Jericho nodded and reached out to open the door, but it wouldn’t open. Jericho tried harder, but it wouldn’t budge.
“Let’s try the back door.”
Cara shook her head. “It’s too late.” Where they were standing, they could see the window in the living room. It was completely dark outside.
They moved into the living room where Jericho started to move toward his gun cabinet, but Cara stopped him.
“It won’t do any good.”
“If someone comes, it will help a lot!” Sadly, Cara wrapped herself against Jericho, terrified for them both. Two mortals trying to battle an immortal. It was unwinnable, they weren’t going to survive.
“What she is trying to tell you is that your human weapons are useless against an immortal. Isn’t that right, Cara?” Jericho felt Cara stiffen in his arms before she turned to face the woman who had appeared in the room.
“Morgana?!” Cara stared at the beautiful woman in disbelief.
“You didn’t suspect me?” The woman preened at her achievement. “I worried that my spell on that stupid boy would point towards me, and certainly the magic I used in the corridor of life, but it is good to know that I covered my tracks so well.”
“You didn’t, I just didn’t think you were powerful enough. Merlin? Yes. But you? Not in a million years.”
Rage filled Morgana’s face. “You dare to insult me when I hold your lives in my hands?”
“It’s the truth. Pretend all you want. You may have enough power to bespell Billy, but not to enter the corridor.” Morgana’s lips tightened. She was about to argue further when it was as if she heard a voice in her head.
“I have been reminded that there is no time to argue with you, the eclipse will not last much longer. I must complete my task.” Raising her hands and speaking in a language that Jericho didn’t understand, he felt it become harder to breathe as if there were no oxygen in the room.
He tried to move forward to grab the woman, to stop whatever she was doing. As he moved forward, it was as if his body was weighted down, and his lungs were burning, starved for oxygen. He saw Cara fall to the floor, her hands at her throat.
Fury spurned him forward. When he reached her, he struck out to knock her unconscious; however she began to laugh and merely stepped away out of his reach. Jericho fell to his knees, realizing his strength was leaving. As the woman moved across the room out of his reach, he managed to crawl to Cara’s side, pulling her limp body to him. His vision became blurred and he felt, more than saw, the explosion that struck the room. The room seemed to be in the center of a blaze of light that he had never experienced before. Windows burst with glass, shattering throughout the cabin, and Jericho felt oxygen slowly entering his starved lungs.
“Cara.” He shook Cara, frightened more than he had ever been before. Her lids raised and relief filled him as she sat up in his tight grip.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know.” They both turned, hearing a woman’s scream.
A huge man stood facing Morgana. He glowed, making it hard to look at him, while the darkness outside made it appear as if the sun had materialized in the room with them.
“Thor!” Morgana’s triumphant expression turned to terror.
Cara and Jericho watched as Morgana raised her arms, preparing to disappear, but Thor would allow no escape. He sent a thunderbolt of electricity toward the woman and Morgana was instantly surrounded by the powerful light. Her skin and hair began to burn and smoke. Within seconds, the only thing left of the woman was a pile of ashes.
“Thor.” This time it was Cara who screamed the man’s name. She tore herself out of Jericho’s arms and ran across the room to fling herself into the light bulb’s arms. Jericho watched as Cara was gathered into the man’s arms and twirled in a circle. Jericho rose to his feet, feeling like an outsider, watching their tearful reunion. Jericho should be grateful to the light bulb for saving their lives, yet he was too busy wanting to beat him for holding Cara too close.
“How did you know Morgana was here?” Cara managed to finally get the words out when he finished hugging her in his tight grip.
“I didn’t. Your mother saw the eclipse coming and sent me, knowing that it would be too good an opportunity for your enemies to miss. As always, she was right.” Cara didn’t miss the derision that was in her brother’s voice.
Cara reached up to again hug Thor. “Thank you for saving us.”
Thor looked at Jericho, not missing the jealous look on his face. “You’re welcome, baby sister.” Thor glanced around the small room and returned his attention to Cara. “Are you ready to return home? Your mother and family await your arrival.” Cara was aware that he did not include himself in the family.
Cara smiled, anxious to see her family again, but turned to Jericho and walked back to his side.
“Tell my family that I am well, but that I cannot return.” Jericho looked down at Cara as if she had lost her mind.
“No, Cara. You can’t stay here. You have no hope of fighting your enemies as a human.” Jericho’s voice was ragged.
“I won’t leave you, Jericho.” Determination filled her eyes. “I can’t.” Jericho knew what he had to do to keep her safe.
“I want you to go.” Steel entered his voice. The remoteness she was so familiar with once again entering his face and eyes. “You will only endanger me by staying. Obviously, I am not able to protect you against your family’s enemy. I never gave you any hope that there was more to our relationship than sex.” He hardened himself against her hurt. “Don’t get us killed because you want to get laid.”
Jericho looked at Thor, seeing the anger in the listening God’s expression.
“Take her and go.” Jericho turned to leave the room, not waiting to hear Cara’s pleas.
He should have known better. He was halfway across the room when the first missile hit him in the back. He quickly turned, trying to protect himself, but it was already too late. The truck keys hit him in the face. He then saw her reaching for a bottle of water left from the poker game they had played earlier.
“That’s enough, Cara.” Jericho tried to make his voice threatening. Again not a smart move. The bottle hit him in the chest.
“She’s the gentle one in the family.” Thor’s amused voice diverted his attention long enough for Cara to grab his empty beer bottle.
Jericho realized that talking to the woman was useless, so he grabbed her before she could throw her new missile at him.
“You’re a jerk. Do you know that?”
“Yes, but I’m right and you know it, Cara. I can’t protect you here. It’s too dangerous for you.” He brushed a tear from her cheek and gave her a tender kiss on her trembling lips, trying to give her what she needed, though unable to do so. He couldn’t give her a heart he didn’t possess.
“I can’t leave you, Jericho. I love you. Please don’t ask me to leave.”
Jericho turned to Thor. “Take her.” He pried her hands from around his neck.
“I won’t go; do you hear me, Jericho? I won’t leave you.” Cara screamed at Jericho’s back. “Don’t you dare touch me, Thor.” Thor backed away from his sister, his hands raised in surrender. “I don’t care if every immortal comes to take me away, or if I’m never able to see my family again. I will never leave you!”
Jericho stopped and turned back to Cara. She was on her knees on the floor, tears running down her cheeks, her body trembling. Jericho’s past came to him as he stood there. For the first time in his life, he truly understood what being loved felt like. Cara loved him enough to sacrifice her life to stay with him; to give up her family and her way of life. To cry for him on her knees after all the rejection he had thrown at her. All for this, just to spend an unknown amount of time with him, a man she couldn’t be sure would ever be able to return her feelings.
Something inside of Jericho broke. He felt as if the ice surrounding his soul shattered with the warmth of her love. The man he had become, unable to exist in the light of
her love, suddenly was no more.
His feet slowly moved as he walked back to her. When he stood in front of her, he got down on his knees before her. His hand reached out to caress her face before raising it so that he could see her face.
“I love you,” Cara whispered, brokenly. Her beautiful smile made the words that she had said over and over for the past week finally sink into his mind. She truly loved him in the purist form of the word. A love given freely without expecting anything in return other than to stay with him. To not leave him behind when it would have been easier and safer. She had done what no one else had ever done, fight for him.
He took Cara into his arms, kissing her with every ounce of emotion he had denied himself. Her arms circled his waist and held him close. A throat clearing broke the tender moment and they continued to hold each other as they turned to Thor.
Smiling, Cara looked up at her brother. “You’ll be going home without me.” Happiness shone from her face. Thor stared at the happy couple. “Tell my mother I love her.”
“Tell her yourself.” With those words, he raised his hands and sent a bolt of electricity, killing them instantly.
Thor stared at the mortal bodies lying on the floor. Sometimes, being a God just sucked.
Chapter Thirteen
“Are you still angry?” Cara murmured.
Jericho was sitting on the side of the bed with his back to her, so she scooted across the bed until she could touch him. Gently, she ran her hand down his spine. When he didn’t answer, Cara moved closer until her bare breasts brushed his back. Leaning forward, she put her arms around his neck, hugging him closer to her naked body.
“Jericho?” Cara tried to keep the hurt from her voice.
“Why should I be angry? Because you’re lunatic brother decided to kill us, because you could have told me you live in a palace and are practically royalty, or because your father is a Saint?”
Cara held him even closer. “Technically, Thor did not kill us; he just transported us to another dimension. If you had truly died on Earth, then I am sorry to say, my love, Grimm would have been your escort with a much different destination. We may live in a palace, but I would have been just as content to stay in your cabin. And you also have royal blood, being a demigod.”
Cara felt his back stiffen against her and thought now might not have been the time to remind him of that fact. When Thor had awakened them on their arrival at her mother’s palace, her family had been gathered to welcome her home. Even Mother Nature and Father Time had been present, which had been a great honor.
Cara had been terrified until she had turned and seen Jericho by her side. Seeing her terror, her mother had stepped forward and explained that Thor had followed her orders, explaining that Jericho was a demigod, a human descendent of a Goddess, which explained the golden threads that Cara had seen in Jericho’s soul.
Jericho had stood silently while Cara had introduced her family. Her lips twitched in a grin when she remembered Jericho’s face when introduced to her father. His face had turned bright red and he hadn’t looked at her father once during the dinner they sat through.
After the long dinner, Cara excused herself and Jericho, taking him to her bedroom. Before he could start with the recriminations, she had thrown herself into his arms, igniting a fire between them that lead to several hours of lovemaking.
Nibbling on his ear, Cara murmured, “My father may be a SAINT, but I’m only half. The other half is...”
The rest of her sentence was lost in a scream of surprise as Jericho turned and pulled her wiggling body onto his lap, flipping her until her stomach rested against his naked thighs.
Surprised to find herself face down across his lap, a startled cry escaped her at his first smack on her bare ass. “This is for using sex to try to manipulate me.” Cara tensed her buttocks for the next smack. “Secondly, this is for not telling me about your father, and I expect you to ask him to marry us as soon as possible.” This time he left his handprint on her other ass cheek. Quickly, Cara yelped her agreement.
His fingers slid between the curves of the buttocks slowly until they came to her anal canal, tracing it gently before moving on to her liquid warmth. Rubbing her wetness, his fingers parted her slit and slid deep within her tight sheath. Cara began squirming on his lap, but Jericho held her still by placing his other hand on her back. His fingers began to thrust deep within her.
Wiggling her hips, Cara began to thrust back against his fingers, trying to drive them deeper, however Jericho wasn’t going to allow her any control. Removing his now slick fingers, he rubbed her clit until he felt her body stiffen in climax.
As she began to peak, his hand once again smacked her buttock. “That was for doubting that I wouldn’t be as willing to sacrifice my human life as you were to sacrifice your immortal one.” Still shaking from her climax, he allowed Cara to slip from his lap until she sat on the floor between his thighs. She placed a hand on each one.
“You’re not angry?”
“How could I be angry to spend eternity with you?”
Smiling, Cara started giving him small kisses, alternating between each thigh. Gradually, she worked her way to his penis. Hesitantly, she reached out to touch his rigid flesh, expecting him to draw away. When he didn’t, she scooted closer until she could take him in her mouth. Inexpertly, she began to suck his cock, waiting for him to tense or ask for her to stop. His hands burrowed into her long hair.
Tears silently slid down her cheeks, no words could have shown his love for her, but the trust he was now giving her spoke volumes. Her tongue swirled as she discovered his sensitive spots. His hands gripped her hair tighter when she managed to work his penis to the back of her throat while her hands stroked the long shaft she was unable to take completely into her mouth. When she felt him tense, she sucked harder until he groaned and stroked his come into her waiting throat. Cara tenderly licked his cock until Jericho’s shuddering stopped. Embarrassed, Cara looked up at the man she loved to find him looking down at her.
Jericho reached down, pulling her onto his lap, kissing each eyelid, her nose and then her swollen lips. Leaning her backwards until her breasts thrust upwards, he leaned forward and kissed the curve of each breast before placing his hand on the creamy flesh covering her heart.
“You did give me fair warning.”
“I did?”
Nodding, he smiled. “When you told me you were very loveable. You were right.”
“I am?” Cara was bemused by this romantic side of Jericho.
He raised his head until Cara could see clearly into his eyes. A lone tear slid free, and he didn’t try to brush it away. “How could I not fall in love with you? You took my nightmares away and gave me dreams. You took my heart, but gave me yours in return.” Jericho’s voice grew hoarser with each word. “Do you know what I see when I look at you?’
“What?” Cara whispered.
“My love.”
***
Fate stared at the star-filled sky, worry filling her heart for Zerina and Broni. Mixed with the worry for her daughters was the relief of having Cara home again. She was planning her next move when she felt him in the shadows of the balcony.
Pulling her shoulders back, she turned to face the consequences of her actions years ago.
“Don’t leave.” Her firm voice had Jericho turning back to Cara’s mother.
He had gotten thirsty while waiting for Cara to wake and, not wanting to wake her, had searched for the kitchen. As he passed the balcony he had seen Fate staring pensively at the sky. He had been about to leave when she had spoken to him. He walked forward further out on the balcony until only a few inches separated them.
Fate was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her gown of white hugged her body and Jericho could easily see that Cara had inherited her father’s fairer looks and her mother’s blue eyes.
“I’m glad we have this opportunity to speak without my daughter present.”
“I don’t see why, I have
nothing to say that can’t be said in front of Cara. I have already told Cara that I will be very happy to spend eternity with her, even though you took the choice out of our hands.” Jericho turned away. “Now, if you don’t mind, I was about to get a drink.” His cold eyes sent chills down Fate’s back.
Once again her words stopped him. “Are you going to tell her?” His eyes grew glacier, but Fate didn’t back down. “You saw me that day, didn’t you? You saw me and remembered me?”
“Every morning that I woke in that bitch’s house, every time she touched me, I knew it was because you helped her to choose me.”
“I was afraid of that. That was a disadvantage of you being a demigod; it gave you the power to see me in the room. I wasn’t very happy with that, I would much have preferred that you not know. It places quite a strain on the son-in-law relationship we have in our future.”
Jericho noticed it wasn’t a question. She knew that he intended to marry Cara as soon as possible.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m sure I’m not the only man who hates his mother-in-law. I just have more reason than most.” When Fate would have spoken he held up his hand to stop her next words. “I really don’t care to hear your excuses. None of it would make the memories of her going down on me, or the men in that prison, shoving their dicks up my ass, any more bearable.”
“I have no regrets about anything I have done.” Jericho’s hands tightened into fists at her words. Only the thought of how hurt Cara would be if she found him trying to kill her immortal mother stopped him.
“I am done with this conversation.” Jericho continued to walk away; he was in the doorway when her words brought him to a halt again.
“I wasn’t the one who approved her application. I was not the one who had her pick that particular adoption agency. Some things I can influence, other’s only once the decisions have been made.” Jericho tried to make his feet move forward, but her tormented voice held him in place.
“Should I have let her pick the little girl who the old man had plans for? She only had a few years left of her short sweet life. Her little body was already filled with an incurable disease. Should I have let her pick the little blond boy? He would have grown up so traumatized he would have become a monster himself, creating even more victims in a never-ending cycle. Instead, he grew into a doctor that will save hundreds of lives, working with children with emotional problems. The one he became the most proud of helping was a young rape victim who was unable to talk for several months. He was able to help the child regain his speech and clear an innocent man.” Jericho turned in the doorway, reaching out to hold the frame.