know why I’m here.”

“Please don’t.”

She drew in a ragged breath. “I have no choice.”

“Yes, you do.”

She looked at him then. They could have been good together. But he didn’t want to be with her for all eternity. He only wanted her soul. No one had ever wanted her. Not really.

“I want to leave now,” she told him and saw something flicker in his eyes. He tried to quickly mask it, but the look had given him away. She saw the truth in his eyes. He was part angel, after all.

“You have to take me back, don’t you?”

He sighed. “If that’s what you want.”

She pulled her shirt on. “It is.”

He closed the distance between them, taking her in his arms. “Don’t do this. Please don’t.”

She inhaled his scent, wanting to commit it to her memory. If he only knew how much she didn’t want to step out of his arms, she would be more vulnerable to his promises than even he knew. But empty promises never got her anywhere. Her mother promised she would return, except she never did.

The string of social workers had promised Destiny that she would love her new foster parents. She didn’t.

Jack promised to take care of her and love her forever, but he used her like all the rest. Now Chance was doing the same thing, and he was killing her all over again.

“Take me home.”

She closed her eyes. Felt the earth move beneath her feet. When she opened them once again, she was back in her apartment, alone. Chance was gone. She could have dreamed the whole thing, except for the grass stains on her shirt.

And his scent that lingered in the room.

For one wild moment, she wanted to call him back, beg him to do whatever he wanted, but that would gain her nothing. She couldn’t relive her life all over. And why would she even want to if he wasn’t a part of it? A bitter laugh escaped. She was more afraid of living than she was of burning in Hell.

Someone pounded on the door.

Destiny jumped.

Had he returned? No, of course not. Chance wouldn’t knock. He was an immortal. He could go wherever the hell he wanted.

She trudged to the door and opened it.

LeAnn stood on the other side; tear tracks had streaked through her once carefully applied makeup. Her hair was a mess, as though she’d raked her fingers through the blond curls more than once.

“Oh God, I thought you were killed or something.” She stumbled inside, throwing her arms around Destiny and sobbing.

“I’m sorry,” Destiny lamely told her as more guilt was dumped on her head. Of course LeAnn would think there had been an accident.

It was LeAnn’s night to shine, and Destiny let her down. Earth was quickly becoming a nightmare. Vetis was right when he said she didn’t belong there anymore. She only screwed everything up.

“I’m sorry I missed tonight. I swear I’ll make it up to you.” She drew in a deep breath.

“It doesn’t matter now. I’m just glad you’re all right.”

“How did it go?” Destiny couldn’t help asking.

“It was awful. Just awful. I was awful. I wanted to die.”

“Come inside and tell me about it.”

LeAnn sniffed before stepping away from Destiny and going to the sofa where she collapsed, hugging one of the cheap, decorative pillows to her chest. She began her tale of woe when Destiny sat on the other end.

“I looked for you, but you weren’t there. Not that I could’ve missed you. Charles and Beulah were there, but it wasn’t the same without you.” She shook her head. “There were only a few other people in the bar, counting the owner. He was even more awful than the first time I spoke to him about singing at his bar. I guess I looked past who he was and only saw my chance to be a star. My big debut, yeah right.”

“I’m sorry.” Destiny would have thought the good ones in the world wouldn’t have to suffer so much, but apparently that wasn’t the case. LeAnn was definitely one of the good ones, and look what life did to her. A family snatched away, and then she was sent to live with relatives who didn’t want her.

“It doesn’t matter.” LeAnn shrugged. “No one really cared if I was on stage or not. Then a guy put money in the jukebox and some bimbo jumped up and began to shake her booty when a fast country song started playing. They were more interested in her than me. Cheap hussy.” She buried her face in the pillow.

LeAnn’s chance at the big time had been a bust. Life sucked. Seemed as though neither one of them could catch a break. But Destiny could make it all better.

“How would you like to have everything you’ve ever dreamed about?”

“Did you win the lottery?” came her muffled reply.

People in the store were talking about the lottery when she bought her magazines. Wouldn’t it be nice if life was that easy? Give the clerk a dollar, get a lottery ticket, and become an instant millionaire. There were no quick fixes in life, though. Death was another matter altogether.

“No, not the lottery, but almost as good.”

LeAnn raised her head. Her eyes were big and blue and round with innocence. An uneasy feeling crept over Destiny. Her gut told her to leave LeAnn alone. Find someone else. But Destiny’s time had run out.

“I blew it,” Chance told Ryder. “I let Destiny get away.” He couldn’t look at his friend as shame and regret filled him. “I don’t know what to do next.”

The sunset usually calmed him. The patio that looked out over the rolling hills dotted with tall oaks and mesquite trees was one of his favorite places. The full moon rose high in the sky and cast a soft glow over the land. When they first discovered the area, it was wild, free, untamed. But as the sun set and rose, the land came alive as if it was bathed in an artist’s palette of warm hues. Burnt orange and deep blue would burst across the sky. The pioneers had called Texas “God’s country.” Chance thought they’d just might be right. The ambience never failed to calm him. Except today. Chance felt anything but calm right now.

“You were so sure you could save her. What happened?” Ryder sat in the chair across from him, handing Chance one of two beers, his eyes filled with sympathy. They had all been in his spot at one time or another, but it didn’t lessen the pain they felt when a soul slipped through their fingers.

Chance gratefully took the bottle, then downed half the ice-cold liquid, wishing it would dull his senses, knowing it probably wouldn’t. He set the beer on the table between them.

“Vetis is the demon who stole her soul,” Chance told him.