Immortal (Fallen Angels #6)(52)
Author: J.R. Ward

“I’m sorry. I cannot allow you passage therein.”

He pivoted toward Nigel. The guy was like a painting properly restored, nothing dusty or too pale about him now, his limbs apparently having healed up fast and without lingering issues—at least going by the easy way the guy walked over the cropped grass. He was wearing one of his natty 1920s-style suits, the cream of the fine linen glowing like a night-light in the strange, ambient illumination of the place.

“I need you to be honest with me,” Jim said.

“Of course. As if I could be anything but.”

“I need to know if it’s true that a soul that’s been released from Hell can’t get in there.” He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. “That there’s some kind of contamination problem. Or whatever.”

Shit. Just … shit.

And great. Nigel’s face grew sad as he murmured, “This is about Sissy.”

“No, the fucking Easter bunny.”

“Ah, yes, the mythical rabbit with the basket of pastel eggs. You are correct—that fuzzy little gob, as some would call it, would not be welcomed up here. And unfortunately, you are also right. Any soul who has been down below is not permitted entrance behind the walls or even access to the grounds.”

“Discrimination.”

“No, you said the word. Contamination.”

“She was innocent, Nigel. She didn’t ask for any of this.”

“And you have my sympathy. Both of you.”

“Fucking hell.” Abruptly, he pictured what they’d had to do to Vin diPietro in the first round. “What if she was cleansed. What if we … took anything that was evil out of her.”

Shit, he couldn’t imagine doing that violent, deadly procedure on Sissy.

“Do you truly wish to attempt that on her?”

No. “I’m going to fucking kill that demon.”

Nigel grabbed his arm in a strong hold. “Please remember this. If you remember … only one thing out of it all … you must keep this with you.” Those incredible eyes bored into Jim’s, their odd color imprinting on his mind to such a degree, he felt as though Nigel had implanted a tangible object in his brain. “The kind of anger you feel now is what Devina nurtures. If you give in to it, you give yourself unto her. It is the root of all evil, the balance to the purity of love. This is the expression of her very nature. Whatever you do, do not ride this wave, especially if it takes you to her, and even if you believe it gives you the focus and strength to beat her. Ultimately, it shall be that which undoes you.”

Jim looked out over the lush landscape. This was too much, he decided. The whole damn thing was too much, but it wasn’t like he could get off this ride. Not until it was over, one way or the other.

“Colin come around yet?” he blurted out.

“I do not know that to which it is you refer.”

There was a long silence. And then Jim said, “I need to ask you for a favor.”

“And I am prepared to grant it to you.”

“You don’t know what I’m going to ask for.”

“Yes, savior. I do.”

Sissy woke up to broad, warm hands traveling over her stomach, her waist, her hip. As they rolled her over gently, she knew who it was. Recognized the scent of him and the way he touched her and arched against her and got in close.

Her eyes opened, but it was too dark to see anything, the sun having set. “How long have I been asleep?”

“A while.”

“I didn’t even know I was that tired.”

“Let me in,” Jim said with a kind of desperation she didn’t associate with him. “Please let me in.”

His lips found hers and it was the most natural thing in the world to split her legs so he could find his place between her thighs. She had taken a shower and gotten between the sheets naked—exactly for this.

She had hoped he would come to her.

His kiss was a drug and she fed off of it, stretching out underneath his great weight as his erection brushed right against her core. She was instantly ready for him, and he seemed to want to check that as one of his hands went between them. He groaned as he felt her heat, and then he repositioned himself.

He joined them with a thrust of his pelvis, that fullness returning to her. And he was careful—up to a point. As his thrusts gained momentum, the bed started to rock, the creaking loud in the dark room. She didn’t care if Adrian heard them. Maybe she should have, but it felt so good.

The closer he got to his own orgasm, the harder he pumped, the tighter his hips became. Her release sent her soaring first, her sex contracting around him, gripping his shaft—

“Oh, fuck,” he gritted out as he tucked his head and jerked against her.

Their bodies took over, working together, amplifying everything. And when they finally went still, she felt closer to him than she’d ever been to anyone in her life.

He propped his upper body up on his elbows and stared down at her. In the dimness, with the only source of light the little line around the door he’d come through, she could tell he was grim.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I’ve got to go out and take care of something.”

“Okay. Can I help?”

“Yes. By staying here with Adrian until I get back.”

“Where are you going?”

“It’s nothing to worry about.”

Cold seeped in through her skin. “You’re going to see her, aren’t you.” Sissy pushed him off her and pulled the sheets up to her chin. “Aren’t you.”

“Not for sex.”

“So you say.” Flashbacks of her conversation with the demon replayed in her mind. “And I’m supposed to just sit around here until you get back?”

“Sissy, I’m telling you. It’s not like that.”

“You had sex with her forty-eight hours ago.”

“And that’s never happening again. Why would it?”

Sissy put her hands to her face and rubbed up and down. Maybe this was a dream?

The bed moved as he shifted around, pulling his sweats back into place. And then there was a blue glow. “I want to show something to you.”

She looked over at his phone. Then frowned and took the thing from him. The screen was filled with a picture of a picture of her—the one that sat with all the other family photos in the bookcase in her parents’ living room.

“I took it today when I was trying to find you. I was scared to fucking death.”