Page 71 of Rekindled Prophecy

His golden eyes darkened to a burnt umber hue, radiating intensity and determination with those words but glinted with mischievousness the next second. “Besides, you are crazy if you think you’re leaving without a dance.”

Before she had a chance to object, he pulled her over to the cover of the gazebo. Without another word, he pressed a button on his phone. Soft piano music began to play from the wireless speakers. With a giggle, she recognized the song … a Jim Brickman piece called “Partners in Crime.” Obviously fitting to mark the occasion when two enemies came together for a common purpose.

Taking advantage of her moment of mirth, he pulled her close. She opened her mouth to object, but the formidable look he flashed silenced the words on her tongue.

Unable to look away, Greylyn was vividly aware of everything about the moment and the man. The soft musk fragrance of his cologne – citrus and sandalwood. The warmth emanating from his body through his clothes. The glint of the auburn highlights in his hair as the moon melted over the horizon and the sun peaked up from its slumber. There was no sound except for the tinkling of piano keys from the tiny speaker that were almost drowned out by the thudding of her own heart as it threatened to break free of her chest.

She was incapable of pulling away from what was the most dangerous situation of her life. Greylyn had just faced down a fallen archangel, but she was much more frightened now. Her sanity hung by a thin fraying thread the longer she stayed nestled in his arms. She did not know if the music still played or not as she allowed Kael to hold her and gracefully move around the gazebo floor in small side-to-side steps.

Her skin warmed as if with a faint sunburn wherever their bodies touched. There was not a fiber of her being that was not completely attuned to the way his muscles moved underneath his thin, button-down shirt and twill dress pants. Blazing heat emanated from his hands as he traced invisible designs on the small of her back while they danced. His warm breath tickled the side of her neck causing goosebumps to break out all over her body.

Never had she experienced such a sense of physical awareness combined with such an inability for coherent thought. Somewhere in the far recesses of her mind, she knew there was something she needed to ask him. The reason she had sought him out in the first place but could not remember in the moment. Something …

Eventually, the side-to-side steps melted into a gentle swaying. Firm fingertips came up to cup her chin and forced her to look at him. His stare seared through her. Oblivious to all else, Greylyn could do nothing but return his gaze.

They remained that way for how long, she could not tell. Her body hummed in tune with his. Without conscious thought, she raised up on her tiptoes, just enough to where she had only to lean in the slightest and their lips would touch. More than anything she wanted to know what those sensual lips felt like. Her need to find out how he tasted overwhelmed her good sense. Kael lowered his own head to cross the insurmountable distance between them.

A jolt of electricity sparked as their lips finally touched. Not painful, but an exhilarating rush spread throughout her body. Strange, but oddly familiar sensations raged as her own mind shut down and she gave all control over to her traitorous body.

Timidly at first, her fingers splayed out on his chest to bask in the feel of his muscles underneath them. A moan escaped her lips, but Kael only deepened the kiss and pulled her closer as if they could melt into each other.

Lost in the moment, lost in the way his tongue expertly parted her lips to play with her own tongue, lost in the surge of desire welling up in her body.

A lonely howl pierced the dawn. It was just enough to shock Greylyn out of her hypnotic state.

What have I done?

She jerked away. A long dormant part of her reached out to him even as Greylyn willed her body to cooperate, to escape. Overcome by an indescribable yearning to collapse into his arms and meld every inch of her body with his, uncontrollable tears sprung into her eyes. Never had she felt such searing pain as what accosted her when she disengaged from Kael. An invisible knife stabbed into her chest and ripped her heart out of her ribcage.

Backing away from him, she realized that her inner fear and turmoil must be evident in her face. There was no way to hide this level of distress. Fresh tears blurred her vision before cascading down her face.

His own expression mirrored her own unsatisfied desire and longing, but also a deep sadness. Immediately, his hand darted up to stop her escape, but ceased midway with his dark golden eyes showing anguished resignation.

Desperately she wanted to say something to soothe his turmoil, as well as her own. Somehow to put words to the feelings rampaging through her heart, mind, and soul. But no words were adequate. The only word that came out was a raspy, “No.”

If pain could be embodied in a glance, she recognized it in his eyes. Without another word, she abruptly turned on her heel and retreated to her room, every step a debilitating agony, leaving Kael alone to welcome the day.

Chapter 28

Never Say Good-Bye

What the hell, Grey?

The longest, coldest shower in the world could not alleviate the pain scorching her body since she pulled away from Kael. Still, she let the stinging water assault her skin. Her mind raced. Not on the evening’s revelations with Olivier and her deal with the devil. That memory receded. The only images scouring her mind were of Kael and how it felt having his arms around her. How right it felt, like the one necessity she had been deprived of her entire life. And she had ripped herself away. But the pain was far from being just physical. It ran much deeper.

Shivering, she stepped out of the shower. A look in the mirror revealed slightly blue lips and dark circles under bloodshot eyes that shone electric blue.

Sleep should have been impossible. Drawing the plush covers over her, Greylyn closed her eyes and prayed for oblivion. Surprisingly, darkness enveloped her exhausted mind almost immediately.

Thankfully, her sleep was dreamless. Nothing but a pitch-black welcoming abyss.

An annoying buzzing infiltrated the darkness. The buzzing morphed into a muffled chorus of “Back in Black” (her ring tone for Jasper).

No. No. Just five more minutes, please.

Again, another soft buzzing broke through, followed by strands of “Honky Tonk Women” (her ring tone for Thomas).

Oh, for goodness sakes. Leave me alone, people.

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