Redemption (30 page)

“How much longer do we have to wait to get
Elizabeth?” I question nervously.

He shrugs. “I’m not sure, Eve. When the
council approves the mission, I will go.”

I chew on the inside of my cheek. All the
scenarios of what Deacon and Lucifer are doing to her run through
my mind.

“How much longer until I finish the
ascension?”

“Again, I am unsure. You are the only one in
existence. Only time will continue to reveal your abilities and
what that means.” He stands and his face softens. “I am proud of
you, Eve.”

When my decision is made, my eyes meet his.
I walk to the conference table, grab a pen and piece of paper.
Folding it, I turn and hand it to Michael.

“What is this?” He watches me,
expressionless while he reads what I wrote. “Why are you not giving
this to your protector?”

“I need your help to confirm the name and
their part in this before I bring it to Asher, because when I do,
his world will implode. I will protect him, always.”

Michael nods once and morphs into warrior
stance. “I will do as you ask, daughter of Heaven. Thank you for
allowing me redemption.”

21
Surrender

I try not to fidget too much in the passenger
seat of Asher’s Aston Martin. My stomach has been in knots since my
earlier discussion with Michael. I know the archangel is doing his
best, but I can’t let my aunt, um, mother, continue to be held
captive by Lucifer. Nor can I wait any longer for Michael’s
heavenly army to extract her.

As pathetic as it is, I’m suddenly nervous
to be alone with Asher. He glances over to me. My eyes meet his and
his lips tilt in a reassuring smile before returning his focus to
the road. I clasp my hands together tightly, going over the plan in
my head one last time before I execute it. Asher was right, war is
ugly. I sigh.

Twenty minutes later, he turns onto the road
leading to La Gargouille Manor, Wiltshire. At the gate, Asher
enters the code. The gates creak open and we continue up the long,
birch-lined driveway to the empty estate. Fiona, Gage, and the
members of the clan are still in London, allowing Asher and I our
privacy this evening, which is perfect. I can put my plan into
action without their knowledge. By the time they figure out what
I’ve done, I’ll be gone.

I exhale, trying to calm my nerves, which
are stretched and frayed around the edges. Asher pulls into a
parking spot and kills the engine before his indigo eyes meet mine
again.

“You ready, siren?”

I smile. “More than you will ever know,
gargoyle.”

Asher smiles slightly as he picks up a
strand of my hair, playing with it. “Are you sure?”

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“You and I, we’re forever, Asher.”

He nods, releases my hair and exits the car,
moving around to my side to open the door and extend his hand.
Without hesitation, I place my clammy palm into his and allow him
to guide me into the manor.

Once inside, Asher turns and lifts my hand
to his lips, planting the softest kiss onto it. “I’ll meet you in
the chamber in a bit, yeah? Go on upstairs, relax and I’ll see you
shortly, siren.”

I nod, knowing that in a few hours, my time
with him will be over, forever. “Okay,” I whisper, reminding myself
that I made my decision. She needs me.

Asher studies me for a moment before
releasing my hand and walking backwards toward the stairs. His eyes
never leave mine. He knows. He has to.

A little while later, I close my eyes and
take in a deep, calming breath. I exhale and tell myself to leave
all my fears behind as I make my way to the chamber, toward my
forever.

***

At the top of the stairway, Asher secures
the chamber door. The sound of the entrance being sealed causes my
heart rate to spike.
Shit. I need to calm down.
I go back to
focusing on my breathing.

My skin is burning. Heat crawls all over me.
I can’t decide if it is warm because of the three oversized,
blazing fireplaces or Asher’s intense presence.

Slowly, I open my eyes and witness him
taking the last stone step before he comes to a standstill a few
feet in front of me. His eyes pierce through me, penetrating each
layer, ending on my soul. I wet my lips, and his eyes darken with
hunger.

The glow from the hundreds of lit candles
flickers, casting shadows over my protector’s striking features.
His focus intensifies. Infatuation filled eyes move down my body at
a leisurely pace, caressing me.

Goosebumps appear on my skin at each place
he’s branded me with a simple look. My stomach takes a dive at the
way he is studying me, like he can read me from the inside out.

Standing in front of the stone state bed, I
shiver in anticipation. In this moment, I compel myself to forget
the outside world. I push away all thoughts of leaving. I know it
will crush him so this is my final gift. I remind myself this is
how I want him to remember me. Us.

Realization hits me that I’ll need to hold
onto this memory when it becomes too much, because…I know it will.
This recollection will become my happy place. The place I’ll float
to when I need to escape, to feel love and happiness.

Asher’s softly glowing eyes lock onto mine,
searing me. I savor the affect his mark leaves on my body. The need
to know how it feels to be his rises with each passing second. Heat
spreads through me as my body craves him. My love for him is purely
dangerous.

Asher takes a step toward me. His movements
are slow and calculated. My body hums with exhilaration. When he’s
within three steps of reaching me, he stops. I close my eyes and
completely stop breathing while talking myself down.

Relax
.

Step.

Take a deep breath.

Step.

Not working. I think I made it worse.

Step.

“Open your eyes, siren,” he demands.

And that’s it. With those four words, I
surrender to him. My eyes flutter open and he lifts his hand toward
me. My body automatically moves into him. Asher’s right hand turns
so the back of his knuckles brush down my cheek, over the blush
that surfaces. My stomach muscles tighten at the delicate way he’s
caressing me. I tilt into his touch, needing more.

When his hand hits my jawline, he turns it
again, taking my chin between his fingers and lifting my head. He
moves closer into my space, still leaving a breath of air between
our lips.

“Don’t be afraid. I take care of what’s
mine.” His voice is rough.

My throat goes dry while his fingers drag
lazily in a downward motion, over my neck, pausing at the base.
Holding my eye contact, he gently wraps his hand around the lower
portion of my throat.

Bending forward slightly, his mouth moves to
the side of mine, almost kissing me but not. He applies enough
pressure to walk us two steps back in the direction of his stone
state bed. My pulse beats wildly under the touch of his fingers,
his chokehold intimate and powerful.

“You’re trembling. Are you sure, siren?” he
whispers across my lips.

“Yes,” I breathe out.

He releases a rough breath before allowing
his lips to lightly rub across mine in a left to right motion, a
promise of safety and security. The sensation of his lips and his
hand wrapped around my throat, along with his intense stare, are my
undoing. I swear to God I almost combust right there and he hasn’t
even fully touched me yet.
Holy shit.

Asher releases the pressure on my throat and
runs his hand down the front of my shirt. Crowding into my space so
that our hips touch, he roughly fists the bottom of my shirt then
gently drags it up until he’s removed it and I’m standing in my
white lace bra and matching boy shorts. Both of us are breathing
deeply.

His eyes cast downward, releasing my hazel
ones as he takes me in.

“Fuck.” He exhales and swallows hard as he
admires me like a piece of artwork.

I chew on the inside of my cheek. He’s seen
me before but this time is so much more intense.

“I’m so fucking grateful that you’re mine,”
he grits out through a tight jaw.

I don’t flinch under his powerful stare or
the weight of his words. I hold myself steady, allowing him to
absorb me. So that he’ll remember…

Asher leans over and presses a kiss to my
forehead. I close my eyes, absorbing the touch as he brings both
hands up and cups my cheeks. My hands automatically splay across
his chest as he bends and takes my mouth.

Gently at first, stoking the flames as our
tongues dance in the familiar way only intimate friends would know
then rough and commanding.

My hands lower to the base of Asher’s shirt
and without breaking the kiss, he reaches behind his neck and pulls
it up. Releasing my lips for only a second, he tugs it over his
head before returning to devour me. I open my mouth and dip my head
back to grant him access.

My hands roam over him, committing to memory
every indent and muscle. When the sensations become too much, Asher
pulls back. With ragged breaths, his hands slide from my cheeks
into my hair as he releases a deep, throaty growl.

Slowly, I move my lips forward to the
protector tattoo, letting my tongue dart out and run along the
artwork until I reach the scar from my dagger. Once there, I press
my lips to it and linger with my eyes closed because it’s too much.
God, I love this man with everything I am.

“Shit,” he pants and fists my hair
harder.

Forcefully, he tugs my hair once so my head
drops back and I catch his gaze. His tongue darts out and runs
across his lips before raking his top teeth over his lip and biting
down.

With a wicked expression, his hands untangle
from my hair and slide down each side of my neck, over my
shoulders, taking the straps of my bra with them.

Each band droops on my arm. Asher reaches
around my back to undo the clasp. He tilts his head into my neck
and begins to suck on the spot under my right ear. I let out a
pathetic whimper filled with need and he steps back.

Our eyes lock and I slowly release the lacey
material, so I’m bare to him from the waist up, standing only in my
white lace boy short panties.

“Christ, you’re beautiful, siren,” he
rumbles in appreciation.

The intimidating gargoyle moves forward,
pressing his hand to the middle of my chest, the pressure a request
that I lay down on his stone state bed…and I do, without thought
and without removing my gaze from his.

Asher smirks, clearly pleased with my
position. His hands move to the button on his jeans as he drags
both his pants and boxers over his hips, down his legs and then
steps out of them at the same time removing his motorcycle
boots.

I swallow and arch an eyebrow at the
impressiveness of him, again. The apadravya piercing glints in the
flickering flames, causing my mouth to water.
I try not to think
of all the crazy ways this is actually going to work and just focus
on Asher. Clearly, this is my first time.

His lips tilt into a smoldering grin that
pushes all thoughts of logistics away. I watch him with fascination
as his vision methodically travels up and down my body before he
kneels on the bed and crawls over me. The feel of his weight clouds
all common sense and I revel in all the places we meet.

Asher’s hands move to each side of my face
as his lips drop, meeting mine in a delicious rhythm. I sigh and
lose myself in him completely. Every stroke and caress brings new
sensations. One of his hands trails down my body, experiencing
every curve. I quiver at his touch. A strong, controlled hand slips
inside my panties, his fingers dipping inside me. I gasp as he
takes me higher and catches me each time I fall.

He takes his time with a painstaking amount
of teasing. Asher’s nose runs over my jawline, up my neck and
toward my ear. All the while, his fingers keep working their magic.
Sliding in and out of my body while his thumb rubs my nerves in
circles. I begin to see stars.

The proof of his excitement rubs against my
leg. The smooth silver ball of the piercing rolls over my skin,
cooling the heat. My hand caresses his body, causing a deep,
vibrating moan to fall out of him.

“Do you like my hands on you, siren?” he
whispers quietly into my ear.

“Yes.”

“Do you like my fingers on you?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want my mouth on you?”

Asher takes my heavy panting and gasping as
a yes and trails kisses down my neck. He shows meticulous care to
each of my breasts before continuing his unwavering descent.

Looking up through his sooty lashes, Asher
shows me his panty-dropping smirk before looping his fingers into
each side of my panties, slowly sliding them down. Once off, he
sits back on his heels and locks onto my eyes before lifting the
lace to his nose. He inhales deeply and groans in ecstasy.
Holy.
Fucking. Shit.
I might have come at the sight of that. I can’t
be sure because I also think I just blacked out.

He gently places the delicate material next
to my head instead of throwing them to the side. Holding my eye
contact, he brings his fingers to my mouth and waits for
entrance.

“Taste yourself, siren,” he orders as his
fingers enter my mouth.

I begin to suck as he leaves light kisses
down my stomach. Asher removes his fingers and drapes both of my
lower legs over each of his shoulders. At the first stroke of his
tongue, my entire body tenses with desire. It’s like he flipped a
switch and I can’t seem to stop it.

He continues with his merciless assault
until I’ve panted, screamed and come down twice from his mouth
alone. Attempting to catch my breath, Asher plants a gentle kiss
onto me as if apologizing to the spot for the assault of his
fingers and tongue. Then he slides his body over mine so we’re back
at eye level.