Chapter Seven

 

 

 

Rex rolled out of bed before dawn. He restarted the fire and put oats on for porridge. Once his domestic duties were out of the way, he stood for a moment gazing down at the couple in the bed.

They were so perfectly matched—even in their sleep they had an otherworldly aura. Their beauty tightened his throat with emotion that was so overwhelming it was painful. Rex was used to creatures of great beauty, but when he stopped to think about these two in his life, he was teased with doubts and fears. What if they found what they needed in each other? After all, they’d now come full circle. Was there still room for him? Was he really Noemi’s mate, as she’d claimed? His need for them frightened Rex.

Dashing away his self-pity, he turned, looking around the croft house he’d left so long ago.

It was more spacious than he recalled. The house was low and long. Once upon a time, the family who’d built the place had probably brought their animals in at night and built their cooking fire in the center of the house. The pungent peat smoke must had filtered through the thatched roof to escape to the sky. Once upon a time, a family had lived here and eventually fled, perhaps victims of the Clearances or plague or starvation. Perhaps they’d left to find a better life elsewhere. Whatever the case, Rex now called this gentle place his home.

When he’d found the little house abandoned, he’d plastered the walls and rethatched the roof. Instead of dirt or rushes on the floor, he’d set stone and covered it with thick floor coverings. He’d installed a fireplace with a chimney, not being partial to living in a so-called ‘black house’. He could still smell the long-ago scent of burnt peat in the air, and the smoke-stained rafters were visible.

They’d need more space, and he would not alter the ancient cottage again. They could build on behind the house, and most definitely add plumbing and electricity, but the old croft itself would stay intact. Countless people had lived, loved and died in the croft, and it had become a sacred space. Building an addition would take work, but they had time.

He headed outside, walking through his old routine. He’d have milked the cow and gathered eggs before feeding the other livestock. Now the barn was empty, save for the roaming orange cat. It wasn’t his old cat, but he was grateful for its company. The cat sat on a fence rail, its tail hanging in an upside down question mark.

“Well, Tom, I see you’ve been keeping watch here.” He hadn’t seen sign of any vermin. The cat was shiny and well fed. “Good job, then.” He stroked its sleek head, smiling as the cat purred noisily.

Rather than lingering at the almost empty barn, Rex quickly washed in the chill trough then took his natural form, catching gentle breezes that carried him up the hill to the old forest. No sooner did he enter the gentle embrace of the trees than his soul overflowed with peace and energy.

Unlike dryads, he wasn’t confined to a single type of tree or a limited location. He could travel and be as comfortable in the redwoods as in the olive groves of Greece. But this was home, and he marveled to see how every tree had grown and changed. When he brushed a trunk with the tips of his fingers, the tree shuddered, almost in delight. The entire forest went silent, as though every creature was listening. Even the wind ceased.

“Well now, I’ve missed you too. I don’t plan to be leaving again. And I’ve brought family. Perhaps someday there will be children.”

He sent the thought ringing through the acres of wood and it reverberated from tree to tree until the very roof of the forest whispered the news, carrying it from bird to butterfly and from fox to squirrel. He dropped his weight and drifted up to a high branch, settling there in the embrace of his forest. As the sun began to rise, he faced the east, smiling as the warm rays of the sun touched his skin, welcoming Reux home at last.

 

* * * *

 

Rion stretched, and without opening his eyes, smiled at the scent and feel of Noemi curled up by his side. Earlier, when Rex had slipped away, Rion had feigned sleep, knowing the forest called to the ghillie dubh. He’d ached to follow, but Rex needed time to reconnect with his roots. Much as he loved the Sidhe, he didn’t own every piece of Rex’s heart. At one time that knowledge might have hurt, but now he understood. A person could hold many people and places in their heart. The woman sleeping next to him proved that.

When he thought of all the years he’d kept Rex from his home, Rion’s heart ached. However, he’d long ago learned that he couldn’t change the past. He could only shape the future. Right now, the future lay sleeping in his arms.

Oddly enough, she was also his past.

Noemi mumbled a bit in her sleep as he shifted on the lumpy mattress. She rolled toward him, her head finding the perfect spot on his shoulder. Her black hair spilled across his chest like a silken wave.

He gazed down at her in awe. The hint of magic he’d seen on the very first day was back in force. Now there was no mistaking her nature, though it was unique. She was an angel who’d risen from her Fall. She was a complete contradiction, light and dark, angel and demon. There was no other being on Earth like her. Rion was unable to hold back the smile hovering on his lips. He was nearly giddy with happiness.

The fragrance of lavender still lingered on the air, and as always, that scent carried every sort of emotional connection Rion had ever experienced—love and security as well as lust and fear. How right that the medical scent of the doctor had given way to his most loved flower. In those first days with her, lavender was one of the herbs she’d given Rex when he refused human medicine. It was as though the flower linked the three of them throughout their lives on Earth. He didn’t know why there was no lavender growing outside the cottage, but he’d remedy that lack as soon as possible.

Noemi stretched and sighed, slowly coming awake. She met his gaze and her dark eyes were soft and melting, but also keenly aware.

“Where’s Rex?”

“He’s off talking to the trees, I suppose. He’s been away from here for far too long.”

She blinked. “You aren’t joking, are you? He’s really talking to the trees?”

“And the birds and flowers, no doubt. He’s always shown an affinity with foxes. They’re drawn to him. There was a den here before we left.”

She shifted to her side, looking at the cozy bed niche then out to the rest of the house. She seemed reluctant to rise, but curious.

“Are you up for a tour of the place?” Rion sat up and helped her from the bed. “It’s primitive. We pump water for the kitchen and bath. With some work, we can heat it for washing.”

“Is this where he brought you when you first Fell?”

“Aye.” Rion felt the smile settle over his face once again. “This is my home, too. I’d forgotten how much a place can get into a person’s blood.”

They wandered a bit, and he watched as Noemi trailed fingers over the rough-hewn furniture.

“Indoor plumbing would be nice, but otherwise it’s warm and comfortable.” She stood before the fireplace, warming her hands in front of the flames. She was naked, and Rion looked her over hungrily. He’d known her since before his memory began, yet her body was still new and unfamiliar to him. She was tall, willowy and graceful, with an innate strength that was as much character as it was muscle. Absently, she reached up, her fingers catching on the amulet Rex had placed over her head the evening before.

“May I see?”

She didn’t need an explanation. Her face went still in concentration and within a breath, she was more, as Rex would say. Her ebony hair cascaded to nestle in the dip above her bottom and a reddish-gold glow enveloped her. Most beautiful were the wings arching up and behind her body—they were deep black, the feathers tipped with gold and red.

He cleared his throat, uncomfortably aware of his sudden arousal. Like her, Rion was naked, and as her gaze flicked to his thickened cock, she smiled impishly.

“Now you understand the reaction Rex and I have to you.”

“But you’re more, Noemi.” Anahita’s sexuality flowed over him like honey. “I’ve met other angels, other Fallen. I don’t recall the others being so seductive.”

Her smile faded. “When I escaped from Michael, I did it by attacking him. Anahita—I forced orgasms on him.”

Initially he wanted to laugh, then remembered Rex talking about how dangerous an angered succubus could be.

“That’s a fearsome weapon, Noemi.”

“But it only works on men. Not women. I thought maybe it was their hormones, but when Kelet was in Cynthia, it worked on him too.”

He stepped closer and brushed a strand of hair away from her exotic face. “You have other skills to protect yourself. I know that well. This is simply a new weapon to add to your arsenal.” He remembered seeing the gleam of a knife in the dark alley in San Francisco. “Noemi, I want to hear your story. All of it.”

Her smile dimmed slightly. “My past is not something I wish to relive, Rion. Much of my story will bring pain to both you and Rex.” He guessed Noemi’s story would bring pain to her as well. She turned from the fire to face him. “But much of my story is grand and triumphant, and I’m proud of the things I’ve done. I’m proud to have prevailed over hardship.” She smiled and walked into his arms. “I want to tell you about you—about us—the way we were before the Fall. I want to tell you and Rex about who you were and what kind of man Kokabiel had become.”

“I’d like that. Very much.” Rion rested his chin on top of her head. He lifted her easily into his arms and carried her to the front door. They stood at the threshold, looking out to the fairy tale landscape that was the cradle of his rebirth. Rion closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, letting chill air flow into his lungs.

“It’s so green,” she said.

“It’s the fog and mists. You watch… The sun will shine, and without warning, clouds will drift over and the rain will come. And then the sun returns.”

“I suppose that’s a small sacrifice for the beauty of the place.” Before them the fields fell away endlessly, green as emeralds in the sun.

“What are those lavender patches?”

“Bluebells. They grow wild here.” He saw cattle grazing in a pasture across the valley. A single narrow roadway looked like a ribbon unspooling in the distance.

Noemi rested her head on his shoulder. “They’ll come, you know. There were demons on the ground in Edinburgh.”

“I know. Rex and I have never before stood our ground. We’ve decided it’s now time to fight back. The best place to do it is right here at home.”

Slowly, he let her down, steadying her till she was on her feet.

“Rex left the charm up on the property. We’re still hidden from humans.”

“But the demons will scent us here. Are you ready?” Her dark gaze bored into his.

“Now that you’re with us, we are.” He clasped her hand and squeezed it. “You told us Michael seems to have targeted Patrick. Why now? And to what end?”

She stepped off the low porch, wincing as her bare feet touched rough gravel. “My brother is one of the few who hold the key to traveling between places. Other dark angels seem to have that skill as well. They guard the secret with their very lives. Michael… I’m not sure how he learned to travel, but he must have because he’s moving freely here on Earth. I can only guess Patrick knows something Michael doesn’t want shared.”

Chills ran down Rion’s skin. There were no memories to support the feeling, but anger and fear trickled through him at the mention of Michael’s crimes. How had the high angel learned the trick of traveling from Heaven to Earth? Rion couldn’t help wonder how much blood had been spilled for that knowledge.

He was distracted from his grim thoughts as Noemi tentatively spread her wings, moving them about. He’d forgotten she’d be unaccustomed to them.

“Would you like to learn to fly?” She wouldn’t need to learn, not really. The instinct was deep in her memory, she simply needed encouragement. “We can fly up to Rex.”

“Naked?”

He grinned in answer.

“Oh, right, this is Rex we’re talking about.” She rolled her eyes. “And don’t pretend you won’t enjoy the show.”

“Oh, I will.” He noticed she was staring openly at his nude body as well. His delighted laughter echoed from the hills.

For the next few moments, Rion helped her learn the currents of the wind and how to tap into the slipstream. When she was ready, he crouched slightly, springing off his toes. While she concentrated, he hovered, not yet willing to tell her that it was as much magic as aerodynamics. She’d figure that out eventually.

After a false start, Noemi was laughing triumphantly, gliding down the slope to the sheep pasture he’d landed in so many years ago. Side by side they banked, turning up toward the hills and mountains that sheltered Rex’s forest. He smiled as she gasped in appreciation.

While the mountains weren’t as young and raw as those in the Americas, there was a sense of age and power about them. The forest was truly ancient. Instead of being choked with underbrush, the trees were widely spaced and the forest floor was golden with filtered sun. Down below a red fox slipped under the shelter of the trees and birds burst into song.

“He’ll know we’re coming.” Rion reached out to clasp her hand. “If he challenges you to a race among the trees, don’t do it.” He grinned, remembering the first time he and Rex had raced through the woods in the Other Place.

“Of course, there are worse things than losing a race with Rex.”

“Someday you’ll tell me that story.” She smiled, then followed his example as he angled up higher, above the trees. Because of their wingspans, Rion and Noemi had to be careful in the forest. Rex’s more compact, leathery wings carried him easily among the trees and bushes.

“Look.” Rion pointed to where Rex reclined on the broad branch of a great oak tree. The sun cast a warm glow on his face. Rion knew he was awake, though his eyes were closed. The wind played in his loose, dark curls and his tail swayed lazily under the branch of the tree.

“Hello, you two.” His smile was lopsided, and as always, took Rion’s breath away. He looked whimsical, slightly comical and a little bit sinister. Until they’d tangled with the demons in San Francisco, Rion hadn’t realized what a formidable fighter the ghillie dubh could be. He wore the same baggy pants tucked into high, soft boots he’d worn so long ago. His shirt was loose, sun-bleached linen. His green vest blended into the sun-dappled foliage.

The old tree was massive—it was truly a monarch of the forest. There was room enough for all of them, so Rion lit on a broad branch and steadied Noemi as she gingerly landed on the tree. They settled in and sat quietly, feeling the wind sigh around their bodies. Finally, Rex stretched and smiled.

“We’re all home. The forest has welcomed you.”

Noemi leaned forward, her arms crossed over her knees. “What would have happened if the forest didn’t want us here?”

“Well, I suppose I’d have a bit more privacy than I care for.” He smiled at her, and reached out his hand. She stood and clasped it, then yelped as Rex suddenly lifted her to his branch.

“What did you just do?”

“Rex can raise and lower his own weight. Sometimes he can do the same to others, if he has skin to skin contact.” Rion watched as Rex settled her between his legs. Though they all wanted to bask in the gentle morning, he could see a darker purpose behind Rex’s smiling eyes.

“The wards on the property have been tested repeatedly.”

“Then it’s time for us to make plans.” Noemi laid her head back against Rex’s chest. “I felt them in Edinburgh, when I first…popped in… Or whatever it was that happened.”

That brought a smile to Rex’s face.

“Did you see them? Recognize them?”

“It was Kelet and his minions. I’m very familiar with his energy. Even without the amulet, I could feel him.” She fingered the honey-colored ivory around her neck. “I have no weapons. All my knives are back at home. Same with my passport, money and everything else I should have to be here legally.”

“Well, we can deal with the practicalities later. Right now, you need to learn a few more things about your new form. Have you been able to call forth your weapons yet?”

She shook her head slowly. When Rion stood, suddenly brandishing a brilliant white sword, she gasped in surprise.

“He just learned that trick a few weeks ago.” Rex grinned proudly.

“I’ve seen Patrick’s sword. It never occurred to me that I might be able to call one myself.” Noemi examined the sword, deciding it was light and energy, rather than steel. She flexed her hand and was rewarded with a momentary gleam of golden red light.

Rion grinned ruefully, willing his sword away. “I’ve been here well over a century and just figured it out. You’re ahead of the learning curve.” He watched as she frowned, focused, and produced weak glimmer of light in the palm of her hand. He glanced at Rex. She didn’t have time to practice, either she had it or she didn’t. He’d dig through the household knives for her.

“You guys know not to touch Kelet? He moves from body to body through touch. I know he’s been searching for a non-human host for a long time now.” She waved an imaginary sword and sighed in discouragement. “I don’t know if Michael will come. It seems a bit risky, and he was never one to risk himself.”

“You remember him?” Rex leaned past her shoulder, looking at her face.

“Anahita certainly did. Once we merged, it all came back.” She gave up her efforts and settled back in Rex’s arms. From there, she studied Rion’s face.

“He hated Kokabiel—Rion. Michael had ambition but little talent of any sort. He hated Kokabiel’s voice. It chafed him that you were well loved by so many. You never had the ambition to be a leader, but our people tended to look to you for guidance anyway. We were ruled by a council of elders, and Kokabiel was selected to fill a spot instead of Michael. I suspect he began to plot your downfall at that time.”

Rion felt bewildered. This was someone else’s story, not his. But he watched her and he listened.

“We’d just married. Azrael originally introduced us. I could never believe that my grim and gloomy brother had a friend as bright as you.” She smiled at the memories. “Not long after, Azrael was sent to Earth. The dark angels are the only ones who can make the journey without Falling. His task was to track down rogues who’d survived the Fall and continued to behave as criminals. Not long after he left, evidence came forward that Kokabiel was plotting the death of another council member. Michael acted quickly and had you convicted. When you spoke in your own defense, many were swayed. That’s when he silenced you.”

Around them the forest had gone silent, almost as if the trees and animals were listening. Rion swallowed, feeling the familiar rasp as his damaged throat worked. He felt…numb. Noemi continued her story.

“I was accused of nothing, but earlier I had refused his advances. He had me thrown into the portal simply to torture you. I Fell, landing in another time and place than you did. For all those years before I went to the ice, I remembered you, Kokabiel. I remembered and I grieved for you every day.”

They both knew the rest of the story. Rion rubbed a hand over his face, wondering if this entire nightmare was finally coming to an end. He looked up to see Rex staring at him. Noemi lay back in Rion’s arms, her eyes cast skyward, watching the clouds. The sky was low here, and the clouds seemed close enough to touch. It seemed forever they sat there, silent in their shared pain.

“I hope Michael comes.” Rex’s voice was soft. “I hope he comes with the demons, because, for the first time ever, I’m curious to know if an angel can die.”