Protected by Emeralds (A Dance with Destiny Book 5) (36 page)

His tender words warmed her cheek as his lips brushed her there. She sniffed.

“I am proud to be your friend,” she whispered. “Your
only
friend.”

“You are my only friend, yes. But that was not the only warding stone, little Angel. Let me share the rest with you.” He sweetly kissed her forehead again before continuing. “Throughout the millennia, there have been several of its like. I know not how or why, but when I find a particularity enchanting maiden, one I desire with a gnawing hunger… she somehow manages to obtain one such stone. Almost like… someone is watching me, helping the ones I want the most,” he whispered, mostly to himself. “Anyway, there have been fifteen such stones in all.”

“Fifteen? So… you have counted them?”

Ahriman smiled again. “Not only have I counted them, my love, I have collected them.” He lightly kissed the tip of her nose.

“Collected them?” She studied his beautiful amethyst eyes closely. “But… how is it you collect them if you cannot go near them?”

“I am not repelled by the stone, Jenevier. I am hindered by the magic it emits. A magic which is only given life while worn by the one I truly desire, the one who made the sacrifice. Alas, they were but women—mortal and fragile and fleeting. When nature ran its course and time ceased their fragile hearts, I would take the stone off her cold body while the reapers escorted her soul to a place I can never follow.”

She tenderly ran her fingertips down his handsome face. “That is the saddest story I have ever heard.” Tears burned her eyes. “Fifteen times you have lost someone you truly loved.”

“No, lovely Angel.” He gently kissed away one of her tears. “I did not love those maidens. I desired them, desired to look into their glorious eyes as I damned their pure souls to hell. How is it you can say such a thing as their very salvation, is a sorrowful thing? No, little one. I did not love them.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “I first knew love when I first knew you.”

Jenevier kissed
him
then—first his cheek, then his nose, and then softly upon his lips. Ahriman closed his eyes. She felt him trembling within her embrace. She kissed him again, and then just a little harder, just a little longer. She ran her fingers into his hair and held him to her until their kisses knew no end.

“I love you, Vybius,” she whispered into his mouth. “I believe a piece of me always has.”

She melted beneath him as she spoke, surrendering her heart and her will to this exquisitely dangerous dark Angel.

His kisses ceased. Jenevier felt the cooling drops of his tears falling down upon her cheeks. When he finally opened his eyes, she saw divine happiness now dancing within that terrifying silver.

“How can you say thus?” He sniffed. “How can your lips form such beautiful words, your arms wrapped about me so tightly… when you wear that protection amulet around your neck?”

She returned his gentle smile. “Magic denied is no magic at all. How can such a thing protect me from a man I desire no protection from? You said it would give me the strength to resist you. Alas, Vybius, I do not wish to resist you. I only wish to know you,
all
of you.”

Ahriman pressed atop her as his kisses deepened. This man, the only man she had ever called sexy, save Alzeen, this exquisite man’s touch spread chills across her body. Everything about him was arousing… sensual… dangerous. Here they were in an open field, her only son stood but a short walk away, and
still
she did not want to stop what was fast happening between them.

Jenevier ran her fingers through his glorious hair as he painted heated kisses across her belly.

“Vybius…”

He only moaned softly by way of response.

“I am glad to be bound to you,” she whispered. “No matter the how or why, I am happy to be your coin, your price, your treasure.”

Stopping his sensual exploration, Ahriman moved back up to look her in the eye, pressing his weight atop her.

“Do not say such things, my love,” he softly whispered.

“And why not? You asked me to be free and open with you, asked me to search my heart and give us the chance that was stolen from us in the beginning. It did not take long, Vybius. Do not expect me to explain it further, for I cannot. It is the same as it was when our eyes first met. You have once again claimed my stubborn will, stolen my fluttering heart, and stirred my darkest desires.” She smiled up at him. “This is it.
This
is where I will make my stand. You are worth fighting for, Vybius, worth the cost. I see that now… and I marvel. How in the world, no…
Why
in the world did I ever resist you?” She giggled. “But none of that matters now, does it? You have me, Vybius. For good or ill, I belong to you. From this day forth, I will ever be at your side. No matter who we must stand before, no matter who we must stand
against
, I will not leave you.” She lovingly caressed his trembling cheek. “Listen to me, beautiful Angel. I love you, Vybius, wholly.”

And with those most precious of words, the soul-eating dark Angel let his tears flow freely as he seized her wrists and pinned them above her head.

Jenevier giggled. “Do you wish to bind me? More than you already have?”

“Bind you… Yessss,” he moaned, dragging the word out like a final plea. “I wish to bind you.”

Chapter 25

Jenevier

(ZHEN-ah-veer)

Duhrias looked sideways at the handsome blue Angel now mumbling quietly beside him.

“Your mother is a uniquely interesting woman, Prince Tenshi.”

Tenshi only snorted. He didn’t meet the Spirit’s gaze, nor did he try to continue their conversation.

“Even though I have seen her full angelic glory, I still worry for her. I mean… I know she is a fierce creature and all, but she’s just so tiny.”

Still, Tenshi didn’t respond.

“In truth, I was surprised she lived through… you know… what she did.”

“She has lived through worse.”

“I assumed as much.”

Duhrias paused as his mind drifted back to her most recent horrific injuries. He looked again to his angelic companion, trying to judge the grumbling son of his new Empress.

“Not only is she an exquisitely ferocious Death Angel, she is an exquisitely beautiful woman as well.”

Tenshi shot him a hard glare then, but did not speak.

“It’s a damn shame, it is.”

The sapphire Angel shook his head and rolled his eyes before sighing resignedly.

“Fine. I’ll bite. What is a damn shame? The fact that she is beautiful? Or that she can rip your still beating heart out before your next breath?”

“Oh, no, no, nothing like that. I did not mean anything bad. Truly. I only meant the part about her… you know…
relationship
issues.”

Her beautiful son turned then to face the River Spirit fully. Duhrias didn’t flinch.

“And just what do you know concerning her
relationship
issues? And why would any of that have any bearing whatsoever on your duty as her sworn Knight? The fact that you keep standing there showing your obvious desire for her, pining endlessly over all the reasons you can never have her, is seriously starting to piss me off.”

“Now don’t get so upset. I mean, I don’t really know much about her past
or
her relationship issues. Not really. And I wasn’t pining.” Duhrias half smiled. “That tiny little ball of fire you call Mama, she isn’t exactly an open book or anything. But she did hint at more than just a few problems in that arena.”

“I have no idea why any of that should concern
you
. So you can just stop now. You have no chance with her, Spirit. She is meant to be bound to no one, especially you. In truth, I find the fact that you keep dwelling on something that is absolutely none of your business, and never will be, to be extremely offensive and completely outside the boundaries of your sworn duty,
Knight
.”

“I meant no offense, good Prince. I only found it rather amusing. That’s all.”

“And what could you possibly find
amusing
about someone else’s destroyed heart?” Tenshi growled then. “I am certainly not
amused
with either your inappropriate reflections concerning her, nor your poor choice of expressing said amusement.”

“Wait, no. You are taking this all wrong.”

“Oh, am I now? Perhaps you said it wrong then. Would you like a chance to rephrase it?”

“I only meant that… well, she didn’t even bat a lash at my constant teasing and flirting,” he mumbled. “And even though Lord Akio and Prince Suou both left no doubt concerning their affections for her, she remained resolute and undeterred.”

Tenshi didn’t speak, only stared at the other man, waiting for the now uncomfortable River Spirit to continue digging his own hole.

“Well… I just found it odd. That’s all.”

Tenshi growled again. “Found
what
odd?”

“The way she was completely different when I returned… as opposed to when I left her to join Prince Suou in battle.”

Tenshi huffed out a sigh. “She is the Angel of Death, sell-sword. When the blood starts flowing… she changes. She has to.”

“Is that all it was?” Duhrias mumbled under his breath.

Tenshi turned from the man, hurling another acorn into the nearby forest, ripping several leaves from their branches. He groaned out his impatience as he bent down to pick up another one.

“So…” Duhrias paused when Tenshi shot him a scalding glare.

“What? And know this before you speak. I have just about had my fill with your improper feelings and musings concerning my mother.”

“No, no. I was only going to say… don’t you think it’s taking an awfully long time for those two to discuss their
business
? I mean… does it normally take them this long?”

“No.” Tenshi growled, turning back the forest. “It does not normally take them this long because Mama hates that deceiving little silver-eyed soul-eater.
Normally
within seconds, their blades are drawn and she tries to kill him.”

“Wow,” Duhrias said, the corners of his mouth turning down. “I would never have guessed
that
. They have been inseparable since he showed up, even bathed together in my river.” He huffed out a sardonic laugh. “I have seen much of hate, Angel. And that is
not
what I beheld when I looked upon the two of them.”

Tenshi spun toward the River Spirit, a fierce look burning hot in his heavenly blue eyes. “Tell me what you know.”

Duhrias held up his hands as if to surrender. “Whoa now, Angel. I know nothing concerning the two of them. I asked in hopes you could fill in a few of the gaps for
me
. When she ordered me to, I left her side to take up her part with the Prince. During my absence, her precious blood ran through my waters. I was devastated, and when next I could focus… the two of them were bathing in the Rogall River. And they were doing anything but fighting. Trust me. I have only just met her, Tenshi. And as I said, your mother is not exactly an open book. Well, least not to me. I only assumed they must be lovers and he had tracked her down here.”

“God forbid!” Tenshi yelled, storming into the forest while mumbling something about killing a demon-Angel.

Duhrias had trouble keeping up with the giant son of his new friend. If it wasn’t for the eerie glow of the strange blue light now emanating from him, the River Spirit might have lost him completely.

Tenshi burst into the open field, flaming like a white hot star. “Mama! What in the holy hell are you doing?” he yelled. “Did you not hear me calling for you? Why didn’t you answer me?”

Jenevier was lying on her side, her back toward the forest. When she didn’t move, didn’t even flinch at the anger her beloved son had never shown her before, Tenshi panicked. He flew to her side and had her wrapped within his arms in but a breath.

“Mama, what’s wrong?” His voice was now gentle, yet frantic. “What has happened? What did that devil do to you?”

Her eyes were open, but she didn’t speak.

When Duhrias finally reached them, Tenshi looked up to greet him with fear-maddened eyes.

“Mama, tell me what happened with Ahriman. Did he hurt you? I will kill him. I swear it.”

She glanced over at her sworn Knight, and then down to her trembling hands.

“I do not wish to talk about it,” she mumbled.

“I’ll just be heading back then,” Duhrias said, standing.

“It is not because
you
are here,” she mumbled again, and then sniffed. “I wish never to speak it aloud. To you, to my son, or to anyone else… ever.”

“But, Mama—”

She glared at the beautiful Angel still holding her, immediately halting his words.

“Never, Tenshi.” She narrowed her eyes. “Do you hear me?”

Her son only nodded in return and helped her to stand.

“I wish only to leave this godforsaken layer,” she said through gritted teeth. “I need something to cover these damn eyes. And then… I need to visit Akio before I go.”

*****

Duhrias Rogallis walked out of the busy store and headed straight for his waiting Empress and her heavenly son. Women turned all the way around to gawk at him.

“It’s the dimples,” Tenshi mumbled.

Jenevier snorted out a laugh. “Honey, they aren’t checking out his dimples.
Those
are not the cheeks their eyes are lingering upon.”

The handsome sell-sword smiled brightly as he handed her the small bag. “I picked out several different pairs.” He winked and clicked his tongue. “Just in case.”

Jenevier used her reflection in the storefront glass to decide. She tossed the solid black sunglasses with black frames back into the bag, handed the mirrored ones with metal frames to Duhrias, and then settled on a large pair with dark lenses and light pink frames.

“I knew you would pick those.” Duhrias bumped her with his elbow. “I like the sparkly stones on the side, here.” He pointed. “They’re flashy, Naga. Look just like they were made for you.”

She playfully elbowed him back.

“Odd, though,” he mused. “That’s the very pair that made the sales girl look so sad.”

He began admiring his own reflection then—adjusting his new sunglasses as he turned from side to side. Jenevier’s amusement turned to giggles when he made a kissy face while sliding them down to the tip of his nose.

“It broke her heart, Dimples,” she said through her laugh. “She thought you weren’t single when you picked out rhinestone-studded pink sunglasses.”

“Either that,” Tenshi added with a smile. “Or she thought perhaps you were batting for the other team.”

Jenevier bit her lip, but there was no holding in her laughter this time.

Only one corner of Duhrias’s mouth turned up when he spoke. “Perhaps that’s why the guy at the counter was blushing so brightly. Dude was so torn up… he gave me back an extra twenty.” He clicked his tongue again and winked.

He reminds me of Vareilious right now
, Nilakanta said.

Yeah, me too
, she thought.

Jenevier giggled again and pinched his arm. “That was so you could buy him a couple extra drinks tonight at the pub.”

“Well now, he sounds like an easy date.” Duhrias chuckled. “Two drinks and he just caves in?”

“Oh, I would say he’d probably cave
before
the drinks.” She playfully rolled her eyes. “But why rush it? Flirting is half the fun.”

“Ugh, you two,” Tenshi pretended to complain. “Let’s just go. It’s like
I
am the adult here.”

“Well someone needs to be.” Duhrias snorted out a laugh. “Because we definitely need some supervision. Ain’t that right, Babe?”

When he playfully swatted her across the bottom, Jenevier’s giggles only increased.

“Aww, but I much prefer playing about unsupervised, myself.”

Duhrias winked again. “Well we can do that too.” He nodded toward Tenshi. “As soon as you tuck the lad in, it’s go time.”

She was still laughing when she walked away, leaving the two men behind.

“Hey,” Tenshi said, under his breath.

Duhrias turned to face him.

“Gratitude.”

“For what?”

Tenshi looked toward his mother. “For making her smile. She doesn’t get to do that much anymore.” He sighed. “Sometimes… I almost forget how beautiful she looks… with her face all lit up like that.”

“No, I guess she hasn’t had much to smile about since she came
here
.”

He watched from the corner of his eye as Tenshi’s lips began to tremble.

“Well, good Prince, you had better start getting used to it.” Duhrias slapped him on the shoulder as they made to follow the tiny giggling Angel.

“Oh, yeah? And why is that?”

Duhrias smiled. “I can be whatever she needs me to be, act how her mood dictates I should act. I enjoy making her smile, Tenshi, and I have no intention of going anywhere. I am her only sworn Knight and sheath to her sword. She’ll not be leaving
me
behind… whether she likes it or not.”

A crooked smile turned up one corner of the sapphire Angel’s mouth. “Oh, Daichi is just gonna
love
you.”

*****

The two men watched as Jenevier entered the massive home, all alone. She had forbidden them from even showing their faces at the gate.

“You think she’ll be okay?” Tenshi said, already knowing the answer.

Duhrias half laughed. “There is not a creature left within this realm who could best your mama.”

“In battle, no.” Tenshi furrowed his brow. “But her heart is a whole different matter.”

Duhrias studied the Angel’s flawless profile. “That amethyst soul-eater really hurt her, didn’t he?”

“She did not tell me what Ahriman did or did not do to her.”

“No, she didn’t say it aloud. But I can tell by the look in your eyes… you know, minus her words.”