I open my eyes and see Mason gazing down at me with so much love and tenderness my heart immediately begins to ache. My heart, my mind, my soul knows there will never be anyone who can make me feel as loved as he does.

  He leans down and gently kisses my lips.

  “I like watching you lose yourself with me,” he murmurs. “I like knowing I can shatter your world and help you pick up the pieces afterwards just to shatter them again.”

  Mason begins to move faster within me.

  “I hope you like your world in pieces, Jess, because I promise to break it quite often tonight,” he groans, gathering me in his arms.

  And Mason always keeps his promises…

  When Mason phases us back to his home, we bathe together in his large walk in shower. He treats me like a fragile doll as he insists on washing my body and shampooing my hair for me. It’s an intimate act that only lovers share. Afterwards, he dries me off, dresses me in one of his white V-neck T-shirts, because I left the night gown behind, and tucks me into bed with him. As I lay in the warm fold of Mason’s arms, I feel my body completely relax against him. No one has ever made me feel so cherished and completely loved. It’s a feeling I know the love of my life will always make me feel.

  When I wake up the next morning, the back of me is spooned against Mason, I feel one of his hands rub up and down the curve of my hip. I can feel a certain part of Mason is also awake and pressing firmly against me.

  I turn to face him and instantly feel my heart ache at the sight of him, tousled hair and hooded blue eyes.

  “Good morning,” I say.

  He smiles. “Good morning.”

  I lift the sheet we’re under and look down between us.

  “Good morning to you too.”

  When I look back up at Mason, his eyes are wide open in shock.

  “What?” I say innocently. “He worked hard last night. He deserves a good morning too.”

  Mason buries his face in his pillow and shakes his head, but I feel him begin to chuckle. When he returns his gaze to me, he looks adorably amused. He pulls me firmly against him.

  “Well in that case, he would like to say good morning to you personally.”

  “I have no problem with that,” I say unequivocally. “But would you mind if I brush my teeth first?”

  Mason throws the cover off of both of us and takes my hand as he leads me to the bathroom. Of course Mason prepared for all my needs and already has a brush and toothpaste for me. There is a double sink so we can brush our teeth at the same time. After we brush our teeth, I sit up on top of the marble counter in between the sinks and look over at Mason.

  I pop my bare buttock up and down on the counter. “Seems sturdy enough,” I tell him. “Is it the right height?”

  Mason smiles and walks over to stand in between my legs. I soon learn it is exactly the right height.

  Afterwards, Mason dresses simply in a pair of faded jeans and a black T-shirt. I realize it’s the first time I’ve seen him dressed so casually. Since I only have the red dress I wore, albeit briefly, to Mason’s beach home, he phases me back to my house to put on some of my own clothes.

  Fortunately, he phases us directly into my bedroom.

  I pull him to me. “We really should make love in my bed too. I mean it’s only fair to christen her as well. I wouldn’t want her to feel left out.”

  Mason shakes his head at me. “If I’m incorrigible, you are insatiable.”

  “Weren’t you the one who bragged about having great stamina?” I ask. “Put your money where your mouth is buster.”

  “Hmm,” Mason begins to nuzzle the side of my neck, “I have a few places I would like to put my mouth on you.”

  “Oh really, Mr. Collier? Would you like perform a little demonstration?”

  “Yes, I would, Agent Riley.” He lightly pushes me down on the bed and kneels on the floor between my legs. “I most certainly would.”

  After we christen my bed, Mason goes into the kitchen to make us breakfast and I get dressed. I know we have things we need to do today but all I honestly want to do is play with Mason. I giggle at the thought. It makes me sound like Mason’s my favorite new toy. Not a bad analogy actually.

  My happy mood is soon tarnished by the sound of a rocking chair moving on my front porch. I grab my coat and slip on some tennis shoes to talk to my visitor.

  “Going to go talk to Lucifer on the porch,” I yell to Mason on my way towards the front door.

  I hear a pan drop and Mason phases to stand in front of the door blocking my way.

  “You say that like it’s the most natural thing in the world to be doing,” Mason says, a confused look on his face.

  I shrug. “I guess it is for me.” I lean up and kiss him. “Don’t worry. He won’t hurt me.”

  Reluctantly, Mason steps away from the door.

  I walk out onto the porch and shiver slightly from the cold. I turn up the hood on my coat to cover my head.

  Lucifer sits in his favorite rocking chair dressed in only a blue jersey tee with a Gucci crest on the front and a pair of jeans and tennis shoes. I notice a circular scar of sorts on his right arm just below where the sleeve cuts off. It looks like a raised brand with writing similar to that on the archangel crowns.

  “Casual day?” I ask.

  Lucifer shrugs.

  “Aren’t you cold?” I ask him. I know it can only be about thirty degrees outside.

  “You do know where I live right?” Lucifer asks.

  “Oh,” I say, indeed remembering, “I didn’t know if it was actually hot there. I thought it might just be a metaphor.”

  “The torturing of souls produces a lot of heat,” Lucifer explains. “Exothermic reactions and all. Speaking of which,” Lucifer eyes me curiously, “the last time I was there, I noticed one soul in particular was missing.”

  “I had God put Uncle Dan in the Void for me,” I tell Lucifer. “I didn’t want to owe you any favors.”

  “Strange that he should do such a thing for you so easily. He’s never interfered with any of the souls once they reached my domain before.”

  Stunned doesn’t exactly encompass the way I feel hearing Lucifer’s words.

  “In the whole history of time,” I say slowly, making sure Lucifer understands my question, “he’s never once moved a soul out of Hell?”

  “No.”

  I pause to gather my thoughts before asking, “Why did he do it for me?”

  “You seem to have that affect on people,” Lucifer grumbles. “Doing things for you that goes against our grain seems natural around you.”

  “Then stop what you’re trying to do,” I tell him, knowing it’s pointless but needing to beg for it anyway. “Whatever it is can’t be good for your soul.”

  “Do you think I have a soul left to care about?” He scoffs.

  “Everyone does. You were one of your father’s favorite sons. Don’t you yearn to go back to Heaven one day?”

  Lucifer averts his gaze from me and looks out into the neighborhood I live in, but I know he isn’t really seeing anything. He’s lost in his own thoughts.

  “He would never allow me back there,” Lucifer whispers. “I’ve done too many horrible things here. He could never forgive me.”

  “I think you’re wrong,” I tell him. “I think he wants to forgive you more than anything but you have to ask for it and truly mean it. If he can forgive humans for any sin when they are truly repentant, why wouldn’t He do the same thing for you?”

  “You see things too simply.”

  “And you make things too complicated.”

  Lucifer looks back over at me.

  “Speaking of complicated. I’ve been sitting out here for half an hour,” he reveals, “but you seemed otherwise occupied at the time of my arrival.”

  I feel my cheeks flush hotly. “And how exactly would you know that?”

  “The walls aren’t that thick,” Lucifer tells me, grinning wickedly. “You are rather vocal during sex, Jessica. If I were you, I might think about investing in more insulation.”

  I tug the hood of my coat a little lower to hide from Lucifer’s laughing eyes.

  “I’ll take it under advisement,” I mumble.

  Lucifer laughs and stands up.

  “I should be going now. Mischievous plans to devise and all. I’ll see you soon, Jessica.”

  He phases and I feel like I want to melt into the Earth.

  Chapter 11

  I decide not to tell Mason about Lucifer’s voyeurism. They have a tenuous relationship as it is. I didn’t want to cause even more tension.

  While we eat our breakfast at my kitchen table, I ask Mason, “Do you know what Leah’s talisman is?”

  “I have an idea about what it is,” he tells me. “Though, it might be tricky to get.”

  “Why?”

  “I believe it’s in the hands of a jinn.”

  “A what?” I ask completely confused.

  “Like a genie from a bottle. A creature who can make your wishes come true.”

  “They really exist?” I ask.

  “In a way. They don’t actually live in a bottle though. The jinn fell to Earth during the fall with Lucifer because they fought on his side. They trick people into making wishes.”

  “Why would they have to trick someone? Don’t most people just naturally like to wish for free stuff?”

  “A jinn’s wish never comes free. There’s always a price.”

  “Why do you think a jinn has Leah’s talisman?”

  “Because of Leah’s power. It’s the power a great sorceress would have, and I only know of one item still around that used to belong to a sorcerer.”

  “Who was the sorcerer?”

  “Balaam.”

  “Never heard of him.”

  “A king by the name of Balak went to Balaam when Moses was leading the Israelites into Canaan. He wanted Balaam to curse them, but after a visit from God, Balaam refused the King’s request. Still, Balaam lusted after money and did lead some of the Israelites astray by showing them how to worship idols. The Israelites eventually killed him.”

  “So what object did he have that you think Leah will need?”

  “Balaam’s staff.”

  “Do you know the jinn who has it?”

  “Yes. His name is Faust.”

  “Why does he have it?”

  “Where do you think Balaam’s power came from? He made a deal with Faust to become a great sorcerer. If the staff still exists, Faust will have it.”

  “Do you know where this Faust is?”

  “Yes. He’s been with the same patron for over fifteen years now. You’ve probably heard of him, Heath Knowles. I think he writes books.”

  “Yeah, Faison and I used to sneak read them when we were kids.”

  “Oh did you now?” Mason says with a lop-sided grin. “Doesn’t he write erotic romance novels?”

  “We were teenagers,” I defend. “We were curious. Though, nothing in those books prepared me for the real thing.”

  “And do you prefer the real thing to fantasy?”

  I lift an eyebrow at Mason. “What do you think?”

  Mason chuckles. “I think you enjoy the real thing very much.”

  “And you would be right,” I admit freely, seeing no reason to pussyfoot around the issue.

  Mason stands and walks over to me, pulling me from my chair and into his arms.

  “I wish we could just spend the rest of the day in bed,” he tells me, resting his forehead against mine.

  I close my eyes and breathe him in. “Me too. Why can’t we again?”

  “Oh you know, the world needs saving,” Mason shrugs nonchalantly.

  I sigh. “Once the world is safe, I don’t intend to let you out of whatever bed we’re in for at least a week.”

  Mason smiles and lifts his head from mine to look down at me.

  “I was thinking more like a month,” he confides.

  I smile. “I can live with that.”

  I ask Mason to bring Chandler and JoJo to my house while I go get Leah from Mama Lynn’s. With four of us together now, and me without any emotional baggage, I have high hopes we can locate the fifth vessel in record time.

  But before I go to Mama Lynn’s, I grab a piece of notebook paper and make a quick sketch on it. I walk over to George’s house and knock on his door.

  When he opens it, he’s dressed in khaki’s and a red flannel shirt.

  “Jess!” He says, giving me a bear hug. “What brings you to my door this early in the morning?”

  I hand George my drawing. “You still have that jigsaw right?”

  “Yes,” George says, looking down at the paper in his hands. “You want me to make this for you?”

  I nod. “Yes.”

  “Looks simple enough. Just the four pieces?”

  “Yeah. When do you think you can have it done for me?”

  “I can knock this out for you this afternoon.”

  “Great,” I smile, unable to contain my excitement.

  “Mind me asking you what it’s for?”

  I tell George because I feel sure I will need his help in my surprise for Mason.

  “You’re the first person I’ve told so don’t say anything to Faison or Mama Lynn until I get a chance to tell them.”

  “Ok, Jess,” George says. “My lips are sealed. You just let me know when you need my help with things.”

  I leave George’s house and go over to Mama Lynn’s. Faison opens the door and I feel like I’m looking at the old Faison again. Her hair is fixed, make-up on and there’s even a real smile on her face.

  She grabs my arm and pulls me inside the house.

  “I can’t believe you had sex last night and didn’t tell me it was going to happen,” she laments.

  I quickly scan the area to make sure Leah is no where around.

  “I really couldn’t find the right time to tell you, Fai.”

  “Well?” Faison asks looking at me expectantly. “How was it?”

  I feel my eye begin to tear up.

  “Oh God,” she says, “was he that bad? I thought for sure since he was so old he would have had enough practice by now to be good at it.”

  “No, Fai,” I say indulgently. “It was that good. It was everything I could have hoped for and more.”

  A slow grin stretches Faison’s lips. “Good. I’m glad he made it so special for you.”

  I wipe at the tears in my eyes.

  “You look really good,” I tell her.

  Faison sighs. “I just realized John Austin wouldn’t want me to mourn him, especially if his death was destined to be anyway. His life wasn’t for nothing because we’ll always remember him. Besides, Leah needs me. I can’t be a big sister to her if all I do is mope around the house and cry my eyes out all the time. I need to set a better example for her. She’s been through so much in her short life. She doesn’t need more baggage and that’s what I would be. So, I’m getting myself together and that’s that.”

  I hug Faison, glad to have my sister back.

  I see Leah bound down the steps from the second floor and almost don’t recognize her. She has a new haircut which feathers the hair around her face accentuating its exotic beauty. Her clothes are brand new and more in line with someone her age. She has a little bit of make-up on but not enough to be overpowering.

  “Hey Jess,” she says coming to stand with me and Faison.

  “Leah, you look beautiful. I love the hair!”

  Leah looks bashful. “Thanks. Faison suggested it.”

  “It looks great,” I reassure her.

  Faison puts an arm around Leah’s shoulders. “Yep, we’ll have those boys at school eating out of the palm of your hand in no time.”

  “School?” Leah asks.

  “Uh, yeah,” Faison says. “You know, where you go to learn things.”

  Leah looks at me with panic in her eyes. “I’ve never been to school.”

  “Oh,” Faison looks at me. “What do you think we should do?”

  “Did Remy teach you things when you were moving around?”

  “I know how to read and basic math,” Leah says. “But other than that…”

  “I’ll talk to Mason. We might just get you a tutor or something. Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”

  “I would like to go to school one day,” Leah says. “I’ve never been around a lot of other kids my age.”

  “Well, let’s take it one step at a time,” I tell her. “We need to get you up to speed on the history of this Earth in particular. It’s a lot different from the one you know.”

  Leah nods. “Ok, Jess.”

  “I came over to get you,” I tell Leah. “I thought the four of us should try connecting with the fifth vessel. Hopefully, it will be easier now with four of us.”

  “When do you think you’ll be done?” Faison asks. “I thought I would take Leah to the mall so we can get some stuff to decorate her room with.”

  “I’m not sure how long we’ll be but I wouldn’t think more than an hour or two.”

  Faison’s face brightens. “Cool! We can get some lunch while we’re out then.”

  As Leah and I walk to my house, I decide to see how she feels about being Faison’s new pet project.

  “She needs me,” Leah says, mirroring Faison’s words. “We talked a lot last night about our lives. Her heart’s still broken over John Austin, but helping me seems to help her push through the pain.”

  “So you don’t mind all the attention?”

  “No because I need her too,” Leah admits. “I think together we can get through our sadness and come out ok.”

  I take one of Leah’s hands in mine and squeeze it, wanting her to know Faison isn’t the only one she can rely on.

  When we get to my house, I encounter a strange scene. Both Chandler and JoJo seem to be having conversations with themselves in my living room. It doesn’t take me long to realize what they’re actually doing: speaking with their archangels. It instantly makes me feel guilty. I haven’t spoken with Michael since my flying lesson.

  “What are they doing?” Leah asks in a low voice out the side of her mouth, apparently thinking Chandler and JoJo have completely lost their minds.

 

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