Ascension (12 page)

“I have not asked you to.”

She laughed. “At least you said ask and not command.”

“Bella.” The rumbled of the wheels on the rough street almost drowned out her name. He knelt on the floor between the seats and touched her hands where they were clasped in her lap. “Do not be so quick to judge me. Tell me why you joined them.”

“So you would let your wife go out and fight demons several times a week?” The harsh sound of her voice grated in her ears.

He smiled, but it didn’t touch his eyes. “I admit it would not be my first choice for you to occupy your time, my love. Will you answer my question?”

Why did he have to ask all the right questions and say all the right things?
“I wanted revenge at first. That was why I let them train me. It became obvious fairly early on, that I have a gift for fighting. My instructor said I was all instinct and no sense. They taught me to use good judgment as well as good steel.”

“Is that why you joined this
company
, because you were a natural fighter?” he asked.

“Yes and no. I wanted revenge. I wanted to help insure that no other woman would have to suffer as I had.” She paused remembering all the women and men whom she did not save. “I have not always been successful in this effort.”

He squeezed her hand and a kind of calm spread through her. She had lain awake many nights in the last three years regretting all the lives she had not saved and wondering what she could have done differently. Did he understand? Could he?

“I like the equality. The Company is the only place that I have encountered where neither sex, rank, skin color or political affiliation have any bearing on how one is treated. I like it.”

“That is extraordinary. So you are treated as if you were a man?”

His question was flawed. “Not a man, Gabriel, a person, with a mind and valuable skills. I have an opinion and the Company respects my views. I have a job and the Company expects me to do it.”

“Do you not wish for a normal life?”

“I wish a normal life could give me what the Company can. I wish my voice in society held weight as it does in the Company. I can make a difference.” Why was it so important that he understood? She was going to be rid of him soon. Wasn’t that what she wanted?

“I can see how that would be appealing to you.”

She tugged his hand so that he would sit on the bench next to her. “That’s just it. I think you would find it appealing as well. You would not gain favor because of your title. You would gain it only by noble action or brilliant idea. You and Thor would be on an equal playing field with me and Reece or Lillian.”

“I’m not sure that what you say is possible, Bella. It sounds fantastical.”

She tried to stop the chuckle that escaped. “Have you not seen many impossible things tonight, Gabriel? Is it not possible that there could be one more?”

He smiled and nodded before leaning back, putting his arm around her shoulder and pulling her against him.

He was warm and comfortable but they were approaching the section of London where she lived and she had to put her skirt back on. She draped the cape over herself just as the carriage pulled to a stop.

They entered through the garden door as she always did when arriving home in less than pristine condition.

Claire opened the door before they had crossed the terrace. “Are you all right milady?”

“Fine, Claire. Would you have a room made up for Lord Gabriel? It is late and we are tired. Has a bath been drawn for me?” Belinda sat on the stool near the door.

“Of course.”

Belinda slumped onto a stool just inside the door. “Would it be too much trouble for the men to drag one in for his lordship?”

“I will arrange it, milady.” The maid spoke as she tugged the filthy boots from Belinda’s tired feet.

“Thank you, Claire. I’m sorry to be so late.”

Claire said nothing as she placed the boots to the side. “Milord, would you like to take your boots off? What you’ve been walking in is better left out of doors. I’ll have them polished for you by the morning.”

His eyes widened and he looked down at his boots “Of course. You can finish seeing to your lady. I can remove my own boots and place them here.” He pointed to the spot next to Belinda’s boots.

“Very well, milord. I’ll send Tubbs to show you to your room.”

“Thank you, Claire.”

* * * *

Belinda’s bedroom door creaked open while she was still in the cooling bath. Though, the idea that she was naked and Gabriel was approaching sent a chill down her spine. Her nipples pulsed into tight buds. The response was not at all unpleasant.

His hair hung loose and damp around his face and wore a robe borrowed from her father’s things.

Claire likely demanded he turn over his clothes for laundering. The ladies’ maid couldn’t stomach the stench of demons or the filth that they lived in. The maid would see that Gabriel’s things were cleaned and pressed and back to his room in the morning.

Belinda made no attempt to hide herself. The swell of her breasts peeked out from the water, and she saw that his eyes riveted on her body. The hum of need swelled within her from head to toe.

He knelt beside the tub facing her. His hand sluiced through the water skimming the side of her waist up and over her sensitive peaks.

His touch set her skin aflame under the cooling water. She moaned.

He followed the same path, then over her stomach and between her legs. He did not linger in the spot where she most desired his touch, but just teased and moved on to her thigh, knee and calf.

“Gabriel.” Her body was on fire.

He caressed her inner thighs. It was just a whisper of a touch, yet she trembled for more.

One finger slid between her folds.

A jolt of ecstasy engulfed her. She gasped and her hips arched into his touch. It would never be enough in the bath. She pushed his hand away and stood up.

His eyes burned with passion. He rose from the floor, took the towel from a nearby chair and opened it up to her. As she stepped out, he enfolded her in both the soft cloth and his strong embrace.

Complete comfort and safety settled around her. Her entire body sighed with relief she hadn’t realized she needed.

“I bolted the door.” His breath tickled her earlobe.

“Good.”

“Will Claire come back to help you into your night clothes?”

“No. I sent her away for the night.”

He gently turned her around to face him. “Did you know I would come to you?”

“I had hoped.” The warmth flush filled her cheeks. She didn’t know why she should be embarrassed. He’d seen her naked. They’d been intimate the night he came to her room. Why should she feel awkward now?

He kissed her neck and down to her shoulder. Every kiss sent a shock down between her legs and something extra curled deliciously in her lower belly. The towel dropped to the floor between them, and Gabriel lifted her. He carried her to the bed. Once he’d positioned her on the soft linen, he lay beside her and continued to kiss her shoulder, collar bone and throat.

Everywhere his lips touched he left a trail of heat. Dark, blue bruises marked her flesh from tonight’s fight and the yellow marks of healing bruises from nights past. He didn’t seem to care or maybe he was going to kiss each and every mark on her body. If so, she would die of ecstasy before the night was over.

Delight did not begin to describe the effects of his lips on her skin, but she wanted to participate, not just be an object. She rolled to face him and ran her hand along his chest. The light mat of hair tickled her fingertips.

“You know, Bella. Something occurs to me.”

She looked into his eyes. “What?”

“When I came here that night, the night we made our bargain, you could have made me leave. With your fighting skills, at the very least, you could have made it uncomfortable for me to stay. But you did not.” He hadn’t asked a question but waited for a response.

“I would have had to hurt you.”

His eyes narrowed and he touched his nose. “That did not seem to bother you last night in the parlor.”

She shrugged. “That was different. You made me angry. Besides, I did not really hurt you, did I?”

“No. Are you telling me that you held back in the parlor?”

“What do you think?” She ran her hand down along his rib cage to his hip.

“I think you could kill me if you chose. After seeing you fight, I think you let me win in the parlor.”

“No. I chose not to harm you. I’m not as big or as physically strong as a man. I’m not capable of subduing a larger person or demon. I have to use other means to win a battle. I can kill or injure them to the point where they stop. I’m faster and often I can wear an opponent out and take advantage of his exhaustion. I could have knocked you unconscious last night, but that seemed a bit ruthless under the circumstances.”

His eyes drifted away from her and his hand, which had been caressing the side of her breast stopped. When he looked back at her, he scowled. “Then you knew, under your own restrictions, you could not win the fight, yet you engaged me.”

“Yes,” she admitted.

“Why?”

“I was angry and also, I wanted to see what you would do.”

“So it was a test.”

Why was this important? She leaned forward and kissed his chin. “You were determined to know what was happening in my life.” She moved lower on the bed and kissed his Adam’s apple. “I knew you would not give up. I had to see if it would be a death sentence to take you with me. If you had not been a good fighter, I would have found a way to keep you safe, even if that meant never seeing you again.” She kissed his chest. His warm, clean skin smelled of soap and some spice that was uniquely Gabriel.

“You tested me to see if you needed to save my life?”

She leaned away. “Why is this important right now?”

He smiled and it was the kind of smile that always melted her heart. His eyes alighted with joy and his teeth shone straight and white. “I think you are in love with me, Bella.”

She blushed, but didn’t try to deny it. How could she? He always knew when she was lying anyway. “Are you going to make love to me, Gabriel? Or are you going to talk all night?”

She didn’t think it could be possible for his smile to get even brighter, but there it was, as he rolled over on top of her. His shaft was big and hard between their bodies.

She lifted her hips to rub her core against him. She loved the heaviness of his body pressed on top of hers, every inch of him touching all of her. She thought she would feel trapped, but she trusted Gabriel. She didn’t know when that had happened, but sometime in the last few hours, she had grown to trust him. Not because he was a good soldier, but because he had allowed her to do what she did best, kill demons. What other man outside of the Company would have such an open mind?

He moaned something that might have been her name. Then his mouth captured hers and every other thought fled from her mind. She opened her mouth, giving him access and was rewarded with his tongue caressing hers. The sensation stirred parts of her body she rarely thought about and she longed for more.

His lips gnashed with hers and she met his every move, allowing him to take the lead since it was all new to her. A stray thought filtered in. “Gabriel?” His name came out muffled by his kisses.

He pulled back. “Yes?”

“This is going to hurt, isn’t it?” Fear spiked in her belly. She took a deep breath forcing her nerves to steady. All those nights she’d returned from battle with bruises, cuts and broken bones, should have hardened her to the fear of pain. She’d come close to death on more than one occasion. Still, she trembled.

He rolled off her, and she missed the pressure of his body on hers.

His fingers skimmed from her neck down her chest and cupped one breast before worrying the peak between his thumb and forefinger. “It may this one time, Bella. Though with the amount of exertion you display in battle, I would not be surprised if there was no pain.”

She arched into his hand and gasped as the swell of pleasure spread downward. “I…I understand.”

“I will endeavor to make it worth the moment of discomfort.” His digits continued their path downward teasing her mons and sliding into her wet folds.

Her hips lifted off the bed and a smile tugged at her lips. “I very much enjoyed it when you touched me there. But, Gabriel.” She gasped as he rubbed the sensitive bud. “I want to touch you too.”

His hand stopped moving. “Where?”

She opened her eyes. “Everywhere.”

He rolled onto his back. “I am at your mercy, Bella.”

Intrigued, she jumped up onto her knees. She pushed the robe aside admiring his broad chest and shoulders. As if of their own accord, her fingers touched his muscled stomach. He was hard and rippled with strength. She felt her way up along his firm chest.

His breath came faster and a ripple of power surged through her.

She grazed his pebbled nipples producing a gasped from him. She leaned down and kissed him, imitating his kisses and hoping to bring him the same pleasure.

“Ahh, Bella.” His erection jumped.

Her fears abated leaving only delight and desire. Having the power to control his pleasure was heady. She kissed the rippled skin of his ribs and lower to his stomach. His body twitched under her ministrations.

“You are killing me,” he said.

Though it sounded more ecstasy than death, to her.

His cock stood out from his body. She traced a path around the head with her fingers, and he sucked in sharp breath.

“I cannot tell if you enjoy this or not, Gabriel.” She circled the head again. It was deliciously wicked and her body brimmed with excitement.

“Oh, I love it, Bella. I’m just surprised by your boldness.”

“I kill demons, why should I be shy about this?”

“You make an excellent point.” His voice was strained and tight. His hand covered hers and tightened so that she fisted his shaft. Then he moved her fist up and down. His head arched back, and a loud groan issued from his gaping mouth.

“If I continue, will you experience the same rapture that I did when you suckled me?”

Another grunt and his hand held her still. “I would prefer to have that particular joy occur while I’m buried deep inside you, Bella.”