Fallen: Celeste (14 page)

Adam thought about giving up all his power. He would have to leave
the Demons. He imagined Celeste standing next to him, a smile on her face. He
knew his wealth and prestige meant nothing if she wasn't happy. He nodded.
"Yes, I can."

Mika'il nodded. "So it shall be. It is not my place to deny a
prayer or a gift given with love." He reached out to touch Adam's
forehead.

"Wait. Who are you?" Adam needed to know.

Mika'il's eyes were flooded with all the knowledge of the world. His
face hardened until it looked like granite. A grim smile etched itself on his
lips. "I am Mika'il. I am the one who branded her."

Adam's world faded to black.

* * * *

"Celeste, come with me." Mika'il stood before her in the
garden.

Celeste followed him as he went to the fountain. "What is
wrong, sir?"

"You know you cannot stay here. The time has come for you to
choose." Mika'il studied her with his ancient eyes.

"There is only pain there, sir. I don't know how much more I
can take. I don't want William to have to hunt me down." Celeste felt
tears well in her eyes.

"Only pain, Celeste? Look into the water and tell me what you
see." Mika'il gestured to the water in the fountain.

Celeste looked and saw Adam. He was laughing with his head thrown
back and his green eyes dancing. She saw herself holding his hand as they
walked along the street. She remembered that day at the zoo. She had never felt
so alive. They had gone back to her apartment and made love like they were on
fire for each other. She remembered other moments with him. Other moments where
they were laughing, loving or even arguing, but there had always been a feeling
of love and trust between them. Trust she knew Adam hadn't ever given to
anyone.

"Yes, he trusts you, Celeste. Strange, isn't it? A man like
him trusting a woman not to betray him. Yet, here you stand, willing to destroy
his trust because of the possibility of a little pain." Mika'il's face was
twisted in contempt.

Celeste turned her gaze inward. When had she decided love wasn't
worth feeling pain for? When had she lost faith in the very things loving stood
for? She was a coward to take that path.

"He prays for you, you know. Right now, beside your bed in the
hospital, the man who swore never to ask for anything is asking the Father for
something. He's asking for freedom for you."

Celeste smiled slightly at Mika'il. "I will go back. I love
him and for as long as he lives, I choose to be with him. When he goes to
Heaven, I will accept my hell."

Mika'il nodded gravely. "You made a good choice,
Celeste." Her world went dark.

EPILOGUE

"Celeste, get the hell down here or we're going to be
late." Adam fidgeted with the cuffs on his tuxedo. He turned to see Jakar
smiling. "What are you laughing at, you demon?"

Jakar shook his head. "Who would have thought a man who has
faced down killers would be nervous about facing a room full of honest
citizens?"

"It isn't every day a man like me gets an award for helping
the city, Jakar. What the hell were they thinking? Giving me an award like
this?" Adam stared at the demon in shock.

In the year since they had gotten married, Adam had given up his
leadership of the Demons. He had joined Celeste's security agency. He also spent
a lot of time donating obscene amounts of money to drug rehabilitation centers
and children's charities. He had told Celeste that since his wealth had come
from drugs, it was only fitting that same wealth was used to help the very
people he had hooked on them to heal.

"Shows a
deplorable lack of judgment, that's for sure." Before Adam could comment,
Jakar said, "I'll call for the car." Adam paced to the bottom of the
stairs. "Celeste," he bellowed up the stairs again.

* * * *

Celeste smiled at the impatience in Adam's voice. She took one
last look at the mirror. The full-length black velvet gown clung to her body
lovingly. The neck dipped deep in a vee to reveal the fullness of her breasts.
It dipped to display the tattoo on her back. She studied it for a moment. It
wasn't as vivid as it had been. She thought of Mika'il.

Go back to your mortal, Celeste. Enjoy the years you have
together. I'll be here to welcome you both home when it is time.

Humming to herself, she picked up the little purse that went with
her dress and headed downstairs. Adam stood in stunned silence as he watched
his wife walk towards him. It had been worth giving up Heaven to have her here
with him. At that moment, he was the happiest he had ever been. He swept her
into his arms and kissed her ardently.

Celeste wrapped one arm around his neck, returning his kiss with
enthusiasm. Her other hand slid down his chest to the prominent bulge in his
pants. She cupped it and stroked gently. He moaned. Pressing his hips tighter
to her, he plundered her mouth.

A cough broke the couple up. His amber eyes twinkling, Jakar stood
by the door. "I'm sorry, but the car has arrived."

"Thank you, Jakar." Celeste grinned at him.

"Yeah, thanks." Adam's cheeks were flushed and his
breath erratic. "We have to get going or the guest of honor will be
late."

"It will take about thirty minutes for us to get to the Opera
House, Adam. The limo's pretty roomy." Celeste sauntered out of the door.

"Don't wait up for us, Jakar." Adam rushed out after his
love.

"I won't, Montgomery." Jakar shut the door as the limo
pulled away. It was time to go.

The End

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