Fallen (Chronicles Of The Fallen) (17 page)

“It means I was stripped of everything that made me an angel, thus becoming a demon. I was cast out of Heaven and sent into Hell.” Alex tries hiding the emotion inside of him, the experience of his ordeal still fresh in his mind. The burning is still very much alive inside of him; however, the flames have calmed some. “When I crossed into the planes of Hell, it was my intention to find you.”

“Alex.”

Flashes of memory tease her mind. She sees herself crying in Alex’s arms, telling him she loves him. At a loss for words, she stands there and stares at him, her lips parted. Her heart thumps hard in her chest, but this time it’s not from panic. Stepping closer, her hands reach up and her fingers gingerly touch his arms. Her
eyes look deep into his. She looks down, then leans forward and lays her forehead against his bare chest. Alex wraps his arms around her and pulls her close. She lays her cheek over his heart and listens to it beat, her arms going around his waist. In this moment, she feels their hearts beating as one.

“In the end, we were both freed. I ended up facing a few consequences, though,” he tells her.

Tilting her head up and looking at him, a tear slips down her cheek. Alex brings a hand up, his thumb gently swiping it from her face. “What kind of consequences?” she asks.

Recalling Michael’s words, he carefully considers what he’s about to tell her. “When I became a demon, everything inside of me died, except how I feel about you. I needed something from my humanity to hold onto; it was you. It’s always been you.” He smiles softly.

Lisa closes her eyes and tries to keep the tears from falling. A few escape and Alex runs the pads of his thumbs over her cheeks. “I gave myself to free you. I accepted your fate as my own. Doing so broke your contract, and your soul was returned to your body.”

“Oh, Alex.” Having no idea what to say, she reaches up and cups his cheeks. Seeing the torment in his eyes, she pulls him down to her and kisses him softly. After their lips part, she rests her hands on his shoulders. He gently presses his forehead against hers.

“I didn’t expect what happened next to occur. I was freed from Hell, but not as a demon. I’m still a demon, but only partially. I regained a part of my angelic side. I became something of a hybrid.” Lifting his head, he stares into Lisa’s emerald green eyes, looking for any signs of confusion or fear.

She considers this, then asks, “What happens to you now?” She shakes her head. “Let me try that again. What I mean is what does this mean for you? For us?”

He nods and offers a smile. “For now, it means I’m able to remain on earth for as long as you’ll have me.” He chuckles, knowing he should tell her he’ll never die or grow old. He knows he should tell her everything right here and now but, against his better judgment, he decides that this is enough for one day. “I'm not sure where I fit in between Heaven and Hell yet, but we can discuss this more later, if you like.”

Lisa nods and smiles. “I would like that.” She sighs and glides her hands down to his biceps. “I mean, if you plan on being my boyfriend, I should know how this hybrid thing works.” She raises a brow and looks at Alex.

His eyes widen slightly and he smiles, feeling relief rush through him. He knew Lisa was an amazing woman; she’s accepted him no matter what. “Boyfriend? Hmm…” He pauses as if to think about her offer. She gasps and playfully slaps his arm. “Hey now! I’m teasing.” He chuckles, then adjusts his arms around her waist again, pulling her closer. His voice lowers an octave. “I want to be more than your boyfriend, Lisa. I want you to be mine.”             

Lisa opens her lips to respond, but Alex crushes his lips to hers, sending a shock through her body. She’s whimpers and tilts her head, parting her lips and accepting his tongue as it enters her mouth. His hands move across her back, wrapping further around her, pulling her flush against him. Her heartbeat picks up and she moans softly. The hunger in his lips causes her knees to weaken. His tongue glides over hers and their lips move as one. His hands move down over her ass, squeezing her closer. She feels his erection pressing through his clothes and she lets out another moan.

Her body heats up, her hands moving up his arms and around his neck. Her breasts press against his chest and a gentle heat throbs between her thighs. She mumbles softly against his lips, “I guess it goes without saying that your lips are no longer sensitive?”

Alex chuckles against her lips. Pulling back, he says “As an angel, it burned me each time we kissed.” He grins playfully. “Now, I only feel your soft lips against my own.”

She raises a single brow and grins. “Then I suggest you continue kissing me. You have a lot of making up to do.”

A growl erupts from Alex’s lips. Raising his hands, he grasps her cheeks and claims her lips again. Letting out a moan, her hands move down Alex’s chest, allowing her fingers to memorize the contours of his chest. His muscles ripple underneath her fingers. She moves her hands down his abs. She pushes her hands around his back and he leans into her.

He moves his hands down her neck, past her shoulders, to her breasts. Gently, he squeezes them, and she gasps against his lips. Moving away from her lips, he kisses her jawline, then just under her ear. Feeling his breath fan across her skin, she tilts her head slightly, another moan escaping.

Pulling her hands back from his chest, she pushes them around his neck. Alex glides his hands down to her waist, then back to her ass. He lifts her up, Lisa wrapping her legs around his waist. As they continue to kiss, her arms tighten around his neck and the heat grows between her thighs, his erection pressing hard against her.

Walking into her bedroom, Alex lays her down on the bed. His lips move down to her neck, then he grinds against her. Gasping, Lisa’s back arches slightly. “Oh, my god,” she whispers. Alex grins against her neck, then nibbles on her ear, his breath sending a shiver through her body. Bringing a hand down to her breast, he gently squeezes it, pinching her erect nipple through the material of her shirt.

“I love you,” he whispers to her. His lips move down her neck and his hands begins unbuttoning her
top. Separating the material, he kisses down her chest, between her breasts. Her hands move up into his hair, her legs hugging around his body.

Her eyes watch Alex. When he meets her gaze, she says “I love you, too.” The blue in his irises glows softly. He smiles and moves back up, kissing her again. The kissing turns more aggressive and she whimpers when he grinds against her again.

Her hands press against his chest and he sits up. Her hands move over his skin. “I have too much on. Help me?” She bites her lip playfully.

Grasping one of her hands, he brings it to his lips and kisses the top of it. She lets out a giggle as he pulls her up. Grasping the hem of her shirt, he pulls it over her head, tossing it behind him. His eyes move over her body, appreciating the beauty that is Lisa. Reaching behind her, he unfastens her bra; like the top, he tosses it.

His hands grasp her bare breasts. She sighs and claims his lips. Pressing against her, Alex pushes her back down on the bed. Kissing down her neck to her chest, his lips move over her right breast, his tongue running circles over her hardened nipple. His hand pinches the other nipple gently and Lisa closes her eyes, moving her fingers into his hair. Holding up his body with his knees, he grabs both of Lisa’s arms and pushes them above her head again.

Looking up at her, Lisa catches his gaze. Her lips part and she whimpers, laying her head back. Moving to her other nipple, he pulls it into his mouth, sucking gently. Her legs tighten around his waist and he grinds against her. The heat between her thighs grows with his teasing. Kissing down her stomach, his hands move to her pants, unbuttoning them. He slips her sandals off her feet, then takes her pants and tugs them over her slender legs.

Gliding his hands up her legs, Lisa watches him with a grin on her lips, her hands grasping the bed above her head. Alex hooks his fingers on the outside of her panties and pulls them down. Tossing them to the floor, his eyes roam over her body, his hands moving up her legs. “You are absolutely the most beautiful creature I have ever laid my eyes upon.”

He stands up, removing his pants. Kicking them off, he grabs his boxers and pulls them down. Standing straight again, Lisa sits up and looks over his body, her eyes trailing down his sculpted chest and his amazing abs. She imagines putting ice cubs in her mouth and skimming them around the contours of his muscle. Her heart quickens and her eyes trail further down. Her brows rise at the sight of his erection. She looks back at him, her lips slightly parted.

Alex grins, raising his own brow. “You’re not scared, are you?”

Blinking, she laughs and shakes her head. “Absolutely not.” She reaches for him, taking his hands and pulling him towards her on the bed.

One knee on the bed and then the other, he hovers over her, looking down into her eyes. As he lowers himself, his erection rubs up against her, causing her to gasp. Pressing her lips to his, Lisa moves her legs around his torso and he grinds against her, causing her to moan.

Her hands move up Alex’s arms, stopping on his biceps. Her fingers grip against his muscles and her hips grind back against him. A whisper leaves her lips, “I love you."

“I love you,” he whispers back. Moving his hand down, Alex lifts his body just enough to run his hand down between them. Grasping his length, he presses it against her. The heat radiating from Lisa reaches him in a way he’s never felt.

Feeling the tip of his dick pressing against her, she whispers, “Please,” against his lips. His heart drums faster in his chest and he pushes inside of her. Gasping, she grips his arms tighter and moans. Their lips barely touching, she feels Alex’s breath fan across her face.

He pulls back and thrusts inside her again, his eyes watching her. She moans and closes her eyes, her back arches, pressing her body against him. He kisses along her jawline and his hand moves up her side, gliding from her waist up to her breast. Pinching her nipples, he brings his lips back to hers.

Her hands move down his arms, then around his back. When he pulls back, she opens her eyes and looks into his. She knows everything that’s happened has led them to this moment. He thrusts into her again, the sensation soliciting a moan from her that echoes throughout the bedroom.

He looks at her and grins, thrusting again. He receives the same response and grins wider. Lisa’s breath becomes ragged, her body coming alive with sensation. At this moment, heat builds up inside her, causing an explosion unlike anything she’s ever felt. Her hands reach above her head and grab the headboard. She moans louder as Alex thrusts faster, her orgasm causing her body to shake.

Suddenly, Alex yells out once, twice more. Slowing down, he pants for air, sweat beading on his forehead, chest, and back. As he looks down at her, she begins to relax underneath him. Bringing her legs down beside his, she looks up with a smile.

“Oh, my god, Alex.” Lisa shakes her head, and her smile widens until she laughs.

“I’m not sure I like it when you laugh after sex, Lisa.” Teasing her, he pulls out, then lays beside her, pulling her into his arms.

She laughs again and turns on her side, resting her head on his chest. Her arm moves across his chest and she sighs. “Trust me, I’m not laughing because of the sex. I’m beside myself and at a loss for any words to describe what we just did.”

His arm wraps around her and he looks at her, creasing his brows. “That’s good, right?”

She looks up and nods. “Absolutely.” She reaches up and kisses him, then relaxes against his chest.

With a grin, he settles against the pillow, bringing his free arm up and placing his hand behind his head.

“Once we relax,” she said, “we can get up and go take a shower. Maybe do this again in there.”

Alex shifts his head and looks at her, winking. “How long until you’re relaxed?”

She laughs and hugs him to her. His arm tightens around her body and he kisses the top of her head.

After taking a long shower, Alex and Lisa dress and venture into her kitchen for some food. He leans against the counter and watches her pull out sliced ham, cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard from the fridge. Looking over at him, she realizes she’s being watched. Smiling, she sets the items down, then turns to him; his black t-shirt from earlier appears slightly wrinkled from sitting on her floor.

Approaching him, Lisa runs her hands up and around his neck. Leaning into him, she asks, “What are you thinking about?”

He grins, his arms moving around her waist and his fingers pushing into the back pockets of her white shorts. Her yellow halter-top, tied up around her neck, provides Alex with exposure to her back, something he intends to take advantage of during their day together. “Just how sexy you look in this outfit.” He leans in and kisses her, lingering on her lips for a moment. “How much I love you.” He kisses her again. “How happy I am that I can love you without fear of persecution.”

She smiles against his lips. “I love you, too.” Considering what he’s said, she moves her fingers across his cheekbone and asks, “Alex, how does this work for you?”

“I’m not sure I follow your question. How does what work for me?” Looking into her eyes, he sees no fear from her, just maybe slight confusion.

“I’m sorry. What I mean is how will everything that’s happened affect you? Do you remain like this, in your human form, or will you have the ability to come and go as you please?”

He lifts his gaze up to the ceiling, hoping the answers are there, but they’re not. He takes a deep breath, thinking how to answer her. “I’ve been thinking about that. This is new to me so I think we’ll be learning together. I’m not allowed into Heaven or Hell, but it doesn’t mean I can’t talk to angels and demons. I should be able to sense both, but I’ve only been exposed to an angel so far.” Alex thinks back to the conversation he had with Michael.

“You won’t be called down there…” motioning to the floor, “…or up there?” motioning to the ceiling.

“I doubt it but, honestly, I have no idea.” Not ready to discuss the inevitable or how this may affect Lisa’s long term life with him, he says, “How about those sandwiches?”

She nods and goes back to the sandwich items she’s pulled out of the fridge. Walking to her breadbox, she pulls out the loaf of bread and sets it down. She pauses. “Alex…” Her gaze remains on the bread as she speaks. “What happens with us? I’m human and you…” She trails off, then shifts her eyes over to him.

Seeing the confusion and fear in her eyes, he takes a deep breath and drops his gaze to the floor. “I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about that, or that you’re ready to hear it.” Shaking his head, he crosses his arms over his chest. “There’s a lot to consider, and a lot to take in.” Slowly, he lifts his eyes to her.

Pursing her lips, she nods a few times, turning back to the bread. Pulling out four slices, she ties the loaf back off and sets it back in the breadbox. Opening her cabinet, she pulls out two paper plates, setting them on the counter. Placing the bread on the plates, she leans against the counter, her palms pressing down.

Quickly, she turns to face him. “Please, just tell me.” Lisa closes her eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath. Opening them, she steps closer to Alex. “Please, I can handle it. I think I’ve done pretty well so far.” She smiles, resting her hands on his forearms.

Alex studies her, looking into her eyes, hoping to see her thoughts. He uncrosses his arms and places his
hands on her arms, moving them up and down her skin. “There’s so much…I have no idea…” He stops, looking away from her.

“Alex.” She reaches up and cups his face, turning his gaze back to her. “I trust you. I love you, no matter what.”

Looking at her, he sees the woman he’s fallen in love with, the woman he fell from Heaven for, the woman he went to Hell to save. She returns his love for who he is, without judgment. A small smile reaches the corners of his lips. “You are an amazing woman, you know that?”

She smiles and shrugs her right shoulder playfully. “Thank-you. You’re amazing, too.”

He nods and drops his gaze to the floor. The space between them feels like miles when it’s just a breaths distance. Sighing, he lifts his eyes back to hers. “I’m immortal, Lisa. I’ll never grow old. I’ll never die, unless my time comes to an end by Him…” Alex points up, “…or by the bastard down below.” He points down. “Over time, you’ll age as any human would. I’m not sure how I’ll go on with life once you’re…once…” Alex stops and closes his eyes. He squeezes them shut in an effort to keep his tears hidden.

Lisa reaches up with both hands and cups his face. She presses her lips to his and holds in the sob threatening to escape. Her lips begin to quiver against his. Immediately, Alex pulls her close to him and holds her tight. He buries his face in her shoulder and she turns her cheek against his chest. Feeling a tear fall on her shoulder, she begins to lose it herself.

“Alex…” she whispers and he pulls back, swiping his face. “It’s okay; it’ll be okay. We have so much time until that happens, until any of that happens.” She offers a smile. “We can discuss this later, okay?”

Alex nods, takes a deep breath, and exhales. “Okay. I had no idea how to tell you this. I just knew
that, at some point, I’d need to.” Leaning down, he presses his lips to her forehead.

Her hands move down to his waist and she smiles softly. “Let’s eat something.” Raising her eyes to his, she says, “We can talk more throughout our time together, okay?”

He nods, then chuckles. “When did you become my support?”

She smiles. “When you gave yourself to me. That’s what love is. We support each other. You’re my rock and I’m yours.”

“I love you so much.”

She smiles, slipping her hands into his and pulling him to the counter. “I love you. Now let’s eat and relax a while.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Lisa prepares herself for work. Pulling on his clothes, Alex meets her in the kitchen. Pouring coffee into a tumbler, she pulls her purse over her shoulder, then turns to him. “What are you doing later this afternoon?”

He wraps his arms around her, then kisses her forehead. “I’m not sure. I haven’t made any plans. Whatever they are, I want you in them.”

“I’m good with that.” She sighs. “I’ll give you a call and let you know what happens at work. I’m not sure what I’ll walk into there. I have a few messages that an ‘all hands on deck’ meeting is taking place, but no other details.”

“I’ll have my phone on me.” Tilting her head, Alex kisses Lisa for a few minutes, her arms wrapped around his waist. She lets out a soft whimper and Alex chuckles before he pulls back. “I love you.”

She smiles. “I love you” Opening her door, the two walk out. Walking down the hallway together, they press
the down button for the elevator. Alex wraps an arm around her shoulder and kisses the top of her head. The elevator arrives and the two step on, Alex pressing one, Lisa pressing G.

Lisa turns to face him and runs her hands up his chest, around his neck. He leans down and kisses her. She sweeps her tongue across his lips, and he growls softly in response. She giggles, and the doors open to the first floor. Alex stands between the doors to keep them open. He pulls Lisa to him and kisses her once more. “Good luck and I’ll see you later.”

She smiles when the doors try closing, then reopen. “Thank you. See you later.” After this occurs two more times, the alarm goes off. He groans and steps off the elevator. She smiles and waves to him as the doors close.

Descending to the garage, the elevator opens again and she walks towards her car. Her stomach begins to knot and her nerves go on high alert. “Just go
in and be casual. We’ll see what happens next.” Putting the car into drive, she pulls out onto the street and heads into work.

Pulling into her parking spot and getting out, she looks around. She doesn’t see Samuel’s car anywhere. The black Porsche usually shines when the sun’s rays shine inside the garage in the morning, but not today. She takes a deep breath, and her stomach knots again. Closing her eyes, she counts to five and starts walking to the entrance. She reaches for the door, when it suddenly opens from the inside. She yelps and jumps back, then sees Steven, the Director of Marketing.

He jumps when he sees Lisa. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” he says. Lisa notices immediately that he looks on edge. There are dark circles under his eyes and they’re bloodshot.

“No, it’s fine.” She walks past Steven and steps inside. Stopping, she looks back at him. “Are you alright?”

“There’s just a lot going on inside. Go on in. You’ll be informed,” he tells her.

“Alright. Well, if you need to, go home and get some rest.” She offers a friendly smile.

“I’ll consider it, boss,” he responds, with what sounds like an attitude.

“Boss? Steven, what’s happened?”

“Just go inside. You’ll figure it out.” With that, he turns his back to her and walks out into the parking garage.

Raising her brows, she mumbles, “Whatever,” then shuts the door behind her.

The first thing Lisa notices is the volume that people are talking in. Some are yelling, some are just pissed. Furrowing her brows, she sets out to find Mariah, hoping she can shed some light on the situation. Looking towards her desk, Mariah isn’t there. She hears someone yell, “There she is!” Quickly turning around, the owner of Elite PR & Marketing is making his way towards her. She’s only met the man a few other times; it’s been a least a year since she’s seen him.

He’s tall and thin; his skin is tan and his hair is salt-and-pepper, cut short. Shawn Masterson approaches her and opens the conference room door. “Inside, Ms. Adams. We need to talk.” She swallows and walks inside, Shawn shutting the door behind them. “Take a seat. There’s a lot we need to cover in a short period of time. Seems that the shit has hit the fan over the last few days, and the shit is Samuel.”

Taking a seat, she crosses her legs and forces herself to remain calm. “Okay, may I ask what has happened?”

She watches Shawn’s brows furrow as he takes a seat. Resting his elbow on the table, his hand slides down his face. “I know Samuel shared a lot of information with you. He boasted about how you were going to be his right-hand man, so to speak.” He sighs, looking out the window of the conference room. The
storm that hit New York has finally passed, allowing the sun to shine once again. Lisa takes notice of Shawn’s face. He looks as if he’s not slept in a few days, maybe weeks. His gaze returns to her. “It seems Samuel has been embezzling money from me for quite some time. He set up an offshore account and has been slowly sending funds there. As we were closing in on him, he caught wind of what we were doing. He’s bolted and no one can find him, his accounts, anything. His phone is off the map and his residence is empty, like he moved out suddenly.” Shawn looks directly at Lisa. “After some digging and checking around, there’s no evidence tying any of this to you. Lisa, if you knew about any of this, you need to tell me. Now!”

Shock covers Lisa’s face and her mouth drops open. She thinks of everything Alex has told her about Samuel. Blinking, she shakes herself back to reality. “No, I had no idea. I knew he was out with clients a lot but, honestly, I had no idea.” Her eyes wander and she
looks through the glass walls, watching the people speculate on what has happened. She looks back to him. “Mr. Masterson, trust me when I tell you that I had no idea.”

Nodding his head, Shawn stands and walks towards the window. Looking outside, he crosses his hands behind his back. “I didn’t think you had anything to do with it.” He looks over his shoulder at Lisa. “At least that’s what the FBI has told me.”

“You had the FBI check me out?” Feeling a little shocked, she sits back in her chair for a moment. “I guess I can say that I’m glad I’m clean, considering I knew nothing of what he was doing.”

Shawn nods and turns his head back to the window, looking outside. “There’s the matter of finding you a new assistant, as well.”

“What?” The shock returns and Lisa sits forward in her chair. “What happened to Mariah?”

“We’re not sure. Like Samuel, she just disappeared.” Shawn sighs and returns to the table. Taking a seat, he leans his elbows on his knees. “Honestly, Lisa, I’ve never had anything like this happen before. Trust me when I say that I’m as shocked as you are. I’m fucking pissed that he embezzled from me but, unless he’s found, it’s my loss.”

Lisa’s gaze remains on him for a few more minutes. She shakes her head. “I had no idea.” She pauses for a moment, then recalls her brief conversation with Steven. She wants to ask what’s happened with him, but feels like its unchartered territory.

“There’s more.” Shawn sits back in his chair and offers a friendly smile. “With everything that’s happened, I need to name someone CEO. That someone is you.”

Lisa’s brows rise, not expecting any of this, especially the promotion. Her eyes remain on him for a few more minutes. Finally, she blinks, her gaze shifting to the wall with the photos of celebrities, a few of them containing her.

“You’re CEO now. You’re damn good at what you do and you bring in the most revenue. The position is yours, if you want it.” Shawn watches her for a moment. “I suggest you take it. It’s a one-time offer that I won’t present again.”