Fallen Angel

Chapter 42: Emily

I woke with a fright, looking around the darkened room and feared the worst. That I hadn't cut my way to freedom, that having dinner with Brannon was not real.

"Emily."

The soft voice made me sob with happiness, I turned to see Brannon on the bed beside me.

"It's okay. Lay back down."

"I dreamed it wasn't real. That I was back in that horrid apartment."

As I laid back down beside him, I rested my head on his chest. Brannon's fingers danced over my shoulders, a soothing movement that he did when he was thinking.

"I didn't sleep."

"Why not?" I asked.

"I couldn't. I'd lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling. Every remedy that my mother had, it didn't help. But tonight, I slept. My mind was at ease, knowing you were safe and with me, it's all that I've wanted."

"He said I was made for him."

Brannon sat up, leaning on one arm as he looked down at him.

"And what do you think about that?"

"At first I thought it was a lie but it's not like it can't be the truth. Think about it, I'm just an infra, what do they care if I fall to the devil?"

"It wasn't about you Emily, it was about breaking me so that I lost faith in my father and became angry at him. It didn't work, I was angry but not at him. When their plan to make my father extract your soul and put it into the pit failed, they kept going."

Silence hit us for a moment as we laid in one of the bedrooms that sat above Nathul's living area. The devil said that it was not wise to return to hell so soon and to find a hotel would be just as dangerous. For now we were in the care of the wizard, his protections would hide us from anything or anyone that would search.

"So, I have to ask because it's been bugging me. You can be honest and tell me, I'm not going to get upset."

"Yes you will." I said with a grin, running my hand over his jaw. "Anyone that says that always ends up getting upset."

Brannon huffed as he laced his fingers into mine.

"What do you want to know Bran?"

"Did you or he, you know?"

"No." I said. "Forced or otherwise. I hated him from the second he appeared in the hut, I knew why he was there and I detested the sight of him and he knew it. He wasn't interested in me and as for saying that I was made for him, maybe that was just a way of making me feel bad for loving you."

Pulling him closer, Brannon lowered to my lips, tracing over them as he kissed me softly.

"I don't feel bad for loving you Bran and I never will. I picked you, I let go of everything good and wholesome to be with you. When I was cutting through that wall, when I laid on the bed of a night and cried, it was because I missed you. You think that this is about you and your father and that may be the truth but I know that they wanted to punish me for the defection. The isolation with him, stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do, that was a cruel punishment but knowing that you would think that I have wronged you and your father, listening to Arcaedia taunt me about what you were doing rather than looking for me, that was by far a worse punishment. I could not escape, I tried and he caught me and dragged me back into the cabin. After that he set the doors and windows to burn me if I tried it again."

"So him moving you to the apartment was a good thing then?"

"Yes, he did not cover the walls with anything more than the thermal coating which I was able to get through. I am frightened Bran, what if he comes after me? He will have learned from his mistake and I know that there will be no second escape for me."

"The demons have him Emily, you do not need to worry about Arcaedia."

Brannon lowered to my lips again, kissing me gently. Slow and needful, our kiss began as something that was reassuring. But the more he kissed me, the more I wanted. This was not the place for such things and although it pained me to do so, I pulled away from his kiss.

"Not the right time?"

"Not the right place." I returned. "We are guests in someone's house, it would be rude to be so scandalous."

He leaned down to my ear with a wicked grin.

"You do remember that I am the son of the devil, right? I was made to be scandalous."

I giggled, wrapping my arms around him and hugging him.

"You are incorrigible Brannon."

"I am." He whispered.

Moving onto my body, he settled in between my legs and flexed his hips against me. I groaned softly as his body dug into mine, his lips kissing over my neck. Wrapping my legs around his waist, the bed covers fell away. His lips moved over my jaw as I gripped his shoulders.

"Bran." I said with soft desperation. "I want you so much but we know this isn't right."

"I know." He murmured against my skin. "But I like to tease, to make your need for me so heavy that you will look at me and beg me with your eyes, beg me to do all manner of sordid things to you."

My hands ran over his bare chest as his hips flexed against me again, making me moan softly. Raising to his hands, Brannon looked down with wicked delight as he caused me a lot of grief.

"You do not need to have me beg you with my eyes Brannon, I would gladly tell you anything you wanted to hear so long as you loved me for an eternity. That no matter what, you will always search for me as I would for you, that we will always find each other."

Lowering back to my body his arms rested beside my head as he pressed his forehead to mine.

"We will, there is no barrier that will stop us. I promise."