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"But . . . she died. And the laws of death . . ."
"Are unbreakable." That hint of a face again, this time with a fall of hair that contained showers of rain and fire together, twining together like ribbons while stars sparkled through the flawless skin of her face. "Unfortunately, Anna upset the balance herself. Mina was the one that was supposed to die, Jonah. Anna sacrificed her energy as the phoenix to her."
A shadow moved over Her expression. "What will come of that is not yet clear. But there are laws that must be obeyed, and laws where the consequences of breaking them are worth the risk, if the love is great enough." Her eyes darkened. "Once, I risked the fate of all Creation to break a rule, to imbue darkness with a small spark. To give humans a chance at salvation, a purpose beyond violence and hate. How could I not do the same for my Prime Legion Commander, who has loved me so long, and one simple mermaid, whose faith has put us all to shame? You are my Prime Legion Commander, Jonah. You are also her lover, the soul mate you both need for the universe to stay strong and keep its balance. Do you disagree?"
He felt that nudge of amusement then, a sense of humor infectious enough to recall his own, lethargic though it might have become in the past years. Until prodded back to life by Anna.
"I admit it will make it very difficult for me to criticize You for breaking your own rules in the future. Unless I want to be accused of being hypocritical."
"Hmmm. I'm sure I never would have thought of that."
Jonah smiled then, brilliantly, his joy surging up through him such that he knew he could make it from here to Earth with all the fierce brightness of a shooting star. "You are female, my Lady. That is my answer to that."
The explosion of adrenaline left Her laughter in his wake. He shot through the stars, upsetting their axes. The Lady quickly steadied them as Her usually careful and conscientious commander rocketed out of the skies toward Earth like a fledgling. She just hoped he remembered to slow in time to keep from creating a wake that would bring a second flood upon the continents. She sent a warning to the weather angels to be prepared with interference as needed, even as Her smile grew. It sent a wave of sensual, loving warmth out that enveloped Her universe in a precious moment of peace and calm.
It pervaded every heart and soul, in every place. The darkest prison, the highest mountains. Down into the bowels of Hell itself, giving an ebony-winged angel a moment's pause and a smile of His own that sent searing pleasure through Her heart.
Twenty-seven
ANNA floated on the surface of the water, riding the waves. For a while after she'd awoken here, she'd watched the sky, lazily propelling her arms through the cool silk of the water. But then she'd closed her eyes and, despite her best intentions, she'd turned to warm, inviting thoughts of a silver and white winged angel with firm lips and dark eyes. Hands that could bring shivers to her body. But even more than that, he had a presence that simply made her feel complete . . . whole. His voice, his closeness at her back while she slept. She just couldn't describe what she felt for him in words.
But that was done. She wasn't entirely sure yet what had happened, but for some reason, she'd been given back her life. Perhaps it would even be a long life now. She needed to see the beauty in that, embrace that gift, knowing that her brush with an angel was only one part of what would be many joys, and try not to ache for more. She'd known he couldn't be hers. So she would try not to miss him, to feel this deep, penetrating loneliness for that presence. His touch. There were mermen. Humans. For heaven's sake, she had the males of two species to choose from.
Bother. Yes, she was crying again, but it would pass. She'd felt pain before, knew it would go. She would disappear beneath the waves, stay away from the sky a little while. Seek out a pod of whales, or sit among an underwater garden. Or maybe she would go to her cottage, watch the ocean rush to shore with her feline companion purring on her lap. Avoid the bed where he'd first lain with her, which likely still bore his scent. Oh, Goddess, help me.
As if echoing the turn of her thoughts, clouds had obliterated the warming light of the sun. She opened tear-filled eyes to find the angel in question hovering horizontally just above her, his dark eyes devouring her face. It was his spread wings that had blocked the sun, not the clouds. He had his muscular arms crossed and a mock forbidding look on his face. His body was mere delectable inches above her.
Jonah.
They stayed that way some time. She couldn't think of one thing to say, so many memories of just a handful of days filling the air between them, clogging her lungs. His mouth softened, as if realizing she wasn't up for teasing. If he reached out to her face, she would be lost. She couldn't bear for him to leave her. She just couldn't. She'd had the courage to face the Dark Ones for him. She didn't have the courage to ask him why he was here, or the strength to drop beneath the water and try to escape him before he shattered her.
"You great big silly bird," she said at last, though her voice shook. "I thought I was done being pestered by you."
Still not speaking, he reached down, tracing her lips, the line of her eyebrows. Anna sucked in a sob and his eyes flickered. While her body was floating, she felt as if everything inside of her was frozen, warring between cold fear and spiraling heat at that single touch. She hadn't recovered her wraps and so her breasts were bare, yearning for his touch like every other inch of her.
"Mine," he said softly. "Mine forever."
He was going to shatter her anyway, only with an explosion of happiness too enormous to contain. She knew his choice of words had been deliberate. In the caves, at the beginning, when she had lain next to him in those first few hours, he'd heard her. When she thought him unconscious, she'd laid her hand upon his chest and thought it. Perhaps even said it.
Mine forever.
A fantasy, now a wish come true. He was giving the gift to her, letting her know she finally belonged with someone, to someone. As he belonged to her.
She let out a soft cry that was breathed into his mouth as he landed upon her. His hands wrapped around her waist as he held her close to him, so tightly she could barely breathe, but she didn't care.
"Take me in the air," she whispered, and wondered if he'd understood she'd meant both things, even before she thought of the double meaning herself.
She helped him by transforming, allowing the glittering scales of her tail to become a pair of slim white legs that hooked around the backs of his thighs as he spiraled upward, taking her into the clouds, her bare skin pressed against his hard muscles, the cool metal of his belt, the silk of his half tunic. The dark blue of the ocean spread beneath them like a sparkling blanket. Seagulls passed around them, a line of pelicans so close in their singular formation she saw one turn its eye toward her.
His arms tightened, holding her closer against him. Burying her face in his neck, she felt his hair brush over her temple, her jaw.
"Goddess, I love you, Jonah. I'm sorry I love you so much, but I do."
He drew her head back by winding his hand in her hair, and his eyes were fierce with desire, his mouth held in that firm line that made her want to nip at his lips. "Why does that make you sorry, little one?"
"Because I can't imagine you have much use for a mermaid who is completely besotted with you."
A smile tugged at those lips, and now she couldn't resist. She scraped her teeth over him and his grip increased at her waist, his fingers spanning her hip, caressing her buttock as he tilted her head and plundered her mouth, biting her back, only with a sensual intent that speared right through the center of her.
"You're the one who's going to be sorry, little one. Because I want you besotted with me. I plan to take advantage of your devotion. Often."
"Now," she said urgently. "Please."
It was so close, how near a thing it had all been. Losing him to the Dark Ones, watching him cut out his own heart to save her. Feeling the bite of his blade into her stomach, the rage in his face as he broke her arm. The malevolence of the Dark Ones . . . She needed his ligh
t, to feel the warrior who served the Goddess, to know they'd truly done it and he was in fact hers forever.
Jonah cupped her face then, gave her a look he knew was torn between fierce desire and exasperated tenderness. If his mermaid understood what a gift she was, she would recognize his besottedness eclipsed hers to the point he was her slave. "Hold on to me," he murmured.
She complied, shifting her arms higher around his shoulders, burying her fingers in his feathers as he lifted her away from his body enough to get the front panel of the battle skirt out of the way and guide himself into her tight but blessedly wet opening.
Bringing her down on him on a spiraling turn, he earned a gasp from her that made him laugh with the sheer joy and pleasure of it, which turned to a groan as an excruciating spasm of her inner muscles wrenched the sound from him.
Her hair rippled around them, landed like strands of silk on his shoulders as he went higher, faster, supporting them both as he slid deep inside of her, letting the movements of their bodies drive them higher, keeping the edge just out of reach so it could be savored, this searing sensual tension that warned of the explosive pinnacle to come.
When he saw tears in her eyes again, he bent to kiss her throat, her chin, tasting her skin. Then he possessed her mouth once more as he held her so close. It wasn't close enough. He wanted to prove to her he intended to possess her. Keep her. Care for her. Be with her in all ways. Always.
Simple words with the power of the highest magic, because they were backed by the most serious oath he'd ever taken, even beyond that he'd taken to serve the Goddess. For it was one and the same, and he understood that in a way now he hadn't understood then, centuries ago. Even a week ago.
He took her off the Earth and into climax so quickly Anna was almost dizzy with it, crying out at the release, feeling his sure, possessive hands on her hips, the roundest part of her buttocks.
As she gripped him inside, Anna willed him to come with her. He had his fist in her hair as they spiraled down, a sudden, stomach-jumping drop, and then he caught them up, teasing her so that she gasped, caught between laughter and desire. But as she felt him about to release, she brought her mouth to his ear.
"Hold . . . nothing back . . . my lord. Let me give you a child."
The flash of heat in his eyes was almost enough to send her over again. But he hesitated. "I don't want to lose you."
"That is for the Lord and Lady to decide, but I no longer fear the curse. We are stronger than that curse. Our love is."
He was thinking of her ancestors, she knew. How the mothers died soon after childbirth. "I'm not afraid," she said, her lips curving, pressing her face into his strong throat. "You're an angel. You'll protect me."
She wanted the warm seed to flood her, the life energy it would bring to her, intensifying the Joining Magic. Despite her own tiny voice of fear, she wanted him to do it. She wanted to give them both the gift of life between them. Eternal proof that it existed, that it could not be denied.
"I love you, Anna," he said, his voice a whisper of heat in her ear.
Then, as he had from the first moment he met her, Jonah let her faith take away his doubts.
And gave her what she wanted.
