"It was nice to meet you," Emrys said, seemingly sincere while standing to shake Krista's hand.
"Same here."
"Sir," Emrys said, holding his hand out to shake Mark's hand next.
He gave Haniel a curt nod before following me out the French doors.
"That was fun," I grumbled, pulling my shoes off so I could walk barefoot on the sand.
"It wasn't that bad. Your uncle kind of reminds me of my dad. I like that he's overprotective of you," he said, linking his fingers through mine.
"It's all nonsense. I mean, seriously, I could kick all of your butts at the same time."
"Sometimes there are other dangers besides the ones right in front of you. Being able to kick butt doesn't always protect you. Your relatives are wise beyond their years. If you wouldn't have told me their ages, I would have guessed them older."
"I think that has to do with the whole fiasco they went through when they were basically my age. Mark's father was one sick bastard," I said, wondering if he knew any of the history surrounding Krista and Mark.
"That's what I heard. He was a hot topic at the time. The fact that he destroyed The Light's greatest weapon seemed to be the talk of every realm for a while," he said as we stepped onto the night-cooled sand.
"Yeah, what he did changed a lot of things from what I'm gathering. The Guides and Protectors are still important, but Krista and Mark are definitely more powerful being Ascended. Anyway, I think all the crap with Mark's dad prematurely aged both of them. Krista's mom says Krista was always an old soul, but I think it's more deeply rooted. Of course, getting saddled with a teenage freak probably didn't help," I joked.
"You are pretty freaky," he teased. "Thinking you're all badass and stuff."
"Really?" I asked in a calculating voice.
"Yeah, I mean, look at how puny your arms are," he said, reaching over to give my arm a pinch.
My foot whipped out, catching him at the ankles in midstep. Unprepared for the attack, he lost his balance and was in the process of falling to the ground when he reached out for me. The momentum of his fall dragged me down with him before I could dig my feet in the sand. Together we tumbled to the ground.
I landed on top of Emrys, making him grunt from the impact.
"Told you I was badass," I said, bracing my hands on the sand so I could rise.
Emrys snaked his arms around, holding me in place. "If you wanted to get me on my back all you had to do was say so," he teased. "But, I think your uncle might not take too kindly to this," he added, making his point clear by tightening his hold on me.
"No, I'm thinking this borders on compromising positions," I started to chuckle until I realized that laughing while sprawled on top of him brought certain areas to life. My skin began to tingle as I took stock of how very male he was.
"Yeah, laughter is probably not the best idea, sweet stuff," he said, pulling me closer than I could have imagined possible. He raised his right hand and cupped the back of my neck.
"Don't sweat it, love, it's just like standing up and kissing," he crooned deftly, flipping me over so I was cradled beneath him.
"Right, I'm sure my Uncle Mark will totally buy that excuse," I said before pulling his mouth down to meet mine.
Everything melted away with the touch of his lips. It was cliché to say fireworks erupted, but there was no denying that something exploded inside of me. He groaned against my lips before deepening the kiss. Every nerve in my body heightened with awareness. A sense of rightfulness settled over me. I may be a novice at the whole kissing thing, but at the moment, I felt sure no other person had shared a kiss quite like this. Our positions left me feeling hyperaware of every contour of his body as he balanced himself above me. I never wanted the kiss to end. We freely explored each other's mouths, taking what rightfully belonged to us. At the moment, I felt like I truly belonged somewhere, and that somewhere began and ended with the person on top of me. Suddenly, the touch of our lips wasn't enough. I wanted more with an intensity that would have scared me if he didn't feel so right on top of me. I tugged his shirt up so I could run my hands over the hard planes of his sculpted chest. His desires matched mine. He pulled back slightly, lifting my shirt before lowering his torso back on mine. I gasped with pleasure as his warm skin touched mine. "You can say that again, sweets," he whispered, rocking his hips gently against mine.
"Damn," I mumbled as my body began to react to the intimacy of his movements. Promises of no sex were forgotten as I fantasized what it would feel like with no clothes separating us. My desire spiraled out of control as the idea took hold. Running my hands down his back, I slipped my fingers just inside the waistband of his low-slung jeans, pulling him even closer. After a moment, Emrys broke the kiss.
"We have an audience," he murmured against my lips.
"No big surprise," I said, trying to douse the fire that was still raging through me. "Haniel?" I guessed, figuring that was a safe bet, although I wouldn't have put it past my uncle to throw a bucket of cold water on us.
"Yep, and guessing by the negative energy he's sending out, he's not enjoying the show," he answered, dipping his head down to give me one last kiss before hoisting his body off mine and pulling his shirt back into place.
I sighed instantly, feeling deprived. Every nerve in my body missed what was about to happen before we were interrupted.
Emrys chuckled."I figured if I play nice they won't throw you back in your jail cell," he said.
"Truth. I'd hate for my uncle to start digging a dungeon in the backyard," I said sullenly as I rose to my feet reluctantly. I straightened my shirt before throwing a glare over my shoulder at Haniel.
"Like that would have kept me out," he said, chuckling softly beside me. "Do you want to head back to your house?" he asked, watching me brush the sand off my backside.
"Not unless you have plans. I'm enjoying this rare amount of freedom despite my stalker," I answered, not sparing another look at Haniel on the bluff behind us.
"Sweets, all my plans begin and end with you," Emrys said as we strolled the opposite direction from my house.
"Nice line. I bet you say it to all the girls," I quipped, trying to ignore the rapid fluttering of my heart. "What about your duties? Won't you get in trouble if you're not bringing souls to the Between?" I questioned, more than a little intrigued on how it all worked in the much talked about realm.
"I only use that line on the girls I see on Thursdays," he teased. "As for my duties, I guess you could say I have some comp time."
"What do you mean 'comp time'?"
"Well, the Seer that is in charge of the Between has set guidelines on how many souls we should be delivering in each Leap of time. I always reach my goal early," he answered nonchalantly.
Rapid questions swirled around in my head. "Is the Seer some kind of Angel or is he a Daemon?"
"He's neither. He was created way back in the beginning to control the Between."
"What do you mean 'created'? By The Light or The Dark One?"
"By both. Each had an equal part in his development. He can be cunning one moment and compassionate the next. He was created by both so that he could peer into every soul and determine its rightful place. Sometimes, it takes mere moments to see into the depths of a soul, other times it can take much longer. It all hinges on what the soul has been hiding. A soul is very complex and has a built-in defense mechanism designed to hide its true nature. The Seer was created to break through those defenses."
"Do the souls get to plead their cases? Like a chance to seek retribution or whatever."
"Yes and no. The Seer will not send a soul to The Light or The Dark One until he strips the soul of all defenses. Some crimes are overlooked, so in a way, I guess you could call it retribution."
"And what is a Leap amount of time?"
"It's a measure of time that coincidentally lands on the day humans have deemed Leap Year. I'm not sure which Trader started calling it Leap, but it just stuck."
"So, every four years you are
given a certain number of souls to deliver. What if a soul needs to be taken to the Between and everyone has reached their quota?" I asked.
"Usually, one of the Traders will claim it, kinda pro bono, I guess you could say, but to tell you the truth, it doesn't happen that way very much. Remember, we only handle the questionable souls. You'd be surprised how many souls go one way or the other without needing to be judged. Still, some of the new Traders believe if they collect enough souls maybe The Light will reconsider and let them enter the pearly gates after all. Eventually reality sinks in."
"That's crap," I exclaimed.
"It's the way it is and who's going to argue with The Light," he said bitterly. "It's funny that The Light, who is supposed be the embodiment of forgiveness, throws away the keys on us Traders."
"Did the Seer peer into your soul?" I asked, not sure I wanted to know the answer.
"Are you asking me if I was heaven-bound?" he asked quietly, stopping midstep to look at me.
I nodded.
"Does it matter?" he asked, eyeing me with sudden wariness.
"No," I lied, but really, I wasn't sure if it did or not.
"I was never taken to the Seer. My soul was determined the moment I died. The Daemons that collected me extended an offer to let me remain behind. It would seem my crimes from my human life would serve me well as a Trader," he said. "I guess I should be thankful. My ass could be frying in hell right now if I hadn't taken the deal."
His words ran through my head on a continuous loop. I suddenly felt uneasy as bile rose up in my throat and my vision momentarily blurred. Which crime would serve a Trader? Only one came to mind, and I loathed to even think it. Could Emrys really be a murderer?
"You want me to take you home?" he asked with a sudden edge in his voice as he took in my expression.
"I don't know. I'm just trying to process everything," I admitted. "I never expected...I just hoped…" my voice trailed off as I tried to form a coherent sentence.
"You hoped what? That I was hanging out as a Trader because I was a choir boy in my past life? You really think I would have chosen this existence if I would have had a choice?" he asked angrily.
"I don't know. I guess I was hoping that you weren't some murderer!" I yelled, pissed that I was the one under attack. "In case you missed it, I kind of work for the good guys," I said, stalking away in a huff.
"Wait a minute," Emrys said, making the mistake of snagging my wrist.
Anger coursed through me and my instincts took over. I flipped my hand around in one fluid movement and twisted his arm behind his back. "Don't touch me," I hissed, making it clear I could hurt him if I wanted to.
"Jordyn, I wasn't a murderer. I was a thief," he said quietly, not struggling against my hold.
"A thief?" I huffed out as I tried to tamp back my anger.
"Yes, a thief. A very good thief."
All the anger in me dissipated as quickly as it had gripped me. "A thief," I repeated, releasing his arm. "You were being sent to hell because you stole stuff?" I asked incredulously, sinking down on the sand in disbelief.
"Yeah, well, The Light doesn't show mercy on his three 'deal-breaker' sins. The Seer has the power to see through the other seven, but murdering, stealing, and worshiping other gods are a one-way ticket to hell unless you choose this existence. Most Traders are like me. Some were nothing but petty thieves while others, like me, stole on a grander scale," he confessed, sinking down on the sand next to me.
"Yeah, but, you didn't hurt anyone?" I asked, still in shock.
"Don't kid yourself, love. I hurt plenty of people along the way. I took advantage of weaker humans by tricking them out of prized possessions. I guess you could say I was a swindler. I could talk you out of the shirt off your back without you even realizing I had done so until I walked away wearing it," he said, leaning back in the sand, bracing himself with his elbows. "That's why they picked me to be a Trader. My charismatic personality and gifts with persuasion as a human is everything they look for in a Trader," he said, sounding sad for the first time.
"I'm sorry," I said. I was at loss for more words. Yes, I believed in right and wrong, but I also believed in second chances. It seemed so very unfair that Emrys would pay the price for his sins until the end of time.
"Hey, it's not your fault. I made my bed, now I have to lay in it," he said, smiling. It didn't escape my notice that the smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
I didn't know what I could say to possibly make him feel better. The silence between us stretched on, but strangely it never became uncomfortable as we watched the night time waves rolling in. Somewhere in the silence our hands sought the comfort of the other. With our fingers linked, we sat there quietly until it was time for me to go home.
"So, about that double date?" Emrys asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Yeah?" I asked, unsure of where we stood after everything we'd just shared.
"Does tomorrow night work for you?" he asked as his familiar cocky grin returned.
"I'll have to check my calendar. I might have plans," I teased, sliding my hands up around his neck.
"You do that, and then have your people call my people," he smiled, leaning in so he could kiss my cheek. "By the way, I'm ninety-nine percent sure your uncle is lurking right beyond those doors," he said, nodding toward the French doors of our house.
"I wouldn't expect anything less," I said, effortlessly pulling him closer. Being freakishly strong definitely had its perks. "Well, we might as well give him something to stress over," I said, crushing my lips to his.
Emrys was still chuckling when I slipped inside the house a few minutes later. Lost in thoughts of our kiss, I didn't notice Krista until she spoke.
"Did you have fun?" she asked, looking bemused by the dippy look I was sure was plastered across my face.
"Yeah, I did," I said, sinking down on the foot of her chaise lounge. "Even with my stalker lurking around," I added.
"Haniel?" she asked knowingly.
"Yeah, but seriously, he needs to take a chill pill. You guys all got a chance to interrogate him tonight," I said, sighing loudly so she wouldn't miss my indignity.
"Just give him time. He'll come around," she said, patting my leg before returning to her laptop.
"So you say," I said rising. "How's the book going?"
"Not too bad. Blaine LeBaron was being a complete pain in the ass, but I think I have him whipped into shape," she said, mentioning one of the main characters from her series.
"Don't be too hard on him. You know he's my book boyfriend," I reminded her, dropping a kiss on the top of her head before heading off to my room.
"You might have to fight off Shana from the A Book Vacation blog on that one," she joked, mentioning one of her favorite book bloggers.
"Shana can have Rob. Blaine is mine."
"Vanessa may have issues with that too," she said, bringing up the main love interest in the story.
"Vanessa just has issues," I replied, walking away.
"Night," she called after me.
"Night. Don't let Blaine and Vanessa keep you up too late," I called back.
"Mmmhmm," was her only answer as she immersed herself back into her writing.
Most likely she would be in the same spot in the morning when I woke with a dozen mini-candy bar wrappers littered around her. Once she hit her groove she could write twenty hours straight before dropping off into a post-chocolate-writing coma. Mark would carry her off to bed when she would finally nod off at her computer, no longer able to keep her eyes open.
And then it really hit me. Now that I really had time to process it, I was gripped by overwhelming grief at the hopelessness of my relationship with Emrys. We'd never hit the status of Mark and Krista. He would never cradle me in his arms as he carted me off to bed. Marriage was the furthest thing from my head, but just knowing if we wanted to, we would never grow old together. Our relationship was on a doomed train ride to nowhere before it ever really started.
&nbs
p; Sometimes it feels like life never ceases to aggravate me. I stalked over to my French doors and ripped them open. Cool summer night air flowed into the room, soothing the heat on my cheeks. Maybe I was just being ridiculous. Emrys and I hadn't even determined what kind of relationship we were in and here I was worrying that he wouldn't be around to grimace at my grey hair and dentures.
Still, I couldn't stifle the acute lonesomeness I felt. I wished that Emrys was with me now. Better yet, I wished we were back on his favorite spot watching the lights of the city. I pictured the catwalk clearly in my mind. In that second, everything around me disappeared and I was suddenly standing on the edge of the catwalk I had just pictured in my head. "What the hell!" I yelled, shocked that I was no longer on my own patio. I stumbled, trying to get my bearings, which only brought me too close to the edge. I teetered back and forth, unable to maintain my balance. A sudden gust of wind was all gravity needed and I tumbled off the building into the night sky. A scream tore its way out of my throat as I plunged to my death.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The screams continued as my body rocketed down like a missile. I was going to die. I frantically thought of those I would be leaving behind. A devastated Mark and Krista flashed in my mind's eye, and Lynn and my other grief-stricken friends. I thought of Krista sitting in the living room, burning the midnight oil, not even aware of where I was. I wished I could have given her one more hug.
The blackness around me disappeared and I landed in an unceremonious heap in front of Krista's astonished eyes.
"Oh my god!" she yelled as darkness finally pulled me under.
I woke to raised voices and a strange sensation of déjà vu. Krista was absolutely going off on Haniel. "Why didn't you tell us she could Place Travel?" she asked angrily.
"I was not at liberty to disclose that information to you," he said in his normal monotone voice.
"You weren't at liberty?" she shrieked. "You don't think that's something we should have known? This 'need to know' excuse is getting tired, Haniel."
"What happened?" I finally asked, feeling groggy as I opened my eyes to discover all three of my mentors hovering over me.