Angel in Chains (4 page)

Aledyan
couldn't help but to wonder if he was dreaming. The moment she moved closer and let him hold her emotions flooded him. His head was spinning, his heart was beating like never before and his body was slowly heating up. For a second, he thought he would pass out. It was too much, it was overwhelming, but at the same time it was the best thing he had experienced. It was amazing, how an embrace, could make him feel like he was back in heaven. It made him wonder what it would feel like to get even closer to her, but he didn't take the next step. There wasn't much time before the warlock would show up and drain him of his life force, but Aledyan didn't want to force Inez into anything. The decision had to be hers because he knew what would happen once she had accepted him ... The thought of it sent a cold chill through his body.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that the warlock was laughing. Torturing him was one of the activities the warlock amused
himself with every ten years.

It had only been a half day since Inez walked inside this cave, but he was already willing to fight for her, to keep her safe and make sure that no one hurt her. But he knew
he would be the first one to do just that.

He hadn't seen it at first. He had been too tire
d, too weak, but he saw it now.

She was his chosen one.

His hands went gently up and down her back. They didn't say a word for a long time, but his mind worked fast. If she agreed to give herself to him, he would do everything to save her. He would make sure that his curse would not become hers ... somehow ...

Inez couldn't believe that she
considered helping him, to do what he asked of her. The thought made her body tingle all over from anticipation.

Everything about him was appealing and just right. He had a body to die for
, and his deep gaze send pleasant chills through her. No other man had managed to do that before, but there was also something else. It was the sadness, the loneliness and the pain in his eyes that made her feel as if she needed to take care of him. She really needed to. He still looked weak, and far from able to do anything.

Inez
winced, and realization struck her.

What
the heck was she thinking? Yes, her body wanted him, but her head should know better. Getting involved in this was not a good idea. She should get up, walk out and never look back while she still had the chance. Who knew what would happen once he was free. Would he just fly away and leave her, make her feel used and tossed aside?

Inez pushed herself away from his arms and their gazes met. It was
as if he already knew what was going through her head.

“I'm sorry,” he said. “I shouldn't have touched you.”

Inez put a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Don't worry about it.”

She got up on her feet and walked away from him, but she could feel his gaze follow her around. She
needed to think, and above all, she needed to know more. According to Aledyan the warlock would return within a day or two, and that awakened many questions in her head.

“What will happen when t
he warlock returns?” she asked.

“I ha
ve already told you.”

“Yes, he will take your life force to
live for another ten years, but I meant more literally.”

Inez avoided looking at him.
She had done that when getting up, and realized she shouldn't have. There was too much disappointment written all over his face. He was hoping, but she also saw that he would never ask it of her. Instead, he would wait, and let her decide. That made her calmer.

“Well, he
will wait until I'm strong enough before he shows up. He will bring some of his men with him, just in case, even if he knows that I can't escape, but it's all about intimidating me and having fun at my expense. He will also bring a small, magical urn. He will leave the urn here with me for a few days. At first it will give me strength to go through the draining of my life force. Then Yorin will return to drain me. After, that I will be on the verge of death while the cave closes for another ten years.”

Inez gulped. “I thought you can't die.”

“I can't. That's why I will, for a long time, just fall in and out of consciousness.” She heard him take a deep sigh. “I've been through this so many times by now ... and I'm so tired of it all ...”

His last words were nothing but a whisper, but Inez could
hear the pain in them. There were no lies in them, only sincerity and a deep longing that hit her right in the chest.

For several minutes
, there was nothing but silence between them. Even though Inez had told herself not to look at him she couldn't help it. Would it really be so bad to help him? So what if he just left and never looked back? Then she would have at least done a good deed, right? He would be free and safe, and she could go on with her life.

A chill went through her again, but this time it was an unpleasant one. Going back to her
regular life after this? Would it even be possible? Did she really want to return to her own prison? The difference was that her prison didn't have walls or chains, but it was a lonely prison without much hope for the future.

Aledyan
slowly got up on his feet. She immediately noticed the difference. He was stronger now and not that tired anymore. He stood straight, and didn't seem to be in pain. It wasn't until she looked down at his legs that she noticed he was still a little bit shaky. The wings were still lying down on the ground, but he started to try to raise them.

She
heard a deep sigh from him as if lifting the wings took huge amounts of his energy.

“Are you alright?” she asked, even if she knew that he wasn't.

He gave her a gentle smile. “I'll be alright soon.”

“But not for a long time ...”

His smile disappeared. “No.”

“Is there a
way that I can ... help you get stronger ... faster?”

She didn't know what his answer would be, but while she waited for it she started
to feel more and more nervous.

He nodded
, and Inez thought her heart would jump out from her chest when he said: “You could kiss me.”

Aledyan
saw Inez eyes grow big. Her jaw dropped, and she stared at him as if she couldn't believe what he had just said. It was no lie, a kiss would give him some strength. Well, at least it would make him feel good for a while, and maybe open her up to him more.

Aledyan
felt that his legs were still weak. The wings were too heavy to lift, but things were improving. His body was getting stronger, and he wasn't that tired anymore. Now, when his strength was returning and Inez was here with him, his escape was closer than ever before. He didn't want to hurt Inez, and he promised himself that he wouldn't. He would do everything to make sure she felt safe with him. He would make sure that being in his arms would be the best thing she ever experienced.

And once he was fr
ee, he would come back for her.

He
would find a way.

“A kiss?” she
asked.

He nodded again. “I promise I won't touch you. I will keep my
arms behind my back, and you will have complete control.”

Aledyan
lowered his arms and placed them behind his back, just like he had said, and waited. He looked forward to kissing her. He had enjoyed being near her, but this was something else. He felt his body react to her. His heart was beating harder, and he was breathing faster. He felt the excitement in the air and Inez seemed just as effected as he was.

She approached him slowly and
kept eye contact with him. When she licked her lips he almost jumped out of his skin, and she hadn't even touched him yet.

“Just a little ... kiss?” she asked and tried to smile, but her lips
trembled.

“The more, the better,” he answered with
a hoarse voice.

Inez
seemed to prepare herself, but she was hesitating.

“Do you re
ally want to do this?” he asked.

Inez
winced and stared at him as if his question surprised her. “Well ... yes.”

“I mean, do you
really
want to do
any
of this?”

She
looked at him as if she didn't know what to say. That she didn't seem sure hurt him more than he had expected, but at the same time he understood. He had to admit that he was desperate. He really needed to get out of here, and she was his only chance. Expecting her to make up her mind within a few minutes was too much to ask, he knew that. But he saw her attraction for him, and that made him smile on the inside. It was as clear as her insecurity.

He
, on the other hand, was already burning. The thought of kissing her made him long for it badly, and it wouldn't get better once the kissing started. The tingling need for more was already awakened within him.

Suddenly Inez seemed more
sure, and her voice was determined when she said: “Yes.”

That simple word was enough for him. He couldn't wait anymore.
He leaned forward with his arms still behind his back and placed his lips against hers, without any hesitation. The touch felt like an electric charge that went right through him. Inez seemed to feel it too. She gasped as loudly as he did.

At first
she was unsure and barely opened her mouth, but Aledyan only registered her hesitation for a short while before his mind shut down and his feelings took over. The more she opened up the more emotionally drunk he felt. His head was spinning, and it felt as if the cave did that too.

He tried t
o recall what he had promised her before the kiss, but it had somehow slipped away. He needed to come closer, to put his arms around her. Her warm mouth felt sweet and intoxicating. Her moaning didn't make things any better either, and when she touched his tongue with hers, he lost it.

Before he could stop himself, he had his arms around Inez waist and pressed her against his waiting body. He felt hot, almost feverish, and he wanted to burn more. There was no stopping now.

“What are you doing?” a voice sa
id somewhere from the distance.

“What?” he said,
but didn't wait for an answer.

He desperately needed more, to explore more of her wonderful mouth. He had never experienced anything like it, convinced that there
were nothing better than this.

Somehow, through the fog he
was in, he managed to hear the voice again. The voice sounded angry. “I said, what do you think you're doing?”

Something hard
landed on his foot, and pain shot through his body. Aledyan screamed and let her go. The pain was almost paralyzing. Tears filled his eyes and confusion followed. What had happened? Had he done something wrong? How could he have done something wrong? It had felt so amazing, so mesmerizing and just wonderful. There was nothing wrong in that, and he wanted more ... now.

As soon as the pain eased he reached out to pull her into his arms again. To his surprise Inez jumped back and gave him an angry look.

“You promised to keep your hands behind your back!” she screamed. “You're no better than any other of them!” Furiously she walked to her backpack, threw it over her shoulder and headed toward the cave's exit. “I'm leaving!”

“No, wait ... what?”

Aledyan
stared at her. He tried to recall the last few minutes, but it wasn't easy. He was still lost in the wonders her lovely kiss had given him.

Then it struck him. He had touched her, even though
he had promised not to. Then she had stepped on his foot because he had broken his promise. She had said something about that he wasn't better than the others. What others? Had someone hurt her?

His fear grew stronger the closer
she came to the exit. He walked after her, but the chains around his wrists forced him to stop when he stretched them to their limits. Desperation screamed inside him.

“No, please, Inez
! Please, don't go,” he pleaded and didn't care how desperate it sounded. “I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to ...”

He dr
opped to his knees. His body started to shake and fear crept all over him. Panic grabbed him, and Aledyan tried to scream, but no sounds came out from his mouth. It was as if a small piece of him died with every step she took away from him.

Inez heard him
drop to his knees behind her. Short after, she heard him sob. Surprised by his reaction, she stopped and turned around. He looked scared where he sat on his knees on the ground, covering his face with his hands. The sight filled her with sadness. She just couldn't do it! She couldn't leave him.

His wings were spread on each side of him, but they seemed to be higher up now, no
t lying flat on the ground anymore. Maybe the kiss had given him some of his strength back.

Slowly Inez approached him.
His pain was so obvious that she almost felt it herself.

She reached out and gently
touched his back, right between his wings. Aledyan didn't move, but he became quiet. She saw his wings tremble when her hand glided up on one of them.

In
ez smiled to herself. Touching his wings felt like touching silk. The feathers were huge and smooth, but they were majestic and very beautiful. She let her hand examine them, gently, slowly and very carefully, just in case he was still in pain.

Aledyan
shivered all over. Moans of pleasure left his mouth, and he writhed on the ground, as if in ecstasy. When he moved his hips forward and pressed his legs together Inez quickly withdrew her hand from his wings and stared at him with big eyes. Had she just given him pleasure? She hadn't meant to, she had only intended to comfort him, but the look he gave her when he raised his head told her otherwise. She saw longing and desire. He was on fire, and seemed ready to throw himself at her any second.

“You should have stopped me,” she said. “I didn't know that touching your wings would make you
...” Inez cleared her throat and looked away in embarrassment.

“I should have, but couldn't. It felt too good
.”

He was still on the ground
, and as she sat down he moved closer. His eyes were filled with regret. It made her realize that he hadn't meant to do what he had done during the kiss.

Inez sighed
and understood. He was lonely and hadn't been touched by anyone for over two hundred years, not even a handshake. The only one he had to talk to was the warlock every ten years, and she doubted those conversations had been pleasant. When Aledyan placed his head in her lap, she realized he was as fragile as a child. All his confidence, all his strength and self-esteem had been broken down over the years. There was not much left of the angel he had once been, she was sure of that. Honestly, it was a miracle that he hadn't gone mad yet. She would have, a long time ago.

Inez looked down.
Aledyan lay still, crouching a little bit with his arms wrapped around him. He looked very vulnerable. The anger she had felt when he had broken his promise was gone. Instead, she smiled, and felt that she wanted to take care of him, give him the love that he needed and make him strong again. She wanted to be there for him, to be there whenever he needed a shoulder to cry on.

S
he caressed his attractive face. A dark lock of his hair lay on his cheek. She gently moved it, and returned to soothing his face. Every touch was filled with care and love. She almost felt the effect it had on him. The fear she had seen in his eyes when she had told him she was leaving was gone. The fire in his eyes was also going away. That was good because she was not ready to go there yet.

Aledyan
took a deep sigh and closed his eyes. For the first time since she had entered the cave, he looked peaceful.

Inez took her time to study him. His facial features belonged to a model with a strong jaw, straight nose and big, dark eyes that she could drown in. His skin was bright, almost too bright. It was obvious that he hadn't been in the sun for a long time
.

Her hands examined him, slowly moving up and down his arms
, and a little bit on his back, but she avoided his wings. She noticed that Aledyan's smile grew. It made her smile also. He seemed to be thinking that he was in heaven. It sure looked like it according to his pleased expression.

Inez licked her lips
, and that longing feeling in her gut grew stronger. She wanted more now than just to caress him. If this went on, she would end up sleeping with him, but it didn't bother her.

She
wanted it to happen.

S
he started slowly to lean down. Her move made Aledyan look up at her. When he realized what she wanted, he raised his body to meet her half-way.

It was a kiss like no other
, and this time she was the one who ended up in heaven. His lips were soft, but strong and firm. She opened up to him, more than she had intended to. But once the tip of her tongue touched his all thought fled.

She grabbed his face while he sat up, never letting go of her lips.
A loud moan escaped his mouth when they stood up on their knees, and she pulled herself closer to him, pressing herself against his body. She wanted him to make the next move, but he barely touched her. It was only his mouth that showed the fire and the desire that was burning within him. His hands were still on his sides, only sometimes making a move toward her, then stopping and dropping back down again.

“You can hold me now if you want,” she said with a hoarse voice.

Immediately his arms closed around her, pulling her closer than she had ever been before. Inez felt the heat from his body. His skin felt soft and smooth, but under it she could feel his strong and hard muscles working.

She couldn't understand why this felt so different.
She had kissed men before, but not like this. There was something more to this than just a regular kiss. He really made her tingle and tremble all over. It was as if his touch reached the deepest part of her soul, a place she didn't even know existed.

Without hesitation
, she gave in to his needs. His arms gently caressed her arms and back before moving on. She barely noticed when his hand slipped in under her t-shirt, but she jumped when his fingers touched the bare skin on her stomach. It left her head spinning and wanting more. He was becoming a drug to her, a drug she never wanted to get away from. He made her feel wanted, needed.

Inez closed her eyes and leaned her head b
ack when he wanted access to her throat. She heard a pleased moan leave his mouth, and she smiled to herself. A shiver went through her body when his lips connected with her skin.

She
felt his longing and loneliness in every touch. The deeper his kisses became the more of his need he showed. It made her want to open up even more to him, make him feel that she really wanted him, make him understand that she would never run away again. She wanted to be there for him, to set him free.

It took a while for Inez to register that his lips had stopped
kissing her. All she could feel was his warm breath on her skin.

Confused she opened her eyes and blinked. “What is it?”

“Did someone hurt you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said that I was no different from the others.” Their gazes met. Desire was still written all over his face, but he had stopped exploring her. “What happened?”

Inez turned her head
away. How could she explain a lifetime of experiences with a few sentences, and did she really want him to know? Just the thought of telling him made her realize that she did want him to know.

“I don't trust men,” she said. “They have never given me a reason to trust them. My father was the first, my brother
was the second, and my ex-boyfriend was the third. One by one they used my good side for their own benefits. They gained my trust just to break it, over and over again, and I, in my naive thinking, thought that maybe things would be different
this
time.” She went silent for a while. “But it never was.”

Aledyan studied her. “I will never betray your trust.”

She grinned. “But you did. You put your arms around me even though you said you wouldn't.”

“I'm sorry, but you tasted so good.
I couldn't help myself.”

Inez
smiled when she saw him blush. “Don't worry about it. I know I overreacted. You didn't deserve it.”

“So, does this mean I can kiss you as much as I want?”

Inez laughed then. “Yes, you can.” She placed her hand against his cheek. “You are different. I have never looked at a man the way I look at you.”

H
e gave her a surprised look, but it disappeared fast. He suddenly turned his head and looked toward the cave's exit.

Everything
became very, very quiet. The air got tense.

Then
Aledyan's eyes went big, and once again fear crossed his handsome features.

“No,” he gasped.

Before she knew it they were on their feet, and Aledyan dragged her back inside the cave.

“What is it?” she asked.

“He's here,“ Aledyan said. “Yorin is here.”