My Soul Laid Bare: Book 4 (The Soul Keeper Series) (34 page)

I leave the warm bed and sit on the arm of the chair
.“
There Elena, that is my point, right there. One day? I don't want to have to wait until my human life is over to love Elijah. Every night I'm in an empty bed. I go to sleep, and I wake up. Between adoring the twins and saving the world, my day is filled, but at night, I'm alone. And I miss Sa
m
… I miss Elijah. Part of me thought that after Sam passed away, Elijah would swoop back into my life. I thought he'd be more a part of our lives, be a family agai
n
… but he never came
.
”

“
The children thought he was part of the security detail. They were undercover with the CIA
.
”

“
Ah, yes the Cherubim Infantry of Angels, C.I.A. I remember that badge well
.
” We both share a laugh
.“
I am glad he's a part of their lives. Can you let me see him? You can watch the children for a little while
?
”

“
He won't leave their side, Brennen. I've offered before
.
”

“
Then take us all to Amorous where we'll all be safe for the night. I want them to visit my mother. She hasn't seen them since they were born
.
”

“
I'll check with Elijah
.
” Elena steps quietly out of the room. Her footsteps end there. She must have disappeared into the spirit realm. I pad into the bathroom and check my appearance in the mirror. Chalk another near decade up to my fading youth. I do look young for my age, but I think that has something to do with my bloodline. However, the small lines have crept in next to my eyes. My face has matured, and I worry that I won't look like the girl he fell in love with some twenty years ago. Yet, he'll be flawless as always. While I will wither and wrinkle, he will always look like a god.

Elena pops up behind me causing me to visibly jump
.“
He says he'll go, but only if you think you're really ready to see him again
.
”

I give her a look that asks if she's joking, and she smiles
.“
Thought so
.
”

I follow her back to the living room. William and Elara are now using the dog as a pillow. William got the wrong end, and I shake my head. We each scoop a child up and think of Amorous. Elara's soft breaths on my neck let me know she slept through the entire trip. Elijah is standing beside me on the transfer platform, and he holds his arms out for me to give him Elara. A hush falls over the busy room as soon as they see the new arrivals, or perhaps the volume just got turned down in my mind because I can't stop looking at Elijah. He's so breathtakingly beautiful. I forget to hand him Elara. A smile spreads across his face as he reads the look in my eyes.

It's night time here, and Elena transports us to my mother's home to avoid waking the twins up.

I knock softly on the doo,r and my mother answers right away.  She's absolutely radiant in an amethyst silk night gown and robe. In all honesty, I think I now look older than my mother and try and hide the hint of envy. Her eyes light up when she sees me, and she ushers us inside and into the first bedroom to lay the children down.

My mother looks down at them in their ridiculously peaceful state. Of course, they look like angels now but let her experience them when they're fully awake and running rampant around her glass sculpture decorated house. Elijah and I stand in the doorway side by side watching her with them. I
t’
s funny how having children changes you. Now their wellbeing comes first. We haven't even spoken or hugged yet. My mother tucks them in and finally comes back out, quietly closing the door, but leaving it cracked should they wake up in a strange place.

She comes over and holds me as tight as my human body will allow, and I hear a ragged breath sigh out of her chest like she's crying
.“
Mom is everything alright
?
”

She sniffs and laughs softly as she pulls away enough to see my face
.“
Yes, I'm fine. It's just good to see you. It's been so long. I knew you would wait until the children were ready to learn the truth, but I never knew how much I would miss you all during that time
.
”

I nod. My gaze keeps trickling back to Elijah standing a good distance away now. It's as if he's afraid to touch m
e
– be near me.

“
I know.
I’
ve missed you too
.
”

“
I'll put some tea on, and we can catch up
.
”

I could spend days getting my mother up to speed, and I would love that. But I need to be alone with Elijah.  I don't know if she realizes I haven't seen him in just as many years.

“
I would love to stay and talk, but do you think it could wait until morning? I have
n’
t seen Elijah since we left
.
”

“
Are you joking dear
?
” She turns to Elijah her face morphing into confusion
.“
Is this true? You knock my daughter up and leave her to it for eight years
?
”

I nearly choke as she slams Elijah. I watch as he swallows hard. He looks washed in guilt but quickly regains his composure. He bulls in to where we stand looking determined to set things straight once and for all. I attempt to quell his temper with a hand on his chest. It rises and falls
under my touch like it's his undoing. A current of need passes through me at the same time, and it's all I can do to get him out the door before I undress him in this very room.

“
We'll be back before the kids are up
,
” I say trying not to sound as breathless as I am.

“
I doubt that, but okay dear. Do
n’
t worry about the children. They are in good hands
.
”

I hug her neck once more, and Elijah opens the door for me. He whistles for a horse and pulls me into his arms while we wait. He nuzzles his face into my neck and breathes me in
.“
You are all I have been craving for all these years
.
”

“
Why didn't you come to see me
?
” I say still feeling hurt.

“
Do you honestly think that my feelings for you have lessened any over all these years
?
” Elijah asks as his hot breath rakes over my ear. His hands glide down my body as if they were re-mapping their terrain. My knees feel like the
y’
ve taken a walk out on their own, and Elijah is quick to take up the slack. I may be the leader of the free world, but when
I’
m in his arms I am seventeen years old all over again. I cave at his feather soft touch and melt into liquid at his caress.

He asks another question
,“
Do you know how many nights I wanted to go to you and kiss your soft lips just to spend a moment with you
?
” And again,
I’
m without words. Elijah draws my lower lip into his mouth and then dives in for a long slow lingering kiss that I have
n’
t felt in ages and will probably be on replay in my head for the next decade.

“
Then why did
n’
t you? I needed you, and you were so close all this time
.
” I pull away so I can look into his eyes.

“
First, Elena is correct. I wo
n’
t leave the twins side for a second. Just like when I guarded you as a child. You never sustained a single bruise. But once I fell in love with you, I let my emotions rule me, and I made mistake
s
– mistakes which could have cost you your life. You are my weakness, and I ca
n’
t be weak when I am charged with keeping our children safe.

Secondly, you needed time to heal after Sa
m’
s death. If I had shown myself three or six months after, you would
n’
t have been able to grieve the way you needed to. I would have taken your pain away. I would have held you in my arms for hours. Actually that part I did, you just did
n’
t know it. I held all of you in my arms while you broke the terrible news to the children. It was all I could do
.
” His gaze drops to the ground as he realizes how much I must have needed him.

My hand caresses his cheek as his eyes remain closed. He turns into my touch, and his eyes flash open filled with desire. He locks his lips around mine, and we get lost in a heated kiss that spans decades. His hand moves into my hair holding my head close as if he'd die if I let go. I ca
n’
t let him go, not ever again. Suddenly a warm velvet nose bumps my cheek, and the horse lets out a whinny. Looks like our taxi is waiting. We share a laugh and mount the horse.

We race through the path to Elijah's cottage not far from here, especially not at these speeds. I hang on tight and relish the heat radiating from his glorious body. The lavender moon hangs like a spotlight in the night sky. This place is always so peaceful, especially at night. The damp leaves cushion the horse's pounding hooves. Elijah's got the reins in one hand and his palm over my arm as I hug his chest. I've missed the way he feels, the soft curve of his muscles. He's never been bulky and overly muscled. No he is perfectly carved to perfection.

We come to a stop at the cabin, and Elijah helps me off. I should be exhausted right now, but the thought of reuniting with Elijah has me about ready to tackle him as if he were a lineman and I was the great JJ. Watt. The porch lamp is lit welcoming us home like a long lost ship at sea. It feels good to be back here. When Elijah and I married, we spent every chance we could here. In Amorous three days is the equivalent to one night back home. Elijah could make time stop while we were here. Every day was magic, sparks flying, warm bodies disappearing, glitter, smoke and fire, we had it all.

I melt into Elijah as we reach the door. He secures me tightly around the waist.

“
Tell me, how will it be when we return home? Will you disappear for another eight years
?
”

He pulls pack and examines me. His navy eyes glitter under the lilac moon, and I can see the hope Elijah has for our love to take bloom and grow like a field of wild flowers gone mad.

“
You have one year left in office, and then yo
u’
re out of the public eye for the most part. Until then,
I’
d better keep out of sight. We can make due with weekend trips to Amorous. The public wo
n’
t want you to have replaced Sam so easily. He was a prince in their eyes, a father to our children,  and the
y’
ll need time to ease in to the new situation as well
.
”

“
I want them to know you are their father
.
”

Elijah takes my hand and leads me to the bedroom
.“
One day we will tell them, but for now I will be their trainer. I think i
t’
s time to tell them who they really are first. They have gifts beyond our wildest dreams, and they need to learn how to handle that responsibility with precise control
.
”

“
Well I suppose it will be a good way for you to bond with them
.
”

He nods and takes my hands up in his lap as we sit on the bed. I
t’
s been so long since
I’
ve been with him. He brushes a lock of my hair back behind my shoulder. I have a stomach full of butterflies, and
I’
m not sure why.

“
Do you think we could just lie together?
I’
m not sure
I’
m ready yet
.
”

My ears prick back as if even they ca
n’
t believe what
I’
ve just said.

“
You can have whatever you want, love
.
” Elijah peels off his shirt and nestles in behind me in the center of his be
d
– our bed. He pulls me in tight, and the memory of all the nights we spent just like this come flooding back to me like a mudslide washing out a country road. I roll over to face him. His hand rides down the curve of my hips and back up.

I study his unchanged face. I look beyond the obvious beauty and into his eyes. I
t’
s there that I can see the wisdom immortality lends, through the barely noticeable scars, the years of battle worn deep into his eyes, although flawless, revealing his true age. They must have seen a thousand lifetimes of death and misery, yet there is a light in his eyes that still holds faith in the human race. I imagine the battles he has had to endure as my fingers travel up the curve of his triceps. He is so strong and noble, all the while being ever so gentle with my heart. He breathes a soft sigh content only to touch me and receive the same back.