They
would be ready.
He would
see to it.
***
Chapter 28
Marcus
descended slowly through the layers of air, savouring the way they
turned from icy cold to warm and then to hot as he approached the
island. It had taken him a while to find it deep in the Pacific
Ocean. At first, he hadn’t been sure where to look and had cursed
himself for not asking one of the others where the island was so he
could find his way back, but then he had felt a glimmer of
something inside himself.
He had
focused on that feeling as it beat in his heart and felt her
calling to him. One heart to another. The strength of the feeling
had increased as he had followed it, letting it guide his course
during his descent from Heaven. Now it was so fierce that it warmed
him through, drawing a smile from him as it became so clear that he
could discern her emotions within it.
She
worried about him.
He shook
his head when he realised why.
Rather
than heeding his advice, Apollyon had chosen to return to the
island and had remained there with Amelia and the
others.
He had
wanted to keep his friends out of whatever danger lay in his and
Amelia’s future, but if they chose to help him, then he wasn’t
going to turn them away. His desire to protect Amelia demanded that
he accept their assistance. They had all been invaluable over the
past few weeks and he couldn’t thank them enough for everything
they had done for him, and for Amelia.
The
island grew out of the heat haze, the halo of crisp white sand
gleaming around the dense green core, and deep blue ocean gave way
to clear turquoise shallows.
Marcus
approached the tropical paradise from the far side, flying over the
quiet beach and tall palm trees that fringed the shore, and then
the lush centre. His heartbeat quickened with anticipation of
seeing Amelia again and having her in his arms once more. He wanted
nothing more than to feel her nestled close against him, her warm
soft hands pressed into his chest, and her beautiful grey eyes
locked with his. He wanted to stroke her face and lose himself in
her, and the love they shared, even if it was only for a short
while.
Heaven
would heed his warning, but for how long?
It didn’t
matter when they came. He would be ready for them.
The
sweeping inlet on the other side of the island came into view and
he spotted the thatched huts through the thinning palms. A smile
broke out on his lips and his heart leapt when he saw Amelia
standing on the shore, her back to him. Was she watching for
him?
He was
sure that she could feel him in her heart just as he could feel
her.
He beat
his wings and came down a few metres behind her, gliding to land
silently on the soft white sand. She didn’t stir. Marcus smiled
mischievously and padded towards her. He felt eyes on him but
ignored the owners of them, not wanting to risk Amelia noticing him
by signalling his friends to be quiet.
Marcus
brought his hands out before him, dropped his gaze to rest on the
remains of her white dress as it fluttered against her thighs in
the warm breeze and then settled it on her luscious hips. Target
acquired.
She
yelped the moment his hands caught her hips and he twisted her in
his arms, narrowly avoiding the fist that flew at his
face.
Her scowl
quickly gave way to a smile so warm and full of affection that it
pierced his soul and he couldn’t resist his desire any longer. He
pulled her into his arms, holding her close to his chest, and
smiled when she made a stiff motion with her right hand and his
breastplate disappeared. It seemed she was already growing used to
some of her powers.
The feel
of her softness against the hardness of his torso, her warm palms
pressing into his pectorals and her heart beating against his,
instilled peace in him. He exhaled slowly and then drew in a
breath, catching her fragrance. It deepened the tranquillity
flowing through him and he closed his eyes, bent his head, and
pressed his lips against her silver hair.
“I was so
worried about you,” she whispered and stroked his chest, her
fingertips tracing swirling patterns that burned into his skin and
threatened to turn his mood from peaceful to hungry for
her.
“I know.”
He pressed another long kiss to her hair and she drew back, her
hands sliding down to settle on his waist. The warmth of them and
the fire they stirred in his veins was too much to bear so he
caught her hands and tangled them together with his between their
bodies. Her grey eyes sought an answer to a silent question. “I
felt your fear.”
He
brought their joined hands to his chest and smoothed her palms over
it. She stared at them and the call from her heart to his came
again, stronger than it had ever been. Her eyes rose to meet his,
her rosy lips parting as she tilted her head back.
“I feel
so connected to you.” Her fingertips caressed his chest, maddening
him with the desire for more. He thought about removing her hands
again but his need to feel her skin-to-skin with him was too great.
He craved the contact too fiercely to break away.
“And I
you,” he whispered and dipped his head.
Amelia
lifted her chin and he accepted the invitation to kiss her,
bringing his mouth gently down over hers. She leaned into him,
tiptoed, and swept her tongue along the seam of his lips. He
groaned and danced his lips over hers, caressed her tongue with his
own, and fought his need to drag her closer to him and devour her.
The brush of her hands over his bare chest and the sweet moan that
left her lips broke his restraint.
Marcus
fisted his left hand into her hair, tangling his fingers in the
long silver threads, and dragged her against him. She moaned again,
heated and hungry, and he bent into her, pressing the full length
of his body into hers. The action only elicited another delicious
whisper of pleasure from her and only served to torture him
further, but it felt too good to shift away from her and end his
torment. He plundered her mouth with his tongue, drinking in her
taste and losing himself in her. Time drifted away, carrying the
world with it, and endless minutes passed as he explored her lips
with his own. Each sweep of them against hers and each meeting of
their tongues drove the world a little further away. She arched
into him, pressing her breasts against his chest, and he felt the
pounding of her heart, felt her need rise to match his, and felt
powerless to deny his hunger.
All too
soon, Amelia stepped back, her breathing as ragged in his ears as
his own was and her cheeks flushed crimson.
He
frowned.
Embarrassed?
She cast
her grey gaze to her right and he remembered that they weren’t
alone.
Marcus
turned slowly to face the others.
Four of
them were staring at him and Amelia.
The other
two?
Taylor
had Einar in an embrace that Marcus ached to re-enact with Amelia.
Taylor’s legs were around Einar’s waist, her arms around his neck,
and Einar’s hands gripped Taylor’s backside, squeezing firmly as he
kissed her. Marcus glanced at Amelia, catching a flash of her in
the small black bikini she had worn in that other world when he had
held her like that, standing in the water with her wrapped around
him. He looked past her to the tempting turquoise waters. He wanted
to do that again.
Apollyon
strode across the white sand, his blue eyes raking over Marcus’s
silver armour and then his wings. “That is a new look for you. It
suits you well and I am glad love has turned you foolish enough to
embrace such an appearance, and your new master.”
“Because
Heaven saw it?”
“Because
they saw it, and I used it to illustrate my point.”
“Was my
showing up there part of your plan?” Marcus said and when Apollyon
only smiled, he knew that his friend had expected him to find his
way back into Heaven and to showcase his power and Amelia’s ability
to turn angels to her cause.
“Amelia’s
blood is of no use to them now that the planets are no longer in
alignment, and my threat to allow the Devil to win our next match
when coupled with your display of power will go a long way towards
convincing them that it is better Amelia is allowed to live rather
than die.”
Serenity
came up beside Apollyon, wearing a short pale dress that matched
her fair hair that she had twirled into a knot at the back of her
head.
“Will
they come after her?” she said, concern in her hazel
eyes.
Apollyon’s grim look matched how Marcus felt about the answer
to that question.
“I doubt
they would do so right away. They have their hands full with the
damage done to Heaven and the demons I allowed to escape… but I
fear they will come after her one day,” Marcus said and clenched
his fists, resolve flowing through him. “I will be ready when they
do.”
Lukas and
Annelie joined them, both of them dressed in swimwear, and Taylor
finally released Einar. He set her down, smiled sheepishly at
Marcus, and then led her over to him.
Amelia
slipped her arm around Marcus’s and held it with both hands. Her
side pressed against his and he looked down into her eyes,
absorbing the love that shone in them.
“We will
be ready when they do,” she said with determination.
Marcus
looked at the others and they all nodded, even Lukas. He didn’t
know how to thank them, so he nodded, silently accepting their
support. It was more than he could have asked for.
He would
do everything in his power to protect Amelia, and with the help of
his friends, he was sure they could keep her safe. She was his now.
His to protect, to cherish and care for. His to love.
And he
loved her with all of his heart.
Marcus
looked down at Amelia, gathered her into his arms and kissed her
again. Apollyon made a disgusted noise and Marcus sensed everyone
move away, leaving them alone. He slipped his hand into hers and
walked with her along the beach, heading away from their friends to
a quiet spot where rocks reached out into the endless clear
sparkling water.
The sun
was hot on his skin, warming him down to his bones and chasing away
his tension. Amelia slipped her arm around his again and when he
looked at her, she smiled brilliantly and with so much love that he
couldn’t help himself. He stopped, pulled her into his arms, and
slowly explored her soft lips, drawing a quiet moan from
her.
She slid
her hands over his chest and he frowned when he felt a breeze
against his forearms and shins. He drew back to look down at
himself. His armour was gone, replaced by a loose pair of black
swimming trunks. He glanced at Amelia and his gaze stuck on her
when he saw the black bikini barely covering her body and the small
black sarong around her waist. She was definitely growing
accustomed to abusing her new powers.
Her shy
smile gained a wicked edge that he liked and she stepped into him,
so her soft body pressed against his again, and tilted her head
back, inviting him in for another long drawn out kiss.
Her heart
beat steadily against his chest. His heart. She had given it in
exchange for his.
“I love
you,” he whispered against her mouth, marvelling at the power of
those three small words as she smiled at him, affection shining in
her grey eyes. Those words had saved them both, had reached deep
into his heart and given him strength he never knew he had, and he
knew they would always empower him whenever she spoke them. He
waited, hesitant and with a trace of nerves running through him. He
needed to hear her say them again and feel the effect they had on
him.
“I love
you too.” She brushed her fingers across his jaw, sweeping them up
his face and then into his black hair.
Marcus
stared into her eyes, warm water lapping at his feet and the sun
relaxing him. It was over for now, but not for ever. One day,
Heaven or Hell would come after them, and they had to prepare for
that day.
Amelia
slipped her hand into his. “I like it here… I’d like to stay for a
bit. I know so little about you… and now I feel as though I know so
little about myself. I have so much to learn. You trained Lukas
once… could you train me? Can you teach me how to fight, and how to
fly, and could we stay here a while and just be together, away from
the world while I find my feet and learn about you?”
He
nodded. She didn’t need to ask. Whatever she commanded, he would
carry out. He would do anything for her, even endure irritating
sand and water, and he intended to teach her everything he knew.
Together they would learn about her powers and the depth of his,
and they would hone them until not even God or the Devil himself
could defeat them.
“I want
to learn about you too.” He cupped her cheek, looking deep into her
eyes. “There is so much about you I don’t know.”
“You’ve
watched me all my life—”
“I might
have watched over you,” he interjected, “but I never really knew
you until the night we spoke properly for the first time. I am
still learning about you, and it is something we can do together.
We will always be together now… I swear it… I will never leave your
side.”