Death Knows My Name (Memory Keepers) (21 page)

“Sure,” she said reluctantly and stood without taking his hand.

Devon shrugged.

“Mike, you have any more money you want to lose?”

Michael was looking at us, more specifically Eric. “Dude, that tattoo had to hurt, didn’t it?”

Eric shook his head slowly. “Not really, I have had it for so long I don’t remember getting it honestly. I have had it as long as I’ve had my name.”

Devon spoke again. “Let’s go so I can take all your money.”

Michael nodded. “Are you two playing?”

Devon answered for us. “Mayne never plays and Eric has love in his eyes so he isn’t going to leave her side. Let’s go.”

Eric watched Devon with what looked like interest.

I ignored it as I said, “Michael, don’t play Devon for money. He’s good, good enough to go pro. Just ask him how he got this bar. Stop trying to cheat people out of their shit, Dev.”

Devon laughed. “Hey, I didn’t win the bar, Dante did. I just taught him everything he knew, but only half of what I know.” He was still laughing as they walked away from the now secluded corner we sat in.

Good, we are finally alone.

Eric nodded in agreement. “My thoughts exactly.”

“I know.” I grinned up at him. The look in his eyes took my breath away.

“I want you so badly right now,” he whispered in my ear, his voice low and seductive.

“How badly?” I asked as I licked my dry lips. I was still aroused from earlier that I didn’t care if we were in a packed bar or that my friends were mere feet away playing pool. All I cared about was getting relief from the heady, lust-filled pressure that was building inside me.

Eric shifted me onto his lap. I felt him against me, and a shiver of anticipation ran down my spine until it settled inside of me. His warm hand caressed up my thigh and under my skirt. I found myself parting my legs for him and I held my breath as his thumb stroked my core through the cloth of my panties. After a few exquisite touches from him, my panties were wet from my arousal and he slipped a finger beneath the soaking fabric and curved around them in a hook, moving them aside. Now there was nothing between him and his long, strong, pleasure giving fingers.

Finally, I would feel his touch. After the earlier interruptions, if I didn’t feel him soon I would combust. My breath hitched as he slipped his fingers inside me, adding them one at a time—one, then two, and then three. His fingers filled me as he slowly slid them in and out, gently brushing my walls. I sighed in relief and my heart pounded in my ear. As the pleasure mounted inside me and with warmth that wanted to spill over, I bit my lip to stop from crying out.

Eric kissed the back of my neck and whispered into my hair, his warm breath tickling me.

“Come for me, Mayne St LeClair.”

And, as my spirit drifted up from me deliciously, I came. Pleasure from his fingers and the weightlessness of my soul being released tangled and it felt wonderful. My hips rocked against Eric’s hand as his fingers pumped in and out of me and his thumb pressed against my clit in small circles. My head fell against his shoulder as I tried to catch my breath after he had stroked every bit of pleasure from me.

My eyes closed slowly as he removed his fingers. Damn, he could make me climax like no other man had before. I opened my eyes a peek, still basking in joy, just as he put one of his fingers into his mouth, a finger that had been buried inside of me. He repeated the process with each finger, seeming to savor the taste of me. That was so fucking hot!

“Let’s go home, Eric.” I wanted him inside of me now. He gave me a satisfied grin, and I noticed his eyes were deep amber. How long had he been feeling the call? By the intensity of his eyes, it had been a while, yet he hadn’t rushed. He’d taken his time and had patiently brought me to pleasure.

“Eric,” I hissed. “Go now.”

His smile grew. “I have time. I told you I’d make it up to you.” He slid me from his lap and stood up, bending over to claim my mouth with his. My mouth parted to invite his tongue inside and he accepted.

“I’ll be back before you leave.” He straightened and I grinned up at him goofily. “Damn you taste good. I could live off that taste for the rest of my long life.”

I grinned wider after him as he strolled out the door and disappeared.

My still-blurred eyes were drawn toward the farthest corner from the door. Standing there with his eyes on me was Valience. My heart froze. I’d been caught with my hand in the cookie jar, or was it being caught with Eric’s hand in
my
cookie jar?

Chapter 19

Once again, I surveyed the area to see if my friends were paying attention. I realized that maybe I should have been half as cautious while Eric had his hand up my skirt. I blushed and decided I was safe and my friends were not looking. I got up and swiftly made my way to Valience.

“Wow, I’m beginning to think you have a habit of hanging at bars, V.”

“Hardly. I came to check on you, but now I wish I hadn’t.” He glared.

Horrified heat flushed my face. Had he seen us?

“I’m not sure I like the effect you have on him. I saw what you two were doing.”

I turned beet red, at least that’s how it felt. “And you watched? Are you some kind of freak, V?”

He made an un-Angel like snort. “You got off in public and you call me the freak?” And, as if an afterthought, he added, “stop calling me V.”

“Did you just say ‘got off’? Look at you, speaking the native language.”

“I’m starting to wish I had not come.” He sulked.

“Assuming that you didn’t come to have a few shots with me, why are you here?” I asked, the teasing gone from my voice.

“I already told you.”

I didn’t budge.

“I know you lied at Eden. You were not fine,” he relented.

“How do you—”

“I felt the veil rip. Not right away, but when I calmed down.”

“Veil?” I asked, confused.

“I see he hasn’t told you everything. That’s good to know.”

“Spill, Valience, now.”

“You think you can make demands of me?” He sneered, but with no real heat behind it. No, sneering was most likely his go-to facial expression.

“Hurry, before Eric comes back.”

“He would rush his duty for you.” He sounded disgusted.

I took what I hoped was a menacing step toward him. “Valience, rule one, say what you want about me but you won’t about Eric. He does his job, don’t even suggest otherwise in front of me. Is that clear?” My lip curled in a sneer of my own, but I fear it lacked the practice. Valience turned so maybe I looked less foolish than I thought.

“You are so confident yet he sat there neglecting the call only a few minutes earlier to—”

“Stop. He went didn’t he?”

“You don’t know him like I do. Ectain Edeck never would have put off what he knows should have been done right away out of respect for that soul. I knew this would happen; it is what always happens.”

“You sound a little jealous right now. Maybe you should get a little action—” He tried to cut me off but I rushed on. “I know you don’t like us roaches but maybe a little Angel on Angel wouldn’t hurt your perpetual foul mood.”

He frowned. “Anyway, when the veil split what did you see?”

“I didn’t see anything.” I barely recognized his subject change.

“This is serious! Tell me what you saw. If Lucifer were to find out what happened—” He quickly shut up.

“Finish. If Lucifer were to find out the veil has been ripped, you mean? What would he do?”

“You do not understand our ways. It is not for you to know the way we do things.”

“I have a right to know. You drag us into your little truce by making us Memory Keepers yet you refuse to tell us the rules. My life was a living hell because of the ‘way you do things.’ I deserve to know!” My voice went sharp and shrill, but I took a moment to compose myself before I finished my thoughts. “Now please tell me. First, what is the veil, how did you rip it, and how did you feel it rip? What does that even mean?”

“Even if I did think you deserve to know, I still could not tell you.”

I stomped my foot. “Tell me!”

He glared down his narrow and sharp nose at me.

He was nothing like Eric. They were both not human but the similarities ended there. Valience was scary while Eric, even though he was death, was calming. Eric was comforting in every way. He was comforting from his handsome face to the tenor of his rich voice. The man before me now was pointy and fierce. His eyes cut like ice and froze like it as well. Each of his features seemed to be designed to bring terror. But I would not be swayed by those features.

“I have Angelican in my blood along with human, so that alone should give me access to this information you don’t think I am privy to. I could always ask great-great-grandpapa Lucifer, if I have to.” I drawled.

I saw actual fear darken his eyes briefly before he narrowed them at me. “You wouldn’t.”

“You know me. As much as you don’t want to admit it, you know damn well I will do anything to get what I want. Right now I want to know what you aren’t telling me, but above all, I want to be with Eric.”

“Even if it kills you?” He answered his own question before I could even open my mouth.

“What am I saying, of course you would. You have a death wish.”

I folded my arms and exhaled the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “So you are going to tell me?” I tried not to sound too excited.

“All Angels have what you humans would call ‘a gift.’” Valience started, and I quickly interrupted him.

“And what would you Angels call it?” I asked.

His face went blank for a second and I thought he wouldn’t answer. He eventually smirked and continued. “A gift. Now don’t interrupt.”

I tried not to laugh. Who would have guessed Mr. Stick Up His Ass had a sense of humor? I realized that Valience had not stopped speaking and I quickly tried to play mental catch up.

“Our wings display these ‘gifts.’ I know some who can freeze time with their wing gift. It really just depends. The more powerful among us are lousy with gifts. Some of the Nephalims with wings can go as far as rewinding time, healing, and taking you into alternate plains. One can do all of the above. As she gets older, the stronger she becomes. This Nephalim should have been killed a long time ago but she has made a lot of allies, the 3-in-1 included, who have a soft affection for her. She literally gets away with murder.”

It sounded as if Valience hated Nephalims even more than he hated Humans. At the very least, he hated this one in particular. This was all interesting but I wanted to know about the veil. I opened my mouth to ask him to get to the point, but he noticed and shot me a silencing glare.

“If you interrupt me, I’ll leave, and you’ll have to ask Eric—and he will not tell you. Now don’t speak until you are given permission.” He crossed his arms shot me a challenging stare.

My face grew hot with anger. No, this son of a bitch didn’t just tell me I needed permission to speak. Hell no, nu-uh! I was fuming, but I know what he thought I would do and he wanted me to. Hell, even I expected me to do it anyway. But my drive to get answers was stronger than my rage. I mirrored him by crossing my arms over my chest and leveling him with a challenging look of my own.

“I also have a gift. My wings give me the ability to bring down the veil between the plains. This world has three plains: the human plain, the celestial plain, and the plain of the dead. When a human is in the presence of the glory of my wings, the veil tears away from their eyes and they see what is not meant for them to see. It can be . . . dangerous for them. I forgot that you were vulnerable to that. If I were to harm a human this way there would be consequences, but the fact that Lucifer has acknowledged you as kin . . . if he were to find out I’d be marked and he would be inclined to do harm to me. And since I belong to Heaven. The war would re-ignite itself and the truce would be nullified. You, in fact, have become too dangerous.”

His words forced a laugh from my throat. “Me, too dangerous? To whom am I a danger? You? How am I dangerous to anyone?”

“Yes, to me and everyone else invested in this war. You have too much power! You have Ectain Edeck, you have knowledge, you have Dhylaka, which means you have the Nephalims and Lucifer, and you could cause a revolt with that power. But nobody sees you for the threat you are but me.”

His eyes hardened. He held my gaze.

I stepped back from him, no longer feeling safe. I struggled to swallow the lump of fear caught in the back of my throat. My heart pounded away in my chest and there was no need to fake bravery. He had once told me he could read thoughts due to high emotion, so I’m sure my panic was screaming out to him.

“Okay, so where does that leave us now? Are you going to eliminate the threat to your kind?”

He continued to look at me, his face betraying no emotion. “Don’t be stupid. I just told you I cannot harm you. However, Mayne, believe me when I say this to you: I would if I could. If it would not cause more damage, you would have taken your last breath the first time I saw you with Ectain Edeck. If I were smart I would have done it anyway, before anyone figured out who and what you were.”

I wanted to let out a sigh of relief but the hardness in Valience’s eyes was nothing to be relieved over. My voice shook as I spoke. “I don’t intend to do anything that would break the truce, but I cannot continue living like this. I also can’t, in good conscience, allow other human beings to live like I have lived. To allow another child to live in fear because everyone they love dies. To feel cursed and vow to never love again. I can’t do that. I can’t allow myself to sit back and watch. I’m sorry if me existing is a threat to the balance of the truce. I will try to uphold it since I’m a pawn, but I have to try to fix things. I’m going to and you better stay out of my way. Don’t attempt to stop me.”

The muscle in Valience’s jaw twitched. “You know exactly who I am little girl. Watch how you speak to me.”

I hissed my reply. “You were right. The veil did rip at Eden and I saw things. I saw the things that I am sure no one is supposed to see. I heard things, too. The blood on the ground called out to me. You can try to bully me into doing what you want and, yes, I may be somewhat scared of you, terrified even, because you are a murderer and a butcher. So the fear is justified, but I am no coward. I will not sit idly by while other Memory Keepers suffer when I can stop it.”

My body buzzed with courage, and I met Valience’s gaze and held it as I continued. “If you try and stop me I will run right over you. I will tell Heaven and Hell about your crime against a human. Hey, guess you were right, V, I am a danger to you.”

Valience didn’t move; he didn’t frown or sneer. His voice came out as a whisper. “Have you seen an Angel evicted from grace, Mayne? Lucifer’s doesn’t count,” he countered, reading my thoughts as I thought of Eric’s dream and cringed. “Lucifer fell, his wings were not shredded and mangled as he screamed in agony. I could show you more closely than before, but for some odd reason that is beyond me, I hold you in some regard. I will only warn you. Taking an angel’s wings is gruesome, almost cruel. You do not want to do this. I assure you, I am not one that you want as your enemy and that is what you are going to make us, enemies.”

“You are right about one thing. I don’t want to do this. But you have to understand that I have to try because it’s what
feels
right. Just as you have to protect your family, I have to do the same for mine.”

“Humans and their feelings,” he mused.

“It’s not personal, you told me that.”

“So I did.” He smiled faintly. “I do understand and again I underestimated you. Ectain Edeck has chosen well as far as humans go. We do have a slight problem.”

“What’s that?”

“We both claim Ectain Edeck to protect.”

“It’s not a problem. He claims me to protect in return. Can you say the same?”

“You will lose. I will defend my belief at any cost. Can
you
say the same . . . at
any
cost? I saw your face when I spoke of an angel’s exit from grace. You are not cut out or made for battle with me.”

The answer was no. I couldn’t even pretend otherwise and Valience knew it. He was right. I couldn’t bear the thought of any angel having his wings ripped apart, even if that angel were Valience, someone who murdered my first love outside the building I was standing in. I still couldn’t bear being the reason Valience fell. Shit, I was going to get my ass kicked. I opened my mouth to say something, what exactly I have no idea, but Valience was gone. I looked around for him but all I saw were the bar regulars and a faint outline of what was on the other side of the veil. I shivered and headed over to the pool table to join my friends.

By the time Eric returned, we were all having a blast. I was trying to forget that I had just initiated a battle that I pretty much knew I couldn’t win. I was not willing to play dirty, I just wasn’t. But I also had friends on my side and I had Eric.

Eric did not come over and join the group. He slid into a chair at the end of the bar. I desperately wanted to go there and sit next to him but I didn’t leave the pool game. I always hated those girls who would abandon her friends every time they got a new man. I refused to be that girl.

Devon was, of course, winning and not being anywhere near gracious. Michael had his arm draped around Tammy and I was happy to see she was having a good time despite Devon’s plans to be with the blonde, who was still making goo goo eyes at him as he sipped from his beer. He eyed her nonchalantly and smiled, then continued looking around the room, pretending to scan the crowd.

I shook my head laughing. “You’re a horrible person. That poor girl doesn’t stand a chance.”

He shrugged and took another drink. “Why? I’m not doing anything.”

“Yes, you are. All this for only one night, too.”

He smiled wickedly. “Who knows, it only takes one girl and she could be the one.”

I saw Tammy down her drink angrily. I turned to her and Michael. “No more for her, okay, Michael?”

He nodded his agreement.

She scowled at me. “I’m fine.”

“I would like you to stay that way.”

Devon interrupted. “Besides, Mayne, like you’re one to talk. You have a line of guys pining after you, willing to lurk in corners just to look at you.”

“Shut up, Devon! Pay attention to your latest conquest. She’s on the move.”

He looked smug. “I always pay attention.”

The blonde was headed in our direction. Just as she was passing, Devon reached out his hand, caught hers, and pulled her into his space.