Until Darkness Comes (21 page)

Ashley gasped, sucking the crisp morning air deep into her lungs, abruptly yanked from sleep by mind-numbing pleasure centered between her thighs. Her heart sped, struggling to meet her body’s demand for oxygen. She opened her mouth to scream, but the only thing that came out was a soft wanton groan.

A shift of weight and hot kisses ran up to the side of her throat as a hand slipped below her waist. “I’ve missed my girl,” whispered a low ragged voice against the side of her neck. “It feels like you’ve missed me too.”

Ashley struggled through the haze of need, forcing her mind to clear. She knew that voice, and her blood ran cold. “I’m not your girl, Max.” She pushed against his chest, trying to shove his heavy weight off of her. “We are not doing this again.” She might as well be trying to push a brick wall off her. He didn’t even budge.

“Your body betrays you,” he growled, nipping at the sensitive skin behind her ear. He was right, her body did betray her. His touch was like a drug—numbing— addictive—harmful. She’d been taken in by it once, but she was not going to fall for it twice.

“Max, stop,” she protested, but he continued to ignore her plea. Max handled her as if he knew her own body better than she did, tempting it to betray her again. “Max, stop!” He slowly lifted his head and looked down at her. His dark soulless eyes bore into hers. Her heart slammed in her chest as panic seized her.

Max closed his eyes and inhaled, as if savoring the most delicious aroma. “Mmm, I think this time will be better than the last.” He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head, holding them tightly with one hand, while unfastening his belt with the other. A terror-filled scream tore from her throat.

Less than a second later, her bedroom door flew open, smashing against the wall with an explosive bang. She looked toward the sound and saw the blur of a huge guy come flying into her room. A murderous snarl tore from his chest as he leapt for Max, catching him around the waist. He tore Max off her so fast, she was nearly yanked off the bed with them.

They landed with a crash against her far bedroom wall. The sheet rock gave way as Max’s body crushed up against it. The loud thud startled her; she jumped, biting into her lower lip to keep from screaming, and pulled the covers over her head. But that didn’t block out the sounds of flesh hitting flesh, or feral growls that sounded anything but human. Angry voices quickly followed, speaking a language she didn’t understand. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear two lions were battling it out beside her.

The sounds that filled her room were vicious. It lasted for what felt like forever, and then the room suddenly went silent. She stayed huddled under her comforter, too afraid to look, trying to convince herself that this hadn’t just happened. Her bed gave to the weight as someone sat down beside her, forcing her to abandon her wishful thinking.

“Ashley?” A soft husky male voice whispered her name. It was too gentle to be Max’s.
“Is he gone?” she asked from under the covers, wanting to be extra certain.
“Yeah, he’s gone.”
Ashley pulled down the comforter and gasped. The guy sitting on the bed beside her was huge and muscular—and mind-numbingly gorgeous. He stared down at her with the most beautiful deep violet eyes. Eyes she could get lost in…
“Are you hurt?” He glanced down at the red marks streaking her wrists and his expression darkened, making him look not only very handsome, but very dangerous.
She shook her head, momentarily speechless. “Thank you…for helping me. Umm…Who are you and what are you doing here?”
The stranger stood up and took a step away from her bed, suddenly looking very nervous. “I’m Liam’s friend,” he volunteered quickly. “He asked me to stop by and check on you this morning. I heard you scream.”
She eyed the handsome stranger, who stared back at her anxiously. He didn’t seem nearly as intimidating anymore. His vulnerability eased her fear and she smiled, studying him for another moment. The growing silence caused him to shift his weight restlessly. He glanced over at the door, and for a second, she wondered if he was going to make a break for it. She didn’t mean to stare, but honestly, she’d never seen anyone so…beautiful, except maybe Liam.
“Come on then,” she said, finally taking pity on him. “Give me a minute to get dressed and I’ll make you some breakfast.”
He nodded, seeming visibly relieved that the silence had finally broken. He turned to leave her room and glanced over at the damaged wall on his way out. White dust and crumbles of broken sheet rock lay scattered on the floor. The large concave impression wasn’t going to be repaired very easily. The studs behind the sheet rock were cracked. Good grief, how hard had they hit that wall?
“Sorry about the wall.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s the least of my concerns—really. I’m just glad you came by when you did.”

***

Sunlight burst through Olivia’s bedroom window, waking her from the best sleep she’d had in months. She thought of Liam and smiled, stretching lazily. A sharp pain suddenly pierced her side and she winced, lifting her t-shirt to look at the sore area. A large red hand print marked her creamy pale skin. She raised her shirt a little higher and saw a faint pink streak running up to her breast, undeniable evidence of everywhere his hands had touched her last night.

Her cell phone rang. She reached over to her desk to answer it and grimaced from the sudden movement. “Hello?” She squinted at her alarm clock, trying to see what time it was—9:45. She never slept in this late.

“Hey, Liv.”
“Nate? What’s wrong?”
“I stopped by Ashley’s this morning. Hey, do you

know if she went out or something last night?”
Olivia tensed. “No, why?”
“Cuz some guy’s over at her house right now and he

wouldn’t let me see her. He told me to come back this afternoon. I was wondering if maybe…you know, is she seeing someone?”

Olivia could hear the jealousy in his voice and she felt bad for him.
Oh shit, Balen…
“No, she isn’t seeing anyone, Nate. Liam asked his friend to stop by and drop some stuff off for me this morning. You probably just ran into him.”

“I don’t know.” Nate sounded skeptical. “Is Liam’s friend a dick? Cuz this guy was Grade A asshole. He seemed pretty possessive of her, for someone who’s just dropping something off.”

“Yeah, well, that’s kinda Balen. He was cranky last night when I saw him too. Don’t take it personally.”
“Hey, wait a minute. Did you say Liam’s friend? As in ‘the guy who kicked Max’s ass’ Liam? Since when are you two hanging out? Does Max know? Oh man, I bet he’s pissed!” Nate laughed. Okay, clearly Nate wasn’t pro team Max.
“Knock it off, Nate. See, this is why I never tell you anything. You’re worse than a girl, and Max is pissed, so stay clear of him if you see him, K?”
“You don’t have to tell me twice. That bastard gives me the creeps.”
“You and me both,” she grumbled.
“Hey, I gotta go. So, I’ll see you at Byers Lake tomorrow, right?”
“Yep, I’ll be there. Oh, and Nate, don’t give up on Ash. You’d be good for her.”
“Thanks, Liv.”
Olivia climbed out of bed, moving a little more gingerly than usual. She glanced out her bedroom window and was surprised to see the yellow Mustang still parked in her driveway.
Did he stay here all night?
She threw on a sweatshirt and lounge pants before ducking into the bathroom to run her fingers through her hair and brush her teeth.
What is he still doing here?
Olivia stepped into the kitchen on her way outside. Her mom stood at the stove, cooking breakfast—bacon and eggs. Her dad sat at the table sipping coffee and reading the newspaper. “They still haven’t found that missing girl,” he commented to her mother as she walked in.
“Hey.”
“Oh, hey, honey. Where are you going?”
“Just outside for a minute. I think one of my friends stopped by.”
“Well, breakfast will be ready in ten minutes. They’re welcome to join us,” her mother called as Olivia pulled the door shut behind her.
She stepped into the grass. The sun was bright in the blue sky, and the air was filled with the music of songbirds.
“Hey,” she called to Liam, walking over to the swing.
He looked up and smiled, holding out his hand for her to join him. She took it, and he pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her in a giant bear hug. He sighed as if the weight of the world rested upon his shoulders. His chin settled over her shoulder. She leaned against him and closed her eyes as they sat there swinging back and forth. The gentle creaking of the swing’s rusty chains broke the silence.
“Have you been here all night?”
“Um-hmm.” His soft rich voice brushed against her ear.
“Why?”
“I like it here.”
“Right, you were making sure Max doesn’t come back weren’t you?”
“That too.”
“You carried me up to my room last night. You know, you didn’t have to leave.”
“Yes, I did.”
“You could have stayed,” she pressed.
“Olivia, how strong do you think I am?” he asked, lightly amused. “How is your side?” His voice suddenly turned serious. Liam stopped the swing, reached for the hem of her shirt, and started to pull it up.
“It’s fine,” she said, pulling her shirt back down. “Let me see it, Olivia.”
“No,” she quipped defensively. “I said it’s fine.” “Liar.”
Olivia turned in his lap to face him and slid her arms up around his neck. “I said, it’s fine,” she enunciated slowly, and brushed a kiss against his lips, which were pulled tight in a frown. “I wish,” she paused to kiss him again, “that you would have stayed with me last night.” She gave him another kiss.
“You know I can’t do that, Olivia.”
“Well, you can’t spend every night sleeping outside on my front lawn,” she teased, pulling back to look at him.
“I don’t sleep.”
“What? Never?”
He shook his head and smiled. “Never.”
“Well, if you stay with me tonight, I promise to behave.” She arched her brow and gave him a flirtatious smile.
“I don’t.” Vibrant blue rays streaked through his dark violet eyes.
“There must be some way,” she whispered softly. “You touch me all the time and that doesn’t happen. You’re touching me right now and it’s fine. Maybe you can stop it?”
“I don’t think I can, Olivia. It just happens—as soon as I lost concentration, my control slipped. It’s like an insurance policy to make sure we never cross that line again.”
“I don’t understand.”
“After the Great Fall, many of the exiled angels came here. They took mortal wives, and as a result of their consummation, Nephilim were born.”
“What?”
“Nephilim—half-mortal/half-angelic—they were wicked and evil creatures. The darkness of their fathers had been bred into them. It wasn’t very long before the entire human race was in jeopardy of corruption, and so a great flood was sent upon the earth to destroy the evil that threatened to consume it. At that time, there was only one pure lineage left, and they were spared. So, you see, it’s not that simple, you and me.”
“Well, that certainly isn’t a very heartwarming story,” she crabbed.
“No, it isn’t, but you deserve to hear the truth. It would be unfair of me to mislead you, and I’m not as altruistic as you may think.”
Olivia leaned in and kissed the side of his neck. “Neither am I. And after everything I know, I only want you more. How terrible is that of me?”
Her tongue gently traced his top lip, and Liam groaned softly, pulling her closer. His hands wound into her hair, holding her in place as he returned her kiss—slow and lingering. “Do you know how much I love you?” he whispered.
The front door squeaked. “Damn cat!” her father cursed.
Olivia sighed, perfect timing. Liam let her go, and she slid out of his embrace, climbing off his lap. “It’s okay, Dad. He just wants to see Liam,” she called. “I’ll grab him.”
“Your mother said breakfast is ready.”
The cat ran through the grass, the tiny bell on his collar jingling as he made his way to Liam. The white ball of fur leapt into his lap, rolled onto his back, and began purring. “I think he loves you more than he loves me,” she teased.
“Nah, I just have a way with animals.”
“You want to come in and get some breakfast?”
“I can’t. That’s the other reason I’m here. I’ve been summoned to court.”
Olivia tensed. “Because of me?”
“No,” he answered, looking at her intently. “Because of
me
. This isn’t your fault.”
“It’s about us, though, isn’t it? They know, don’t they? They know you love me. Liam, what if they don’t let you come back?” Just the thought that Liam might not come back to her…
“I’ll be back,” he promised. “It’s heaven, Olivia, not a prison,” he teased, trying to ease her fears, but she wasn’t fooled. This was serious. He was being called away when she needed him most. Didn’t they understand that Max was trying to kill her?
“When will you be back?” she asked, trying to sound brave, but failing miserably. She knew it would only hurt him if she put up a fuss. He had no choice or he wouldn’t be going.
“Soon. But I don’t know exactly when. Just take extra care when I’m gone, okay? Other guardians will still be here, but Max is clever. I’m going to leave you the keys to the Mustang. I’ll feel better if you drive it while I’m gone. It runs better than your Jeep.”
“Sure, thanks.” Olivia held out her hand and took the keys from him. “I’ll miss you.”
Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry,
she chanted over and over, commanding her tears to obey.
Liam leaned over and kissed her softly. His lips lingered against hers. “I’ll miss you too.”
Olivia nodded. She couldn’t speak past the lump in her throat. Liam stood up from the swing and handed her the cat. He placed his hands on each side of her face and bent down to give her one last kiss. “Don’t worry, everything’s going to be fine,” he assured her.
Olivia’s chest ached. She watched him walk away, and then he suddenly disappeared, leaving her with a horrible emptiness inside her chest. She let her tears fall. There wasn’t any reason to hide them now. It certainly didn’t feel like everything was going to be fine—just the opposite, really.

“I hope you like eggs,” Ashley said, cracking two into the sizzling pan. Balen sat at the table, watching her from across the kitchen. Her blonde curls were pulled into a high ponytail, exposing the slender curve of her neck, her creamy skin, a flawless complexion except for the few fading marks on the base of her neck. Ashley’s sweatshirt and floor-length lounge pants concealed her shapely curves. Balen was grateful for her choice in attire.