Chapter Seven
“Yes my sweet, it’s me.”
Removing his hands he dipped his head and straightening up he flashed her a beaming smile. Instantly Annabelle felt her heart swell with newly remembered love for this powerful, darkly beautiful man. His hooded eyes seemed to peer into her soul and she saw them twinkle mischievously as he took a step towards her.
Reaching out he clasped her hand between his large warm ones and tracing the skin with his thumb he spoke. His voice washed over her like warmed honey and she felt desire race unchecked through her veins as she listened to him.
“May I introduce myself formally then?” He bowed from the waist. “I’m Lucifer. To be clear, I did want to wait awhile before I made myself known to you. After the rest-stop fiasco….My deceptions….”He scratched the back of his neck and gazed up at the roof before looking back at her. She had her head cocked to the side and he was relieved to see her face bore no animosity towards him instead she glowed, her exquisite beauty almost painful to gaze upon.
He swallowed and went on, “Unfortunately Samuel’s little flirtation forced my hand. I was hoping you’d remember on your own, and you have.” He shrugged, still unsure and took another step closer. When she didn’t move he risked another. With their toes touching he looked down on her and with a sigh he raised his hand, lightly running his shaking fingers through her hair. “Oh so help me Annabelle, I’ve waited so long for this moment. To have you in my home and not for just a blink in-the-eye-of-time somewhere outside of Dis’s borders.”
Lifting her hand she hesitantly placed her fingers on his face and cupping his cheek she felt the roughness of his shadowy growth against her palm.
His breath whistled out and leaning into her hand he closed his eyes.
Her other hand boldly finally found the pathway she’d been burning to travel down and she smiled as his eyes sprang open, their colour impossibly dark. His tongue skated over his lip and Annabelle found herself mirroring him. In her ears came panting and she raised a brow as she realised it was herself. Breathing harshly he grabbed her hand, halting its southern journey.
“I will kick my own arse later for doing that, but I want this done right my sweet. I will not fuck you in the stables like a common whore.” He saw her chest rise and fall rapidly and as her burning eyes settled on him, her lips parted giving him another glimpse of her clever tongue. Groaning he shuffled his feet and desperately tried to ignore the throbbing in his jeans.
Clearing his throat he whispered, “Annabelle, will you do me the honour of dining with me this evening at my place?” As he waited for her answer he felt the adrenaline rush; like an opiate hit it raced through his bloodstream, kicking his heart up another gear.
Long forgotten visions of herself in this man’s passionate embrace flooded her. She remembered different bodies answering to different names and living vastly different lives; loving and being loved by this glorious male. Their unions had been as brief as a fiery comet’s fall to earth, hot and fierce, only to fade away quickly as he disappeared from her life after three months.
She’d only had the minutest period of time with him in each and every lifetime they’d spent together. And with a vivid sense of understanding she realised that this time was somehow different, she didn’t have to lose him, he was here for her forever.
With her heart in her throat she whispered, “I accept your invitation with pleasure and I shall see you at…?What time?” She smiled shyly.
He stroked the back of his hand down her cheek and closing his eyes he sighed.
“Let’s make it for 7:00 pm shall we and it is I who looks forward to it with pleasure.” Bending down he brushed his lips over hers and with one last smouldering glance he turned and walked out.
Annabelle heard the raucous call of crows and racing to the doorway she saw him fade and then vanish, leaving behind a mirage-like ripple in the hot summer’s air.
“So you two finally met? Do you remember him at all my dear?” asked Salomè lacing her arm through Annabelle’s.
“Where did you come from?” Annabelle questioned, startled by the woman’s sudden appearance at her side. Purposely ignoring her question she asked one of her own, “Who exactly are you and Samuel? Are you angels like Lucifer?”
Salomè cocked an eye at her and a slow smile spread across her lips. “Well I guess the ‘fallen- cat’s’ out of the bag now isn’t it? Yes we’re all old friends. You don’t remember Samuel do you?” At Annabelle’s blank look she pursed her painted cherry-red lips and sucked back a breath. Letting it out slowly she gave her arm a pat saying cheerily, “Never mind. It’s all so long ago now stuck in the past where it belongs. So…I hear you’re having dinner at Lucifer’s tonight? I’m sorry, I truly didn’t mean to eavesdrop on your conversation,” she fibbed, laughing. “We need to get you ready, come on.”
As she dragged Annabelle towards her vehicle she dug her heels in and Salomè spun around, frowning. “What? Don’t you want to look all sexy and gorgeous for him?”
Annabelle raised her brow and pointed to her watch.
“It’s only 9:00 am. Why would I need to get ready for a 7:00 pm dinner date now for goodness sakes? I know I’m not much to look at, but surely I’m not that hideous that I need…” she counted quickly in her head, “…ten hours to get ready?”
“Well, yes you do have a point there. And for your information my dear you are extremely beautiful.” Looking down at the dust on her once pristine heels Salomè swore softly and squatting she closed her hand and reopened it. In her palm sat a tissue which she then proceeded to clean the grime off with, restoring them to their former glorious shine. Murmuring indistinctly she tossed the tissue and it vanished.
Wiping her palms together she stood and said, “Right, what would you like to do then?”
“You promised to show me some of Dis, does that offer still stand?” Annabelle queried.
“Of course.” Furrowing her brow she lightly tapped her chin with one long red nail and releasing a cry of triumph she grinned. “Do you like to swim?” Without waiting for a reply she dragged her to the car and opening the door she said, “Get in, we’re going swimming. Au naturel.” She winked and Annabelle groaned silently.
Thankfully the drive to the waterhole was without incident and Annabelle clapped her hands with delight as she saw the pool. The water twinkled invitingly as the sun’s rays danced across the surface and Annabelle hurried after Salomè who had already reached the edge and was in the process of undressing.
“Just leave your dress with mine,” she told her as she waded in and flopped down giggling playfully. Beckoning to Annabelle she said, “Come on, what’s taking you so long? I had more than you to take off and I still beat you.”
Annabelle looked at the swimming angel and shucking off her bra and knickers she jumped in, and with a happy laugh submerged herself under the cool water. “Salomè did you mean what you said…that I’m beautiful?” she asked quietly, nervously swishing her splayed fingers through the water and watching the ripples dash away from her to gently break on the bank.
The silence stretched out, broken only by the faint warbling of magpies and Annabelle chanced a sideways peek at Salomè. She floated, bobbing gently with the creek’s languid current, her pale and unusually drawn face wearing a pained look.
Annabelle couldn’t help thinking that she was the perfect picture of an exquisite and tragic fallen-star. Which in a way she was. Her bright platinum hair undulated lazily around her head, and her lean arms stiffly stretched out at right angles to her body.
“Yes,” she said eventually, her voice barely above a breath.
Annabelle felt a lump rise in her throat at the pain in her voice.
With a splash Salomè sat up and as the water mingled with her tears she whispered, “I envy you Annabelle, I always have. You have the undying, eternal love of one man and the lust of another. I cannot have this. The man I love was banished from here many centuries ago and eve
n though Samuel and I occasionally share a bed, I don’t love him. Lust after him, sure. He’s easy on the eye and it’s not hard to bed him, but love? No, that he doesn’t have from me. Not that he wants it either. He only wanted one woman and she didn’t want him.”
Annabelle sat up and gazed at the other woman.
“That’s what you meant isn’t it? When you asked did I remember Samuel? Oh shit. I didn’t know. I don’t remember him. All I remember is Lucifer, he fills my memories.” She placed her hand on her belly. “My love for him burns like the eternal flame in my soul. No wonder I could never love anyone else.”
She nodded to herself as her life finally made sense.
“This was all set-up, wasn’t it? The nanny job? Probably even my growing boredom with my previous job. It was all his doing. Pity he wasn’t able to do anything about that creepy Le Fras.”
Salomè tipped her head back and laughed. Flicking water at her she finally managed to gasp, “If only you knew my dear. Enough talk of the past. It’s gone, it’s just your bright and happy future now.”
After several hours Annabelle’s growling belly drove her from the water. Throwing their clothes on they both drove back to Annabelle’s place in silence. With a wave to the back of Salomè’s disappearing car she made her way to the kitchen and after raiding the fridge and topping up Percival’s water and food bowls she entered the bathroom.
It had been serviced and in the bright sunlight it sparkled like a new pin.
In the gleaming shower stall new expensive European bottles of shampoo and conditioner waited for her hand, while a fresh toilet roll -- with the end folded origami-style -- had been placed on the roll-holder.
Draped over the huge towel rack were two fluffy new towels, folded in that interesting way that she’d only ever seen at the classiest hotels. She’d once tried to imitate it and had ended up with an ugly eye-sore and had vowed to never attempt that again. Plainly hung linen was her motto.
Opening the hamper she saw shadowy, empty space; her P.J’s were gone. Ducking into the walk-in she saw them neatly folded and placed in a nook. Pulling them out she stuck her nose to them and sniffed, sighing as she caught a whiff of roses.
Smiling, she replaced them and walked back into the bathroom, and on a whim, bent and opened the door beneath the sink.
The condoms and lubricant were gone and in their place was a parchment envelope with Annabelle written in elegant ebony coloured script across the front. It sat propped up against a box of Annabelle’s favourite gooey-centred chocolates and feeling her eyes prickle she sucked on her bottom lip. Sniffling she pulled them out and flopping down cross-legged on the cool tiles she placed the chocolates carefully to the side and slid her nail beneath the red wax seal. Breaking it she reached in and removed the folded note.
Her fingers trembled as she opened it, and the note wobbled up and down. Drawing her legs up she balanced her wrist on her knee and read aloud – before re-reading silently as her voice failed her -- the words written there in Lucifer’s delicate old-fashioned calligraphy.
My dearest Annabelle,
Please forgive my bad manners for having these objects placed in your room. It was the height of rudeness, and boorish and chauvinistic behaviour. I eagerly look forward to our date this evening.
Yours to command eternally,
Lucifer.
P.S. How was your swim? I so would have liked to have accompanied you. Maybe next time?