With the wind stirring her hair, the sun warming her skin, Raphael’s restless, seeking hand served to whip Serena into a sensual frenzy. He could tell by the way she panted and the way beads of perspiration dripped elegantly down the valley of her breasts that she was all but gone by the time they reached the house. He rushed around to her side, whisked her out of the car, and ran them both inside like teenagers.
He knew they would have forever together, but he couldn’t quench the desire he felt here and now. And so he had her for lunch, and as a midday snack, and around dinnertime, he feasted again as though Serena were a ten-course meal.
***
“You know, we can’t see each other tomorrow.” Serena stretched lazily, eyes closed and played with his thick fingers. “You’ll have to stay at the safe house. It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.” She and Raphael were dozing contentedly at last in the wee-small hours of the morning.
“Well, I guess it couldn’t do any harm. I’ll putter around, finish up any last details. Anyone staying with you?” he asked.
“No, I thought I’d spend the last day before we wed alone, since the rest of eternity I have to share it with you. It’s going to be such a hardship, you know.” She giggled. “Why? It’s okay, you know. It’s all over, honey. It’s been over. I’ll be fine.”
“I know. I guess I’m just being paranoid.” He lifted a stray lock of hair from her cheek. “I’m sure you understand why I’m a bit on the cautious side, but forget I mentioned anything. Roll over. You must be exhausted, and I wanna watch you sleep.” He smiled at her innocently, and she kissed him lightly before falling asleep almost immediately.
His smile faded and he watched.
***
It’s going to be a long day without Raphael, Serena thought, as she washed and dressed. But she carried on. With so many loose ends to tie up, final checks to be made, people and places to coordinate, she scarcely had time to think about anything else. Except for her father. In the quiet moments between the bedlam, she reflected upon him and her heart ached.
She had arranged for a nursing home staffer to drive him and his wheelchair to the Chapel of the Holy Cross for the wedding. They didn’t usually allow weddings there, but somehow, Raphael swayed their decision. Kemuel promised to wheel her father down the aisle beside her, and she loved him instantly for that. But her dream was to have him walk her down that aisle. A sob caught in her throat, and she quickly shook her head to whisk it away.
None of that nonsense, Serena. Don’t be greedy. At least he is alive and here to be a part of it all
.
As the day waxed on to evening, Serena felt unsettled. She hadn’t spoken to Raphael since the morning, even though her cell phone could attest to the fact that he had tried calling at least a hundred times. But a superstition was a superstition for a reason, so she stood firm. She decided to make a light supper for herself and watch TV. She had just gotten comfortable on the couch when the doorbell rang.
“Uh, I just sat down. Coming!” she shouted out.
Must be Callie with some last minute details to review.
“Hey Cal…” she began, swinging the door open, and found herself grabbed roughly by the shirt and pushed inside. Before she could even scream for help, duct tape was slapped on her mouth, and she was shoved backward into the kitchen. Firmly planted on a chair, plastic ties were used to secure her hands behind the chair. She wriggled and fussed madly in her seat, but she couldn’t budge.
“Well, Goddess, so we meet again, and for the last time. What? You thought I died back at the mad doctor’s mansion? I may be an easy target for your elbow or knee, but I’m certainly not an easy kill. So, how’s the touring business?” A smirk appeared on his face. A face that held new scars and appeared disfigured. Something familiar assaulted Serena’s memory.
Wheezer. He’s alive
!
How is he still alive
?
And how the hell do I kill him
? She looked around to see where her knives were.
Too far, right now
. He quickly got her attention by pulling out a gun.
“So we need to have ourselves a little chat, my dear.” He waved his gun all around. “You’ve been a royal pain in the ass, you know? First Bull, then Steve and the doctor. You cause pain and death wherever you go. But I’m going to see to it you never wreak that kind of havoc ever again. I’m done playing sister, and so are you.”
He aimed the gun and squeezed the trigger. She screamed, but the sound only got as far as her taped mouth. The bullet punctured her right above her left breast. Another quickly followed, hitting her above her right breast. Another scream of terror and tears streamed down her face as the pain engulfed her, but she noticed something strange after only a couple of moments. The pain disappeared. Her blood still stained her shirt, but there was no more seepage.
Is this what it’s like to be immortal
?
In that instant, she’d come to understand that she knew so little about herself anymore, and promised when this was over, to find out.
Raphael
!
Dear God, he can hear my thoughts. He must know Wheezer’s here, and he’s on his way right now
. But how could she be sure? She’d only read his mind once, and with a lot of help from him.
“Mmmf!” she groaned. Another bullet had struck her in the gut.
Raphael, save me
! she thought deep and hard, imagining a telephone line connecting the two of them.
I’m coming, sweetheart
!
Hold on
! he answered. Relief washed over her when she heard his voice clear as day in her mind.
“Mmmf!” Yet another bullet pierced her right lung. She could barely breathe for a few moments, but things soon returned to normal, yet again. She kept the wounded act up, though, making sure Wheezer hadn’t caught on to her special ability. She looked around again for anything she could use to stop him.
Well, there’s the chair I’m sitting on. I could rush him with it and send him off balance
. She liked that idea, and without another thought just did it. Caught completely by surprise, not only was he knocked to the ground, but he broke the chair into splinters and the gun flew from his hand. Serena found herself nearly free. She relied on her fitness and a couple of defense classes to get over to the gun and kick it far away from the psycho. He already made moves to stand back up, so Serena roundhouse kicked him across the jaw. He twisted and fell to the floor as she ran to get something to free her hands. She found a small paring knife and went to working sawing her hands free. It only took a few a swipes of the blade to cut her hands loose. She ran to get the gun and pointed it at Wheezer. He stirred. She tore the tape away from her mouth.
“Don’t you fucking move, asshole! Not one inch!” she shrieked.
Raphael, I got him
!
I’ve got a gun pointed at him
!
Good girl
!
I’m flying up to the house right now. Keep it steady
.
Serena heard him blast through the front door and turned for an instant. Just enough time, for when she turned back, she found Wheezer lunging at her, and without a moment’s hesitation, she raised the gun and unloaded the remaining bullets into his chest.
Raphael ran into the kitchen to find a very dead Wheezer on the floor and a very still Serena standing with a bloodied shirt and gun frozen in her hand.
“It’s over, sweetheart. Now, it’s really over. Give me the gun, honey,” he coaxed gently.
“I heard you coming in,” she said stoically, even though tears were tracking down her face. “I turned. Stupid. I was distracted and he lunged for me. Swiftly and permanently, Raphael. He’s gone. I did it. He won’t be back. Swiftly and permanently.” She gazed up at him and relinquished the gun. Shock drained from her body as soon as she saw his angelic face, and it changed to awe over the dawning realization that she had survived multiple gunshots to her body.
“Come here, baby,” he soothed, as he took the gun from her hand and held her to him. “It’s all right. I’ll call the cleanup crew to clear away the filth. It’s all over now, for real. I’m so sorry. We thought for sure he died in the explosions. Jesus, I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he kept muttering into her hair.
Serena stepped out of his grasp. “I’m all right, Raphael. Look at me. I’m alive. I’m full of holes, and I’m alive. It’s extraordinary! And that piece of scum is not worth wasting another moment’s thought. He got what he deserved: Brethren justice. Just not exactly handed down by a Brethren. But I think a Brethren’s soon-to-be wife should count for something. Don’t you?” She raised an eyebrow.
Raphael sighed with relief upon hearing her sassy voice. “I think we can make provisions for that. Let me look at your wounds, okay?”
She picked up her shirt, and he found no scarring at all from where the bullets had entered her. She lowered the straps of her tank top for him to check out her back.
“Well that’s interesting. Nowhere on your belly or chest is there any scarring, but there is some back here by your shoulder blades. Jesus!” He took a step back and raked his hands through his hair.
“What? What? You’re scaring me! What is it?”
“It’s just that these scars…these scars look like a scepter…surrounded by a pair of…of angel’s wings. Call me crazy, but that’s what I’m seeing. Take a look!” He brought her to the bathroom mirror and turned her so she could see.
“Holy shit! What the hell does that mean?”
“I don’t really know. It could have something to do with gaining your immortality. We’ll have to ask E.L. Until then, I’d say we have a wedding to attend tomorrow. And I’m telling you now, I’m staying here tonight. You can screw your superstitions!”
“Don’t worry, honey.” Serena walked into his arms. “I’d rather screw you.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Serena awoke to the sound of birds chirping and the smell of fresh coffee brewing. She rolled over lazily, reaching out for Raphael, but the space was empty. With eyes still closed, she frowned.
Where is that man
? That man had probably been out of bed since the crack of dawn, beside himself with nerves for today’s big event, she thought regretfully.
They were to be married today. Their lives intertwined for all of eternity. What man wouldn’t have cold feet at the prospect? And they’d known each other such a short time, too. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, and frowned again.
She had awakened at the safe house. She killed a man last night in her own home, and she knew she could never go back there ever again. She didn’t care how good the Brethren’s cleanup crew could restore her home. It would never erase the vivid memories and horrors of what had happened there. She and Raphael would have to find themselves a new home, together. Until such time, this place would be it, thanks to a late night call and the generosity of E.L. He had told them to consider it a wedding present.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Raphael sang out while walking into the room. His smooth delivery impressed her.
“Good morning, loverboy. Don’t you look all calm, cool, and collected this morning.”
“And why shouldn’t I be? This promises to be one stellar day, my dear.” He sported the widest smile she’d ever seen on him.
“Okay, now you’re scaring me. Who are you, and what have you done with my soon-to-be husband?” She sat up in bed as Raphael launched himself next to her.
“I know something you don’t know,” he taunted, nibbling on her neck.
“What is it? Mmmm, that feels good,” she moaned and gathered her wits. “Don’t do that! You’re distracting me. Tell me what it is, Raphael.”
“Nope.”
“Your teasing is just plain criminal, you know that?” she cried out, pushing him away from his feast on her neck.
“There’s coffee on the stove and pancakes on the table. Gotta run! Gotta get ready! I got me a hot date with a sexy female in a little while. I may marry her, too.” He kissed her quickly and fled the scene of the crime.
“He’s certifiable, really,” she muttered out loud as she got up from bed, and started to prepare herself for the biggest day of her life.
***
“All systems go, Dad?” Raphael asked as he waited for him to come out of his bathroom. He had gone to the nursing home and brought over his future father-in-law’s tuxedo.
“Yep, it fits perfectly.” He opened the door and splayed his arms out. “What do you think? Do I look presentable enough to walk my daughter down the aisle?”
“You could be wearing a sack and she wouldn’t care.” Raphael gave him a hearty slap on the shoulder. “You’re walking great. Steady as she goes. I can’t begin to imagine her reaction. Today is more than just the day your daughter is getting married. It’s a testament to your spirit, a triumph over adversity, with a little bit of divine intervention splashed in for good measure. Come on, we’ve got a wedding to put on.”
***
Callie laced up the wedding gown, making it good and tight, just like in the old days. The gown, simply exquisite in antique ivory satin and lace, with one inch straps over the shoulders and a squared neckline, accentuated Serena’s assets and cast a warm glow over her skin. Beyond the tight-fitting bodice, the rest of the gown flowed downward in elegant waves around her. Crystals were sewn in throughout the gown, making Serena look like royalty. A small tiara with tulle attached made up her veil. She had to admit she felt like a princess.
Serena couldn’t wait to see Raphael, having only ever seen him in casual wear or nothing at all. Something told her he would be one extraordinarily dashing example of a man in his tuxedo. Taking it off him later, piece by piece, would surely prove to be quite pleasurable. A warm tingle spread through her body as she thought about the possibilities.
“All set, Serena.” Callie clapped her hands together. “You look like a fairy princess. Raphael is gonna be speechless. Time to go and get hitched, girlfriend!”
“Do my scars show too badly back there?” she asked worriedly.