Fallen: Celeste (11 page)

"I know, William." She wandered around the room,
absorbing the pain and fear. "This one was strong. She fought him longer
than the others did. She marked him."

"Will those injuries help us identify him?" Adam asked.

William shook his head. "No, Tomas will have healed by now.
He would feel he could use a little of his energy on healing because he has a
huge amount stored from the last killing he did."

"She didn't injure him that way. This woman marked his
mind." Celeste stood in the doorway, her eyes showing that she was far
away from the house.

"She would have to be very strong mentally to do that."

"I can feel her. It's like she attached part of her essence
to him. It feels almost like a scent." Celeste moved to the sidewalk. She
glanced both ways down the street.

"Which way did he go?" William and Adam followed closely
behind her.

"He must have had a car waiting because I don't get a sense
of her in either direction." Celeste's eyes were glowing as she turned
back to them. William could see she was excited about this breakthrough.

William was excited too. The sooner they could solve this case and
put Tomas away, the sooner he could go back to Reno. He missed his apartment
and his routine. He missed hitting the casinos for poker. He had a talent for
playing cards and that's how he made his living in this time. As a professional
poker player, he could travel the world if he wanted to. He also missed the
strip joints. He might not want to fall in love with a mortal, but he didn't
mind looking.

He felt a twinge of loneliness as he watched Adam wrap Celeste in
his arms. It looked like his best friend had found a man to stick by her. Even
if Adam still thought she was crazy from time to time, he knew Adam was slowly
starting to
believe
that Celeste was really an angel. He also knew that Adam had finally admitted
to himself that he didn't care if Celeste was crazy or not, he was going to
love her anyway. William wondered if he would ever find a woman who would love
him like that.

"So this link this woman put on Tomas, do you think you can
find it again?" William interrupted the tender scene.

"Yes, now that I know what it feels like, I shouldn't have a
problem finding him."

"So when's the next home game?" William led the way to
the truck.

Disappointment colored Adam's voice. "Tomorrow night."

"Tomas will have time to rest and recharge, but it will also
give us time to prepare. You two keep pawing each other like teenagers. I have
to go and talk to someone."

Celeste laughed. "Who do you have to talk to, William?"

William ignored her question until he pulled up in front of
Celeste's office building. As they got out of the car, he said, "I have to
talk to Father Michael." Adam whirled around, but William pulled away
before he could say anything.

* * * *

"How does William know Father Michael?" Adam asked as
they entered Celeste's office.

"We know all the religious people in town," Celeste
muttered.

"Why?"

"It pays to know the people who pray. So when you need a
little extra help and you can't ask for it on your own, you know who to go
to."

He noticed the strain on her face. "You should probably rest
for a little while. We don't get much sleep at night and I know that using your
power or whatever you do has to wear you out."

She nodded. He helped her lie down on the black leather sofa
residing in the corner opposite her desk. He took off her shoes and covered her
up with an afghan. She murmured something to him. He assumed she was thanking
him. He sat watching as she fell asleep.

He touched her face gently. She looked like an angel. He laughed.
Of course she did. What else would she look like? He had to get out of there.
If he didn't, he would be joining her on the couch. It was time to check in at
his office anyway.

* * * *

Adam whistled as he strolled into his office. Jakar winced as he
slapped the demon on the shoulder. Flinging his coat onto an empty chair, he
threw himself at his chair behind his desk. The momentum of his body caused the
wheeled chair to slide across the floor.

"And why are you so happy today?" Jakar handed Adam a
whiskey.

"Who wouldn't be happy today?" He slugged back the
alcohol and handed the glass back to Jakar. "I have a beautiful woman in
my bed. We're close to catching the killer. Life is good."

"It will only be good until you find Tomas. Then Celeste will
leave you and you'll be an ass to work for," Jakar mumbled.

The grin left Adam's face. Damn, the demon was right. Celeste
would leave him as soon as she captured Tomas. Even though he knew she cared
for him, he didn't know if she loved him enough to stay with him. He was going
to have to convince her somehow.

"Jakar, make sure a dozen red roses get delivered to
Celeste's apartment this afternoon. Make sure my usual table is reserved at
Antonio's. I need a bottle of Cristal chilling at my house tonight."

Jakar laughed. "Trying to bribe her into staying, huh?"

Adam glared at him.

"Yes, sir. I'll make sure everything is taken care of. Now,
these business deals need your attention." Jakar placed some contracts in
front of Adam.

* * * *

The bouquet of roses was delivered just as William arrived at
Celeste's apartment. He laughed at her expression. "I can guess who those
are from. He's starting to get nervous now that the end is near. He wants you
to realize all that you'll be losing if you leave him."

Celeste didn't look at William. Her heart racing, she knew what
Adam was trying to do. She understood that he needed to tie her to him. By
sending her roses and taking her out to a fancy restaurant, he was trying to
prove he could take care of her. It wasn't her body she worried about. She was
worried about him taking care of her heart. What if he got bored with her? Part
of her charm, she knew, was the fact that she had been unavailable for so long.
Now that he could fuck her any time he wanted, maybe part of her allure would
wear off.

"How do you feel about him, Celeste?" William's quiet
question reminded her that he was still in the room with her.

With a slight smile, she turned to him. "I guess I must love
him, William."

"You guess?"

"I can't seem to think of anyone else but him. No other guy
makes me sweat or come quite like he can. I enjoy fucking him, but it's more
than that. I enjoy just spending time with him no matter what we do. I've never
felt this way with any of the mortals I've been with through the
centuries." She sat down and stared out the window.

"Maybe even those of us who have fallen from grace have a
soul mate out there. Maybe through the years, you've been searching for each
other and now He's finally allowed you to be together." Celeste turned to
look at him, her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Of course, I could just be
talking out of my ass. It's probably nothing more than chemistry. You want him.
He wants you. Sometimes it isn't any more complicated than that, Celeste. You
tend to overthink things." William walked over and cupped her chin in his
hand. Making her eyes meet his, he smiled at her. "Just enjoy it, Celeste.
Let whatever comes, come. Don't hurt yourself before you need to. Maybe you
should take the leap that his feelings are real. Let your heart love him,
Celeste. Find some peace for both of you."

"What about you, William?" She looked up at the fallen
who had been her friend since the rebellion.

"Me? I'll wish you both happiness and go home to Reno. There
are hands of poker to be played and strippers to leer at. Maybe if there really
is a soul mate out there for me, I'll find her one day." He brushed a
gentle kiss over her lips. "Don't worry about me, angel. I'll be fine. Go
and make yourself gorgeous for Montgomery."

After soaking in the tub for a half-hour, Celeste dried off and
rubbed vanilla lotion over her body. Her skin was flushed and she felt
restless. She knew it was because she was anticipating taking Adam into her
pussy later that night.

"Adam's
here," William called. She glanced at her reflection one last time and
whispered, "Knock 'em dead."

* * * *

Adam's jaw dropped when Celeste entered the living room. William's
chuckle barely registered as Adam's eyes devoured the woman before him.

She wore a short red leather skirt with a hip high slit that
opened enough to show the lace edging on her thigh high stockings. The sheer
white material of her blouse revealed her red camisole top. Her luscious
breasts were barely contained by it. Red stiletto heels finished the picture.
He wasn't sure how long his romantic evening was going to last. He hoped he
could make it through dinner.

He wondered at the sadness in Celeste's eyes as she kissed
William's cheek. It looked like she was losing her best friend. Smiling gently,
William pushed her to him.

"I won't wait up," the Enforcer said.

Adam waited until they got in the limo before he spoke up. He took
her hand and placed it over his heart.

"Why are you sad, Celeste?"

A tear trickled down her cheek. "I'm not sure I want things
to change."

Unsure of what she meant, he said, "If you don't want to see
me anymore, Celeste, you don't have to. I'll release you from our deal. I don't
want to force you." He wiped the tear from her cheek.

She laughed softly. "It's not our deal. I'm losing
William."

Adam couldn't help the small spurt of jealousy running through
him. "Is our being together making him unhappy?" He wondered what he
could do to change that. He would do anything except give Celeste up.

She shook her head. "No. William is thrilled about us. You're
my other half. My soul mate, William called you. Now that I have you, I don't
need him to lean on anymore." She stared at their hands clasped together.
Tears fell from her eyes and skipped down her face.

Adam couldn't stand to see her sad. Gathering her close, he tucked
her head under his chin. He ran his hands up and down her back, murmuring words
soothingly to her. "Tell me."

"I didn't know William until the rebellion. As angels we were
aware that others of our kind existed, but our sole purpose was to serve Him.
We really never paid attention to each other. Then Lucifer brought us
self-awareness and we realized there were many of us. After my rebellion and
banishment, I thought I would go crazy. My only reason for being had been to
worship Him. Without His presence, I was nothing, a void.”

"William came to me and made me laugh. He was the one who
encouraged me to become an Enforcer and helped me to survive. He knew I needed
something to do with my life. He's been my brother and my friend. Now, I'm
going somewhere he can't go. He's letting go of me so I can fly with you. It
feels like I'm losing a piece of myself." She sobbed softly.

Adam quietly informed the limo driver to take them to his house.
He knew she wasn't in the mood for a romantic dinner. He held her tightly as
she mourned the loss of her friend. When they came to his house, he gathered
Celeste into his arms and carried her to his bedroom.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Celeste wasn't sure when they had gotten to Adam's house. She had
been too busy dealing with the pain of having to let William go. She knew she
would always love him, but Adam would be the one she would be turning to from
now on.

Worn out, she didn't move as Adam started to undress her. A sigh
escaped her as he slid her shoes from her feet. He massaged her arches for a
few seconds. His hands glided up her legs and hooked in the lace band of her
stockings. She didn't protest as his rough fingertips snagged the delicate
silk. After he threw the second one across the room, he helped her to sit up.

Celeste didn't object to his harsh jerk tearing her shirt apart.
She noticed that his hands were trembling. Looking into his green eyes, she
caught glimpses of anger, pain and jealousy. Yet overriding them all was love.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sad that William is leaving,
but it will be all right. I have you to fill the void. I'll share my secrets
with you. We'll laugh and love. I choose you, Adam. I'm not your mother. I
won't leave you and break your heart."

Celeste didn't know if Adam understood her. Her tears tonight had
torn down walls around his heart and he was overwhelmed with feelings he had
always tried to hide from. She cradled his face in her hands and pressed her
lips to his.

There was no finesse in his taking her this time. He ripped his
clothes off and covered her. She welcomed him as he thrust into her. She wasn't
totally ready for his entrance but she dealt with it. Adam was too far gone in
his fear and pain to notice her discomfort. She was willing to suffer if he
would feel better in the end. It was only a few minutes before he came
violently. She held him in her arms and stroked his back as shudders racked his
body.

* * * *

Shutting his eyes, Adam pulled away from her. He couldn't believe
he had taken her like that. Where had his legendary prowess as a lover gone? He
remembered how frantic he had felt while Celeste had cried. The fear that she
would decide to leave him had caused the little boy inside him to panic. He had
needed to tie her to him in some way, so he picked the most primitive way he
could. He'd claimed her with his body. Now if he could only be satisfied that
she really did love him.